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Read Thread: ink pads or markers on the trail?

Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963264 by condo
Aug 1, 2018 5:03am
Thread (disabled) Board
I carry ink pads in several commonly used colors, and said this recently on another thread:

I find it's difficult to ink up a stamp with multiple colors while standing alone in the woods. I think everyone should try stamping every stamp they carve, but not at the dining room table ~ out in the yard after a rain ;~) And No, you can't sit down!

I stand by it. Carvers, please test your color scheme outdoors, by yourself - no helpers. Find out how hard it is or isn't, and make it realistic - don't sit or kneel, or place any of your stuff on the wet, muddy trail (even if it isn't wet & muddy right now).

When faced with a complex, multi-colored stamp on the trail, I use my Versafine black or sepia on the whole stamp, and wipe it off afterwards on the back flyleaf of my logbook. The planter's original colors still show on the stamp, guiding the next finder. I have tried markers twice (two time periods, not two stamps) - and two kinds of markers. For me, it's a dexterity problem. They are very difficult to use standing up, and the color of the image is weak because of the time it takes to prepare the stamp.

In conclusion (seems like a speech ~ sorry), this whole issue vexes me each time I encounter a fancy, colorful stamp in the woods. It makes me feel guilty for not following the carver's wishes, yet I can't manage to do what the other kids are doing, and so I must stick with my solution, knowing that if everyone else stamped with black or brown, and then wiped it off, the stamp would eventually be black, so I am setting a bad example. Yikes, here I am telling all about it, too!
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963264 by condo
Aug 1, 2018 5:49am
Thread (disabled) Board
Teardrops and a black pad.
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963264 by condo
Aug 1, 2018 5:52am
Thread (disabled) Board
Thanks everyone for the quick responses!!

For those that use teardrops, are they water based or pigment?
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963264 by condo
Aug 1, 2018 7:33am
Thread (disabled) Board
don't throw them away!

how to refill your Marvy markers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmOJLBjF5LQ
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963274 by ecstaticUnicorns
Aug 1, 2018 7:46am
Thread (disabled) Board
I do the same. I like to have different colors in my logbook, so I have some dew drops and some small 1 inch ink pads. I keep them in a plastic pencil box.
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963285 by Maude
Aug 1, 2018 8:12am
Thread (disabled) Board
Totally agree with Maude!!
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963285 by Maude
Aug 1, 2018 2:24pm
Thread (disabled) Board
this whole issue vexes me each time I encounter a fancy, colorful stamp in the woods. It makes me feel guilty for not following the carver's wishes

You are forgiven. At least by me, which counts for exactly as much as it should. It's your loss that you don't get the uh-maaaaaaazing image I planned for you. . . just kidding. I would rather have you find my box and sully it than not find it at all. It is there for you. A bit of spit and denim afterward would be appreciated like a post-romp cigarette, but not strictly necessary. As in both cases, I leave you to manage your own guilt and post-incident confession.
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963287 by condo
Aug 1, 2018 2:25pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Yes. I know from experience and from walking with a lean, that you should get absolutely one of each possible color.
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963287 by condo
Aug 1, 2018 4:36pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963320 by DarkZen and Evil Cow Pie
Aug 1, 2018 8:04pm
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I didn't care for the chalk ink. It didn't dry for me.
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963285 by Maude
Aug 2, 2018 7:06am
Thread (disabled) Board
this whole issue vexes me each time I encounter a fancy, colorful stamp in the woods.

It's bad enough when the stamp coloring is detailed, you've got to figure out how to get one color into a tiny little corner among other colors. But sometimes the colors are meaningless! You look at the stamp and there's no reason it couldn't have been stamped all one color -- it might even look better -- but the planter shows it with all these different colors. Sometimes apparently they've just used one of those rainbow stamp pads.
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963287 by condo
Aug 2, 2018 7:07am
Thread (disabled) Board
For those that use teardrops, are they water based or pigment?

Gotta go pigment. Simply gotta. There's no comparison in how the stamped images look.
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963333 by Kirbert
Aug 2, 2018 8:53am
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And those logbooks that get wet--the pigment sigs remain bold--all the others disappear. Just had that happen to one of mine.
color on the trail - was: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963335 by Topcollector
Aug 2, 2018 11:26am
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my $0.02
if you want your stamp to be multi-colored, do it as an out-line of your image. We can color in later, just like a coloring book image.
There's nothing like being a later (or even second) finder and the stamp is already all black ink.
When it's raining or the temp is hovering around 10*F, or lately 100*F, I want to get it and get going.

