Dies & products
17 kinds of die. One set of standards.
Engraved, machined and photoengraved dies for foil stamping, embossing, debossing, letterpress, molding and cutting — the tooling for every print embellishment a printer or finisher needs. Click through to the quote form when you know what you need — or email us and we'll help you specify it. All quotes are requested by email.
Foil stamping & embossing
The core of what we do: dies that press foil, texture and relief into paper, board, leather and fabric.
01Foil stamp dies
Flat-etched copper or magnesium dies for hot foil stamping. Standard mill depth, optional registration marks and slot (lip) mounting.
02Emboss dies (2 level)
Single-level relief with a matched counter. Choose bevel angle and depth to suit your stock and press.
03Emboss dies (dimensional, sculptured)
Hand- and machine-sculptured brass or aluminum with multiple levels, rounded contours and fine modelling for a true three-dimensional impression.
04Debossing dies
Recessed impressions in copper or magnesium, with or without a relieved counter.
05Combination foil / emboss dies
One die and counter that foil-stamps and embosses in a single pass for tight registration.
06Fabric emboss / deboss
Dies built for apparel, leather and textile work, where heat, dwell and depth differ from paper.
07Metal mount dies
Type-high (.918) metal-mounted plates for platen and cylinder presses.
08Counter dies
Matched counters for emboss and deboss work, supplied with your die or made to fit an existing one.
Letterpress, engraving & molds
Plates and dies for ink transfer, burnishing and casting.
09Letterpress dies (magnesium)
Wood-mounted, type-high magnesium plates for letterpress printing.
10Photopolymer plates
Adhesive-backed photopolymer plates for letterpress and flexographic printing — a light, quick-turn alternative to metal.
11Engraving dies (for ink transfer)
Deep-etched plates for engraved (intaglio) printing on stationery and announcements.
12Pantograph dies
16 gauge magnesium dies cut on the pantograph for right- or wrong-reading, raised or sunk images.
13Burnishing dies
Dies for burnishing wood, cork and similar materials where heat and pressure mark the surface without foil.
14Mold dies
Right- or wrong-reading, raised or sunk molds for jewelry, sandcasting and rubber plate work.
15Duplication dies
Faithful duplicates of an existing die, whether ours or someone else's, for multiple-up or multi-plant production.
Cutting & specialty dies
Dies for labels, decals, leather and fabric cut-outs.
16Thermal kiss-cut dies
Heated dies that cut through the face stock and stop at the liner for peel-off labels and decals.
17Clicker dies
Cutting dies for leather, fabric and similar materials on clicker presses.
Standard specifications
The options we quote against most often. Anything marked "other" on the quote form can be made to your measurement.
| Die | Material / thickness | Depth | Trim | Options |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flat stamp — copper | Copper 1/4" or 16 ga (no milling) | Standard mill | 1/4", 1/2" | Registration marks, slot (lip) |
| Flat stamp — magnesium | Magnesium 1/4", 11 pt or 16 ga | .045, .065 | 1/4", 1/2" | Registration marks, slot (lip) |
| Deboss | Copper or magnesium | .012, .016 | 1/4", 1/2" | Slot, counter .030/.060, relieved |
| Emboss | Copper or magnesium | .012, .016 | 1/4", 1/2" | Bevel 30°/40°/45°, slot, counter .030/.060, relieved |
| Mold | Magnesium 1/4", 11 pt, 16 ga · Copper 1/4", 16 ga | .025, .035 | 1/4", 1/2" | Right/wrong reading, raised/sunk |
| Pantograph | 16 ga magnesium | .035, .045 | 1/4", 1/2" | Right/wrong reading, raised/sunk |
| Letterpress | Magnesium, .918 type-high wood mount | — | Close | Relieved, nails |
| Photopolymer | .060" KF152 or .040" KF95, adhesive backing | Relief .045–.047 (.060) · .025–.027 (.040) | — | Adhesive-backed for letterpress or flexo |
| Metal mount | .918 type high | .065 | Close | Relieved |
| Counter only | .030 or .060 board | — | — | Relieved; specify press |
Registration and heat compensation
If your die must register to printed work, send a press sheet and tell us the press temperature. We compensate the metal for heat growth so the foil lands where the ink says it should.
Specify a die on the quote form- Phone
- 503-736-0633 — customer service, technical service or accounts receivable
- Address
- 2815 SE 15th Ave, Portland, OR 97202