Hi all,

I've been having some issues, mostly with stamps that have a lot of thick, solid areas. It'll look like the stamp is totally inked, then I stamp it and it comes out really patchy, sometimes even with areas missing. Is this a matter of just taking it slow and making sure it's totally covered or is there a technique to inking large, bold stamps? Thanks!

One important note: When you apply the stamp to the paper, leave it in contact for ten seconds or more. You need to allow enough time for air trapped between stamp and paper to ooze out, and the larger the inked areas the longer it takes. The air will pass right through the paper, but it takes time.

Other than that, the best advice is to choose your stamp material accordingly. For broad inked areas, the SLQ and the Sandy seem to stamp broad areas better than Speedy-Carve -- and Speedy-Carve is better than some others.

That's a common problem, especially on the firmer, white carving materials like OZ. A couple things that help - have a really "juicy" ink pad (keep it refreshed with re-inkers to make sure it's wet with ink), and press the stamp firmly on the paper, leave it in place for several seconds with pressure on it before lifting it off the paper. Another technique that might help is to lay the paper/logbook page on top of the inked stamp, and rub/press the paper against the stamp.

Also, the carvers should be lightly sanding the carving material on things like OZ which have that glossy coat. I'm not recommending a finder to do that, but just throwing this out there for the planters.

But, definitely hold the stamp to paper longer. You could also use pigment inks, they are thicker. But also messier, so if you do that, please wipe off your ink after stamping so it doesn't stay globbed on there for future finders.

I have good luck with Versafine and I stamp the inkpad onto the stamp instead of patting the stamp onto the inkpad. Sounds silly, but it works and you don't get as much background clutter.

After inking the stamp. Lay the stamp flat, then lay the paper on top the stamp and rub the back of the paper all over against the stamp.

Paper, ink, pressure applied and the carving block are all factors.

I have the best luck with speedy carve and a nice juicy versafine or stazon pad. I have the worst luck with dye inks. I like stazon because of the firm ink pad. You and get it on the stamp nice and thick without inking up the parts you don't want inky (what's carved away). It's important to apply it evenly. Sometimes this is hard with smaller stamp pads like the dew drops.

When you are pressing your stamp, make sure you apply nice even pressure. As stated above, sometimes it helps to rub the paper over the stamp instead of pressing the stamp onto the paper.

I recently went to an event and almost every single image came out fuzzy, splotchy and distorted. white carving material was used. Only 3 images came out clear, and they were all pink stuff. I really think it is the type of carving material. I havn't experienced that in the past.

~Aurora

I recently went to an event and almost every single image came out fuzzy, splotchy and distorted. white carving material was used

Really? Were these mine? They all came out perfectly clear in my book. :( Maybe image quality has more to do with the type of paper or ink. Or some combination of the three... If they were mine, could you text me pics of them? Just out of curiosity...

Most of the stamps I've encountered so far seem to be made with speedy carve. I will be buying one of those color palate stamps soon, so I can try some fancier stamping. How do you use reinkers? I imagine it has to be the same/similar color to what the ink pad started as? I definitely found pressing down hard for a couple seconds gets better results, and I think I'll try putting the page on top of the stamp next time and see if that turns out any better. Thanks!

What exactly is a dye ink vs other kinds? I was looking at getting one of the colorbox sets. I just have this small purple pad that says it's pigment ink, I think it may be starting dry up.

I definitely found pressing down hard for a couple seconds gets better results...

In the long run, you'll find that's not a good practice. It often distorts the rubber, making narrow lines wider than they should be. It's far better to reink your ink pad to get the stamp very wet and then pressing the stamp to paper rather lightly -- but for some time, 10 seconds or more.

How hard you press stamp to paper actually should vary with the stamp. If it's just a couple very narrow lines (like my Four Lines stamp!) you need to apply the stamp as lightly as possible. At the other extreme, if it's basically a solid block with a couple of narrow white lines cut out of it, you need to press pretty hard. And the ones that are really fun are the images that are a solid block on one side and a few wispy lines on the other!

What exactly is a dye ink vs other kinds?

There are lots of types of ink. Dye vs. pigment is one distinction. Chalk is a type of pigment. Among dye inks, there are permanent inks and washable inks. There are specialty inks, including inks that deliberately leave an antique look.

My opinion: Having used both dye and pigment inks, I'll never buy dye ink again. The quality of image I get from pigment ink is soooo much better. Dye ink always creates a blotchy look to the stamp image.

Some claim that pigment inks take too long to dry, but I wonder what kinda hurry they're in. Ten seconds seems to be enough time to close a log book on Brilliance ink.

