Anyone here do leather embossing?

[Garrett Ellis]

Not sure if this is the right forum...

I've got this 'catch all' from pottery barn:

monogrammed catch all.jpg

and want to emboss it with initials as shown in the picture. Problem is PB only does monogramming for online orders, and they no longer sell this online. I guess they are discontinuing it.

Does anyone here on the creek do this? I wouldn't mind paying for shipping and service, just not sure where and how to get this done.

[Bill Cunningham]

You wont 'emboss' it with a laser, (embossing is done with hard dies and pressure) but you can engrave or etch designs and text into/onto the surface.. I consider engraving to have definite depth to the mark, and etching to be a surface change/discolouration/burn usually to about 5 thou deep.. Engraving leather just takes a bit more power, and is usually done in two or three passes to keep the charing to a minimum, and the stink down, but each pass will cut a little deeper.. Etching done with higher speed, is great for putting photographs or high detail designs onto leather. Smooth Leather is a high definition material, and usually can be etched directly from a grey scale image without using photograv or any other software to create 2 bit files for engraving.

[Ryan Pridgeon]

This actually looks like it was done with a hot die and gold foil. Normal embossing just presses the die into the leather.

[Mike Null]

In my opinion that mark is made with a laser. It does not appear to be hot stamped or debossed.

On my monitor the mark shows as gray.

[Chris DeGerolamo]

If you want to stamp/emboss the leather.....

The leather must be wet to accept the stamp - not damp, wet. Soak it through. Use the laser to make a stamp - you can use plywood (1/4") or delrin if you have any. I have not experimented with acrylic though my guess is that it would not take the shock of force. Reverse engrave your stamp to give yourself about as much relief as you can...I would say 1/8" would be more than enough in this case. Use a mallot to transfer the stamp to the leather. MAKE SURE THE STAMP DOES NOT JUMP when you hit it as this will not transfer the design properly. IF you are not satisfied, you may whack it again, BUT MAKE SURE the stamp is aligned 100%.

Not sure what weight leather you are using, but the thicker the better (I've gotten good results on a 3/4, up to 10oz) .

I would suggest searching youtube to see how to stamp leather so that you can see the technique and tools used by the craftsmen.


You could always mask and spray it though.

[Bill Cunningham]

I have to agree with Mike. That mark was done with a laser.. The colour change is about right, and it does not show any depth.. When doing leather for customers, or for items that need to be consistent as far as etch colour is concerned, it's always best to put a tiny mark someplace that won't be noticed. This, and making sure ALL the leather comes from the same batch, is the only way to know for sure what colour the etch will be. One of the biggest mysteries with leather is the colour it will turn when lasered. There is no way of knowing until the beam hits it.. I usually buy light tan 8oz shoulders (about $4 a sq. ft), and it usually etches a consistent dark brown. Dyed leather like wallets and folders etc.. can be quite surprising. Black is the most surprising. I have had black wallets turn everything from dark brown to bright white.. I usually tell my customers the colour of the etch will depend on the tanning method, the dye used, the genetics of the animal, and what it had for breakfast on the worst day of it's life.. Below is the colour light tan turns when lasered.. This is a 12 x 18 piece

[David Takes]

I would concur that the monogram was not done via hot foil stamping. It definitely looks laser engraved.

[Richard DiMaggio]

I can do that for you. I have one machine set up to do fabric and leather exclusively. The largest size design I can do is 8" x 8". From what I see in your picture, that is what you have there. Basically, the laser vaporizes the dye on the leather's surface and whatever the color was before it was dyed shows thru. Would be glad to quote you on this..
rj