FAQ

Everything people ask us before they order. If your question isn't here, write to info@stampleather.co — a real person answers.

Ordering & delivery

How long until my stamp arrives?

Two parts, and we'd rather be straight about both.

Making it: 2–5 working days. Every stamp is cut to order in our workshop — nothing sits on a shelf waiting. You'll get an email the moment yours goes on the machine.

Getting it to you: usually two to three weeks by tracked post to the US and most of Europe, tracked the whole way. Checkout shows a real delivery window in business days for whichever shipping option you pick — including Express (FedEx or DHL), offered on every route.

One honest note about Express: it speeds up the journey, not the making. Your stamp still needs its days in the workshop first. If you're working to a deadline, write to us before you order and we'll tell you straight whether we can make it.

Where do you ship from?

Novi Sad, Serbia. That's where the workshop is, where the brass is cut — and why a parcel to the US takes a couple of weeks rather than a couple of days.

My tracking says "shipping label created" and hasn't moved. Is something wrong?

Almost certainly not. The label is generated when your stamp is booked in for making, which is before it physically travels. Tracking stays quiet through the workshop days and the first leg of the journey, then wakes up.

If it has been quiet for more than about ten days, write to us and we'll chase it. We would rather look it up for you than have you wondering.

Why did my parcel come from Florida if you're in Serbia?

Because that's how we get it to you faster. US orders travel Serbia to Florida in bulk, then go into the domestic postal system from there. Your tracking picks up the American leg, which is why it can look like the parcel appeared in Florida out of nowhere.

What does shipping cost?

Free over $50 to the United States, over $75 to Europe, over $95 everywhere else. Below that it's a flat tracked rate — $11 to the US, $10–18 within Europe, $14–20 elsewhere. Checkout shows the exact figure for your address before you pay anything.

Two stamps usually clears free shipping in the US.

How can I pay?

All major cards, and PayPal. Checkout is secured by Stripe. Pick whichever you prefer — the price is the same either way.

Is my order tracked?

Every order, every country, no exceptions. Follow your parcel on our order tracking page, and we'll email you at each step so you're never left wondering.

Do you ship internationally?

Yes — worldwide. Customs, duties or import taxes may apply on international orders and are the buyer's responsibility.

Returns & when something's wrong

Can I return a stamp?

Yes. 30 days from the day your order is delivered — not from the day you ordered, so the time your parcel spends in transit doesn't count against you.

The stamp needs to be unused and in its original packaging. Email info@stampleather.co for a return authorisation number before sending anything back. Return postage is the customer's.

What if it arrives damaged or isn't what I ordered?

Send us photos and we'll put it right. That isn't a return — that's our mistake, and we'll treat it as ours.

What if the impression isn't what I expected?

Write to us with a photo of what you're getting. Nine times out of ten it's leather or technique rather than the tool, and we can usually tell from the picture — too dry, not enough force, or leather thinner than the design needs. If it is the tool, we'll make it right.

Don't struggle with it quietly. We would much rather help you get a clean impression than have you give up on the stamp.

What about custom stamps?

A stamp cut from your own artwork can't be sold to anyone else, so custom work is final sale. But if it arrives faulty, or doesn't match the proof you approved, we remake it free. Just send photos.

This applies only to bespoke work. Every stamp in the regular catalogue is covered by the 30-day policy above.

Choosing the right stamp

How do I choose a size?

Match the stamp to the piece, not to the picture. On a watch strap or a narrow border you want something under about 12 mm on its short side; on a belt or a bag panel you have room for 15–25 mm. Every listing gives the design size in millimetres and inches.

If you're deciding between two sizes, the smaller one is more forgiving — it takes less force and it's easier to keep straight.

How deep does a stamp cut?

It varies by design, so each listing tells you its own. Look for Cut depth in the specification line — for example, our Scaled Basketweave cuts 1.45 mm.

Where we don't have a verified measurement from the workshop, we leave it out rather than guess. An estimated depth is worse than none, because you'd choose your leather from it.

Which stamps repeat into a continuous pattern?

Borders, basketweave and the all-over textures are designed to tile — each impression seats into the last so the pattern grows without a visible join. Single motifs are meant to stand alone.

If you're covering a large area, a repeating tool does the work of dozens of individual stamps.

Do you make matching corner pieces?

For some borders, yes — a corner lets you turn a frame cleanly instead of mitring the pattern by eye. If you can't find a corner for the border you want, ask. We cut them.

Can I get a design in a size that isn't listed?

Usually. We cut our own tooling, so a different size of an existing design is a normal job rather than a special favour. Tell us the design and the size you need and we'll quote you.

