Today I tried using a Dremel on a stamp. This wasn't a regular Dremel but rather my new 4.8V cordless Dremel. This is a gentler Dremel, although it fits the same bits as a traditional Dremel. It also only costs about $15.

I wasn't using this Dremel to carve the stamp. Rather, after carving, I was using it to adjust the stamp a little bit. I've always found it very difficult to massage an edge on a stamp using regular carving tools. If all you want to do is smooth an edge a bit, using a gouge or razor knife always seems to make it more ragged rather than smoother.

The bit I used was a stone with a tapered point, and of course I only used the very tip of the point. I ran the Dremel on high speed (the cordless Dremel has two speeds) since working with such a small diameter tip means it won't grind much anyway.

I have to say it worked very well indeed. I was able to do exactly what I intended to do -- working under the magnifier -- and didn't have to toss the stamp and start over. With the Dremel, it's relatively easy to trim up a tiny edge and leave it smooth and gently curved.

I suspect this Dremel will become a regular part of my stamp carving arsenal -- although I'm still not tempted to try to carve an entire stamp with it. I don't think I could cut a sharp "inside corner" with it -- that calls for the razor knife. I also suspect it would be much more difficult to carve with than a knife, so it'd take a lot longer. Using it for touch-up work, though, seems to work well.

Argh be to the dremel. I have used one to carve a couple stamps but it's so jumpy that the stamps turned out looking like my kids made them...no offense to my kids who are very young but you know what I mean. I purchased lino carving tools that I prefer even to an xacto knife. Could be that I'm just impatient but even the xacto gets me last nerve. I do agree that the dremel is good for smoothing edges and clearing away large areas but not for fine carving. Glad it works for you.
Sarcasmo

I have used one to carve a couple stamps but it's so jumpy that the stamps turned out looking like my kids made them...

Were you using a cordless Dremel or a regular 120V one? Because they're not even close to the same thing, IMHO. In fact, that's why I got a cordless; there are many situations where the 120V Dremel is just too powerful, and I think this is probably one of them.

Also, were you trying to cut recesses into flat rubber? Because I suspect it wouldn't work well at all for that. You'd have to have an existing recess in the rubber and use the Dremel to enlarge that recess for it to work. I guess you could use a gouge to just make some openings in the surface of the rubber and then use the Dremel to expand these openings out to the edges of the final image. I think that'd probably work -- but again, I'm not really tempted to try it. Sounds like too many steps, too much work, a razor knife or a gouge does the same job quicker and easier.

I use this too! love it.

I also bought one of those portable manicure sets. The electric ones that run on a battery - Target 11.98 It also works great too!

S and D

Do these work for smoothing the edges of the foam too? A carver in my area gets these nice, rounded edges to her foam and I think it looks great.

Do these work for smoothing the edges of the foam too? A carver in my area gets these nice, rounded edges to her foam and I think it looks great.

It has worked for us. Our stamps look so much better than before.

Do these work for smoothing the edges of the foam too?

Haven't tried that. I presume you're talking about fun foam? I normally don't have any of that stuff around, but if I find some I'll give it a shot. I suspect a larger stone bit might work.