The standard bench block is a block of steel that provides a stable, solid platform for creating stamped marks on your metal surface. Using a bench block allows for cleaner impressions in hard steel, brass, and other metals, due to the density of the bench block material. This lightweight but solid base is a perfect tool for hobbyists and professionals alike.
Without a bench block, impressions may have a tendency to ghost (multiple marks, made in error which are slightly visible) or to plate or dish (bend in a concave manner due to being struck by the stamp on a soft surface) both of which are undesirable. By placing a bench block under your material, however, you allow for a hard, dense surface to absorb the force of the hammer, thus transferring your stamped image cleanly into the material you are marking.