GG
Re: color on the trail - was: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963339 by Grrly Girl
Aug 2, 2018 4:18pm
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When it's raining or the temp is hovering around 10*F, or lately 100*F,

... or swarming with mosquitoes,
I want to get it and get going.
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963285 by Maude
Aug 2, 2018 4:46pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I find it's difficult to ink up a stamp with multiple colors while standing alone in the woods. I think everyone should try stamping every stamp they carve, but not at the dining room table ~ out in the yard after a rain ;~) And No, you can't sit down!

For me, the whole issue is the location. Finding a super detailed and colorful stamp on a trail with say, thick woods and no benches or areas to sit can definitely be a bit much.

There are some really talented and creative 'boxers out my way, who have planted multi-color or multi stamp boxes, and I'm super grateful for them. They are placed outdoors, off-trail, in beautiful areas where you can set up camp and have fun with it. Near a bench/ picnic table, a rocky area, or a place where you can throw down a picnic blanket is enjoyable for me. Also, the same goes for indoor boxes where you can sit (and don't really have to be stealthy). You usually know ahead of time what you're getting into, so you can bring your colors and expect to spend a little time there.

Also (and I'm sure most of you know this), if you carry a super light-colored ink pad like yellow, and ink and huff the stamp, you can sometimes get a pretty decent print with faint colors and not muddy up the carve. I know plenty of people do this even without the yellow ink, and just huff.

Just sayin' ;)
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963343 by kudichan
Aug 2, 2018 4:56pm
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I recently found the Salt Kettle Salt Shaker letterbox and I huffed on it to remove excess ink. It was a brilliant move on my part because the image looks so much like a glass shaker. My second stamping (in black) didn't do it justice. I had another letterbox find (a mushroom stamp) that had various inks left behind and the huffed image was very realistic to a mushroom's coloring. Serendipity.
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963292 by aMAZEing adventure frog
Aug 2, 2018 5:26pm
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Thanks, nice to know I can re-ink them!
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963264 by condo
Aug 2, 2018 5:38pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Ok, loving all you "teachers" out there!!!

For those who said use the pigment ink pads..........I have always heard they take longer to dry. So that makes me think watercolor paint vs. oil painting.......and oil paint takes a very long time to dry. Just how much time before you can close up the logbook and move on without doing damage? Also, is there a special way to clean the stamps compared to using a water based marker/ink pad?
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963346 by condo
Aug 2, 2018 6:23pm
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....I have always heard they take longer to dry.

30 seconds vs. 10 seconds.
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963346 by condo
Aug 2, 2018 6:24pm
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Also, is there a special way to clean the stamps compared to using a water based marker/ink pad?

Clean stamps with alcohol. That works regardless what type ink has been used on them.
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963346 by condo
Aug 2, 2018 10:47pm
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Seconds. It's not like oil paint that it stays wet. You could close the book immediately unless, maybe you have a very fresh juicy ink pad.
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963355 by Topcollector
Aug 3, 2018 2:00am
Thread (disabled) Board
It's not like oil paint that it stays wet. You could close the book immediately unless, maybe you have a very fresh juicy ink pad.

If you have any residual dampness concerns, a piece of paper towel as bookmark will act as a blotter.
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963349 by Kirbert
Aug 3, 2018 12:56pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Clean stamps with alcohol. That works regardless what type ink has been used on them.

Spit works also.
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963366 by Mizscarlet
Aug 4, 2018 2:06am
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Spit doesn't work on all inks.
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963349 by Kirbert
Aug 5, 2018 1:29pm
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Nice to know the dry time is so little. Makes them seem not so different or scary.

Thanks everybody!!!
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #963264 by condo
Aug 18, 2018 9:35am
Thread (disabled) Board
I had similar happen... A friend recommended regular crayola markers. They've worked perfectly! I also carry a small size versafine black inkpad-(love the hinging lid for on the trail) along with a small gold and silver (just because you never know). For concern about color/ink drying before getting to stamping... just huff the stamp before you stamp it. Works a treat ;) (for me anyway)
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #964065 by gsgeek
Aug 18, 2018 11:07am
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along with a small gold and silver (just because you never know).

You might want to rethink using metallic inks on stamps that belong to someone else (unless the clue suggests that you do). I have seen many complaints and requests that finders NOT use metallic inks because they are too hard to clean off, and will transfer off in the next stamping, thus contaminating the ink pads of those who follow you. FWIW
Re: ink pads or markers on the trail?
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #964066 by Wise Wanderer
Aug 23, 2018 7:30pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Wow. I honestly had no idea and now I know.
Thanks!