What's the difference between a stamp, a mold and a cutter?

A stamp is struck into leather to leave an impression — that's most of what we make. A mold (or bumper tool) is a two-part set that forms deep relief under a press. A cutter cuts or trims the leather rather than decorating it.

Do you sell sets or bundles?

We have a few brass sets built around a theme, and every sixth stamp in any order is free — so building your own set is often the better value. Browse the full catalogue by design to put one together.

Using the stamps

Will these work on my leather?

Veg-tan, lightly cased — damp to the touch, not wet.

Use 3 mm leather or thicker. On thinner leather you'll need a backing scrap underneath, or the pattern will distort the back. Chrome-tanned leather won't hold an impression at all — it springs back.

What does "cased" actually mean?

Wet the leather through, then wait. Casing is the stage after wetting when the surface has returned to nearly its natural colour but the leather is still cool and damp inside. That's when it takes an impression best and holds it as it dries.

Too wet and the impression closes up as it dries. Too dry and it won't cut. If in doubt, wait a little longer.

Do I need a press, or is a mallet enough?

A mallet is enough for most of our stamps, and it's how most of our customers work. You want a heavy poly or rawhide mallet rather than a light one — weight does the work, so you don't have to swing hard.

A press gives you more consistency across a long run and helps on the largest designs. It isn't required. Work on something solid — a granite slab or a stone under the leather makes far more difference than most people expect.

How do I get a clean impression?

One strike, square to the surface. Don't tilt the tool.

For deeper relief: lift the stamp fully, re-seat it in the same impression, and strike again. Never rock the tool — rocking gives you ghosted double edges.

For border stamps, seat each impression so the pattern tails meet the previous strike. End to end, the design connects into one continuous band.

Why is my impression shallower than the photos?

Usually one of four things, in this order: the leather is too dry, the leather is too thin, the surface underneath is soft, or the strike isn't heavy enough. Work through them in that order and it's almost always fixed by the second.

Our photographs are taken on properly cased veg-tan of a suitable thickness, on a solid surface. Match those conditions and you'll match the picture.

How do I keep a border straight?

Mark your line first — a light scribe or a wing divider run along the edge gives you something to seat every impression against. Freehand drifts, and a border that drifts is very hard to rescue.

Can I use them on anything besides leather?

They're designed for leather. People do use them on paper, card and some fabrics — test on a scrap first to see how it takes.

Can I hot-stamp with them?

Yes. Wear gloves — brass carries heat faster than you expect.

How do I look after them?

Wipe the brass head and steel handle with a soft dry cloth after use. Store somewhere cool and dry. Avoid abrasives and harsh chemicals. Looked after, these outlast the person using them.

The stamps themselves

What are they made of?

A solid brass head, CNC-milled from one piece, on a stainless steel handle — 110 mm overall. Every design is drawn in-house, milled from solid brass, and hand-finished before it ships.

Who makes them?

We do — a small family workshop in Novi Sad, Serbia. The designs are drawn here, the brass is milled here on our own machines, and every tool is finished by hand before it goes in the box. We're not a reseller putting a name on someone else's tools.

Why brass?

Brass machines to a finer edge than harder metals, which is what lets a design hold its detail at 15 mm across. It's soft enough to cut precisely and hard enough to strike for years.

How many designs do you have?

Around 750, starting at $22. Borders and corners, basketweave, Celtic knotwork, skulls, animals, florals, geometrics, textures, paws, alphabets and more.

Custom work & wholesale

Can you make a design that isn't in the catalogue?

Custom work is most of what we enjoy doing. Send us your design, tell us the size you need, or just describe the idea — we'll quote you. We also cut corner pieces and matching narrow versions of stamps already in the range.

What does a custom stamp cost?

Our custom stamp starts at $85, with larger sizes at $110 and $145. You don't need a vector file — any clear image or sketch works, and we redraw it for machining.

Do you offer wholesale pricing?

Yes. 50 pieces minimum, 50% off retail, about two weeks to make. Mix the designs however you like, and larger orders can do better than 50%. See the wholesale program or write to us with what you need.

Can you make stamps under my own brand?

Tell us what you have in mind and we'll tell you honestly whether we can do it. We cut our own tooling, so there's more room here than most suppliers have.

Offers

What is "every 6th stamp free"?

Exactly that — add six stamps and one is on us. The counter in your cart tells you how close you are.

Still stuck?

info@stampleather.co — Monday to Friday, 9:00–17:00 CET. A real person answers, usually the same day.

Full detail lives in our shipping policy, returns & refunds policy and terms of service.