Rubber Stamps 101

Rubber Stamps

When someone refers to a “regular stamp” they are usually talking about the kind of rubber stamp that requires a stamp pad. These kinds of stamps can be made out of several types of material depending on the kind of work the stamps will be used for.

The majority of stamp manufacturers use a photo-polymer to make custom stamps. Polymer is good for regular office stamping and works good in self-inking stamps. Polymer stamps cannot be used with corrosive or permanent inks. Corrosive or permanent ink formulas require stamps made with real rubber. For people who use rubber stamps for creating artwork, those are made from real rubber. They are very durable and holdup to stamping and washing for years if properly cared for.

Self-inking stamps are a self-contained unit housing the stamp and a small stamp pad. Each time you push down on the handle the stamp separates from the pad, rotates around and makes an impression. There are many manufacturers of self-inking mounts.

Pre-inked stamps are different from the self-inking stamps in that there are no moving parts. The stamp is made from a micro-porous material that keeps the ink in the stamp until pressure is applied. There are several types of mounts, processes for putting the ink into the porous material and many manufacturers of mounts.

Check out our self-inking and pre-ink page for more information about how they work and how to pick a good one.

Inks

There are hundreds of colors, types and formulas for inks. Most stamping products can use a few types of ink, including regular stamp ink used for paper stamping. Most of the time, regular ink is sufficient. There are, however, permanent inks for stamping on photos, glossy material, metal, plastic, pvc, and circuit boards. Most of these inks are available in slow or fast dry formulation, depending on how quickly the object needs to be handled after the impression is made.

Other ink formulations include invisible ink (this variety is visible with black light), food ink, FDA-approved inks, acid free(for archival purposes and scrapbooks), and many others depending on your needs.

When using different types of ink be sure to get the correct stamp pad for the ink. There are foam, felt, micropore, double-sided and stone stamp pads. Check with your stamp professional about which is the right pad for your uses. Remember: do not mix different types of ink in one stamp pad; this causes weird and occasionally nasty effects with your pads and stamps. When your stamp or pad starts to disfigure and warp, something might be wrong and it’s time to start over.

Be sure to talk through the purpose of your stamping and the materials to be stamped with your Stamp Professional. They can guide you to an “out-stamping” experience!

stamp/ink chart

Unless noted, we are referring to regular ink, or ink supplied with stamp(SI or Pre-inked).
Stamping onto glossy or slick paper can be done with regular inks if an embossing technique is used.
Remember, excellent stamping takes technique and practice.

[* After a few impressions, image will get lighter. You’ll need to let the stamp sit for the ink to redistribute.]

Pre-Inked Stamps

Pre-Inked stamps, as the name implies, come pre-inked. There are several ways they are made, but what it boils down to is this: The stamps themselves hold the ink in the rubber. In the pre-inked stamps the ink travels through the pores in the rubber material in the stamp. When you press down on the pre-inked stamp the ink is transfered to the paper.
If you do a lot of stamping all at once, you may not want to get a pre-inked stamp. The ink takes a while to travel through the pores of the rubber. Repeated, rapid stamping results in later impressions becoming lighter and lighter.

Pre-inked stamps come in many styles and mount designs. Some brands even come with a Limited Lifetime Warranty!

Pre-inked stamp tips:

• Don’t mix inks with different brands of pre-inked stamps. They usually have their own “secret formula” and aren’t compatible.
• Don’t bang or hit them, they have feelings too. They will bounce, not go down level and won’t make a great impression.
• The amount of ink that transfers depends on how much pressure you apply. So, don’t press to hard, it can get messy.
• Most important, don’t run them over with your car. They will break (also voids any warranty).

Click here to go to the pre-inked stamp order page

Self-Inking Stamps

How a self-inking stamp works

A self-inking stamp is a rubber stamp mechanism that contains a spring, stamp and a pad. The stamp rests on the pad when it’s not being used. This way when you want use the stamp it is ready to go. When the stamp is resting on the stamp pad all the time with pressure, it causes a couple of problems. First, it places an impression (indentation) in the pad, if you want to put another stamp on your self-inking stamp it is advisable to change the pad also. If the pad is not replaced your stamp may not work correctly. Second, the pad over time will wear out. I suppose this isn’t really a problem. That happens to every stamp pad eventually.

 How can I tell if I’m getting a quality self-inking stamp?

Ask people you know, they will certainly tell you what they like or don’t like about thier stamps. The better self inking stamps are made of an ABS plastic and are very durable. The “no-name” brands you see in ads in the sunday paper are made of a less expensive plastic and are not as durable. You may also find it difficult to find replacement pads for off brand stamps as well.

Self-Inking stamp tips:

• Don’t mix inks from different brands of self inking stamps. They usually have their own “secret formula” and aren’t compatible.
• Not reccommended for use with quick dry ink (for non-porus surfaces), just as implied, the ink dries to quick since the pad is always uncovered.
• Don’t bang or hit them, they have feelings too. They will bounce and not make a great impression.
• Most important, don’t run them over with your car. They will break.

Click here to go to the self inking stamp order page