Adventure Awaits...
SKILL LEVEL : Intermediate
Remember your favorite adventures by hand stamping your own ever-growing personal souvenir. As you cross off places on your travel bucket list, continue to add additional cubes with the destination and date of each particular trip. Where will your next hand-stamped piece take you?
Place cube on stamping block. Secure straight stamp guide on cube. Use guide marks to evenly space out letters and align stamp impressions.
TIP: Use a piece of stamp tape to secure the cube to the stamping block so it doesn't move while stamping.
TIP: Write desired message directly onto the stamp guide and utilize the guideline marks for spacing.
Place stamp on cube, above the corresponding mark on the stamp guide. Lightly drag stamp towards the guide until the stamp catches the edge of the guide. Hold stamp flat and firmly in place by anchoring the side of your hand on workspace. Then strike the stamp once with medium force using Metal Stamping Hammer. Repeat to complete desired word. Remove stamp guide. Repeat for each side of the cube as desired.
TIP: If the stamp has an ImpressArt logo, make sure it is facing you so that the impression is stamped in the correct direction.
TIP: Slightly tilt the stamp towards you while dragging the stamp towards the guide. Make sure you hold the stamp flat and firmly in place before striking the stamp.
Position Ultra Detail Design Stamp in the center on the cube. Use the Tilt & Tap technique to stamp 6mm and larger stamps, or stamps with more details. While applying pressure to the stamp, strike once with medium force. Then without lifting stamp, continue to strike while very slightly tilting the stamp in a circular motion to catch all sides of the design. Repeat for each side of the cube as desired.
TIP: Use a piece of stamp tape to secure the cube to the stamping block so it doesn't move while stamping. You will be able to stamp through the tape into the cube.
Note: Harder metals and stamps with more detail require a harder strike than softer metals and stamps with less detail.
Highlight impressions with Stamp Enamel. Wait 3-5 minutes and then wipe away the excess enamel from the surface of the cubes. Set cubes aside.
Use the tips of two chain nose pliers to grasp the sides of a jump ring, with the opening of the jump ring facing up between the two pliers. Laterally twist each side of the jump ring in opposite directions to open the ring. Slide keychain clasp onto the jump ring. Laterally twist the jump ring back with tension to close.
NOTE: Do NOT pull outwards on the jump ring as it will weaken the metal and distort the circular shape of the ring.
Attach the leather cord to the jump ring by cutting a piece of cord that is about 12-15 inches long. Thread the cord through the jump ring and fold it in half. Starting away from the loop end near the jump ring, wrap the one tail of the cord around the other cord until you make four wraps, working your way towards the jump ring. Keep the wraps loose, and make sure they don’t overlap. Thread the cord back through all the wraps, away from the jump ring. Then slowly pull the wraps towards the jump ring while pulling the ends of the cord in the opposite direction. This will tighten the loops, forming a knot and move the knot towards the jump ring.
Hold the tails of the leather cord together and slide them through each stamped cube.
Secure the cubes on the leather cord by tying an overhand knot at the end of the key chain. Pull knot tight before trimming the end.
