Carving Cravings

Ten years ago, I took up the wacky hobby of letterboxing, where I'm known by the trail name, Funhog. An essential part of this pastime is carving rubber stamps. Have a look at Letterboxing.org to learn more.



Having never made a stamp before, other than those carved potatoes we all made in grade school, I had no idea how much I would enjoy whittling away on pieces of vinyl. The first ones were lousy to look at but fun to make. Today, I can make much better ones. They still don't look like something that has come from a machine but something that has come from my decidedly human hands.






Over the years, I have carved signature stamps for various friends and acquaintances. Last year, I surprised Wired, a Pacific Crest Trail thru-hiker and total stranger, with a stamp to use in the trail registers she signed along her way on the PCT. She picked it up in California and I'm proud to say that this little creation made its way onto a page in the final book in Canada. We later met face to face and she is encouraging hikers to contact me to have stamps of their own made, representing their trail names.

These are some of the stamps images I've made over the last few years. Most are smaller than 2"x 2" and they are made of soft vinyl carving block, the same stuff that they use to make white art erasers. If treated gently, they will last several years. The less detail, the more sturdy the stamp.









If you are interested in having something carved, click here to contact me. We can discuss designs, prices and time frame via email. Prices would start at $10 for a simple silhouette image and I can accept PayPal or credit cards for payment.