Understanding Metal Stamps and what materials they can stamp.
One of the most common questions we get at RestoStamps is: "Can your stamps mark this material?" The short answer is almost always yes — our stamps are manufactured from hardened tool steel to handle serious industrial use. But each material has its own characteristics that affect technique, hammer weight, and the result you can expect. This guide covers every major material our customers work with.
What Makes a Metal Stamp Work on Any Material
A metal hand stamp works by applying concentrated force through a hardened steel face onto a softer surface, permanently displacing the material to leave a raised or recessed impression. The harder the stamp relative to the material being marked, and the more focused the force, the cleaner the result.
Every stamp we make at RestoStamps is CNC-machined from hardened tool steel — this is not mild steel or generic metal. It is the same grade of material used in professional die-cutting and industrial tooling, which means it remains sharp and dimensionally accurate after thousands of impressions across hard and soft materials alike.
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Material by Material — What to Expect
Mild Steel — The Most Common Application
Mild steel is the bread and butter of restoration stamping — car frames, engine pads, body cowls, and chassis rails are all mild steel. It is forgiving and predictable: stamp it flat, strike decisively once, and you get a clean, deep impression with well-defined edges. This is the primary material for all of our GM, Mustang, Ford F-Series, and Military Jeep stamp applications.
Recommended hammer weight: 16 to 32 oz depending on stamp size. One firm, accurate strike. Pull the hammer away immediately to avoid double impressions.
Stainless Steel — Requires More Force
Stainless steel is significantly harder than mild steel and has a tendency to work-harden under repeated light strikes — meaning each tap makes the surface harder, not softer. For stainless, you need to get the depth you want on the first blow. Use a heavier hammer than you would for mild steel and strike with confidence. Our tool steel stamps handle stainless without chipping.
Common applications: Marine hardware, food service equipment, industrial part marking, inspection stamps on fabricated assemblies. Our custom inspection stamps are widely used for stainless steel part marking.
Aluminum — Light Touch Required
Aluminum is soft enough that it is easy to over-stamp. Too much force causes the stamp to sink deeper than intended, which creates raised burrs around the character edges that are difficult to remove cleanly. Build your depth gradually — start with a lighter blow and add a second strike if needed, repositioning precisely over the existing impression each time.
Common applications: Data tags, aircraft components, marine fittings, motorcycle engine cases. Several of our Porsche stamping applications involve aluminum engine cases.
Copper and Brass — Easy and Rewarding
Both copper and brass stamp beautifully. They are soft, ductile, and take impressions cleanly with minimal force. The contrast between the impression and the surface is excellent — particularly on polished brass. These are popular materials for custom maker's marks and logo stamps used by jewelers and metalworkers.
Recommended hammer weight: 8 to 16 oz. Very light touch. You can always go deeper, but you cannot undo an over-stamped impression.
Leather — The Craftsperson's Material
Our stamps mark leather superbly. Leatherworkers, saddlers, and bag makers use both our symbol stamps and custom logo stamps to brand their products with a permanent, professional impression.
For the best leather impressions: dampen the leather lightly before stamping — wet leather takes a cleaner, deeper impression than dry leather and holds the detail better as it dries. Use a wooden or rubber mallet rather than a steel hammer. The force required is much less than for metal.
Recommended: Vegetable-tanned leather responds best. Chrome-tanned leather can be stamped but requires more moisture preparation and gives slightly less defined edges.
Wood — Possible with the Right Setup
Our stamps can mark hardwoods and dense softwoods. For clean wood impressions, dampen the surface slightly and use a mallet. Some customers heat the stamp slightly before striking for a branded effect on wood — though this is not required for a clear impression. Works well on knife handles, wooden tool handles, and craft items.
Plastic and Soft Materials
Many plastics can be stamped, though results vary significantly by material type. Hard plastics like ABS take reasonable impressions. Softer plastics tend to spring back. If you have a specific plastic application, contact us to discuss — we can advise whether stamping or an alternative approach is best.
Quick Reference — Material Summary
Mild Steel — Standard technique, 16–32 oz hammer ✓
Stainless Steel — Heavy hammer, first blow must be decisive ✓
Aluminum — Light touch, build depth gradually ✓
Copper / Brass — Easy, very light hammer needed ✓
Leather — Dampen first, use mallet not hammer ✓
Wood — Dampen surface, mallet or press ✓
Plastic — Varies by type, contact us first
The Stamps Behind Every Application
Whether you're stamping a classic car frame, marking leather goods with your maker's brand, or pressing identification codes into industrial components — we have a stamp built for the job.