My recommendation: Buy Brilliance Dew Drops in Graphite Black, Rocket Red, Pearlescent Ivy, and VersaMagic Dew Drops in Night Sky and Jumbo Java, plus a Dew Drop of either Brilliance or VersaMagic in whatever color you choose to use with your sig stamp -- and buy reinkers for all of them! And call it done. Yeah, you could get carried away with ink colors, but these colors are really all you need.

I have some lighter colors like light blue and yellow, but I don't like to use them for letterboxing. You can't really see the stamp image very well because there's not enough contrast.

Don't even buy any metallic inks. Many box owners will have a fit if you use one on their stamps. Besides, they look lousy. If you want metallic effects, look into embossing powders.

Don't even buy any metallic inks. Many box owners will have a fit if you use one on their stamps. Besides, they look lousy. If you want metallic effects, look into embossing powders.

I've used a few metallic inks, on LTCs. It takes the right stamp for a metallic ink to work well. Metallic inks tend to be thicker which means that fine details are out.

Embossing powders look better, but it requires some skill too. This will only come from trying it. The first time I wasn't sure if I was doing it right, but I quickly got the hang of applying the heat. You'll need to get a heat gun for this. I bought one of these from Harbor Freight.

Another suggestion I received years ago is to put a piece of foam below/underneath the paper you are stamping onto. This always gets me a better imprint than when I go without the foam.

The other thing I haven’t heard people mention is the paper you are stamping onto may have some texture and make a difference in the quality of your imprint. (I changed logbooks when I discovered this)

When I see an image that needs, NEEDS to be in metallic, I'll do it in my own book, and for those with me, but then, we clean the stamp quite well before rehiding.

If I have a stamp that calls for metallic ink, I realize it's kinda gross, but I'll put the appropriate ink pad in the box and plant it that way. It's a bit more expensive, but it seems the right thing (for me) to do.

I can't stand people who won't use colors, and it's goopy black black black! There's unlimited ribbing for this in MN, and all taken in great stride and humor. (what drives me around the bend makes others laugh, and I've spent quite a lot of time on the trail, cleaning stamps up, it's a thing)

How do you use reinkers? I imagine it has to be the same/similar color to what the ink pad started as?

Yes, they are tiny bottles of the same ink as the original pad. You add drops of ink all over the surface of the pad, until it’s sufficiently wet with ink again. The reinkers will refresh the pad many times, so it’s much more economical than buying a new pad each time.

I found a tip from a TV scrapbook show about stamping. I put one of those thin mousepads (about 1/8") under the logbook page.

It's possible that it's the material that the stamp is carved on. White OZ Kut tends to give poor inking for large areas.
Peace
CTEE

...put a piece of foam below/underneath the paper you are stamping onto.

This is another idea you'll eventually find does more harm than good. When the substrate is too soft you'll start picking up stray marks in the stamp, and even if you don't you'll tend to widen inked areas because the paper wraps around the corners of the raised areas of the image as you stamp. You do need a bit of cushion, but the ideal amount is somewhere around two or three sheets of paper! If you're stamping into a log book it's probably too soft to begin with, so you'll get better images if you carry a clipboard and slip it into the log book about three pages behind where you're stamping.

This is another idea you'll eventually find does more harm than good. When the substrate is too soft you'll start picking up stray marks in the stamp

Interesting. I've been using foam for several years and haven't noticed this problem. Maybe I'm not applying enough pressure in the first place so that is why the images are better with the foam underneath?

Honestly, it all depends on the image, stamp, ink and the skill of the stamper. If you are looking for a quality press into your book, you have to choose your technique and ink after you see the stamp.

Finely detailed images or fine lines carved on OZ need to be pressed firmly and you should use a good pigment or solvent ink. I have used the kudichan patented stepping on it technique for LTCs before to get a good print. Now, I often use my printing press when I am at home. Cushioning under a page is a good idea too. You can get away with less pressure that way. I would use thin foam, not the stuff we back our stamps with though. Maybe even a piece of felt would be better.

The same type of image in pink should be stamped with less pressure and a good ink with a firm pad should be used. If you use a squishy pad, then you risk inking up the carved away areas too. If you don't avoid inking up the carved areas, when you press you get stray marks because pink flexes.

Stamps with a ton of solid areas stamp better with pink. Great inks for that are brilliance and versafine. Use gentle even pressure. Don't push with your fingers, push with the meaty part of your palm. This is a good idea for all types or stamps and inks.

I rarely use dye inks. They really aren't easy to get a nice image with. They are great for other things, but not for printing stamps.

Color box. I am not a fan. Squishy pads. They dry up quickly. Blech.

Versafine, brilliance and stazon are terrific choices. Reinkers are important for regularly used colors.

My two cents. Take it for what it's worth.

have used the kudichan patented stepping on it technique for LTCs before to get a good print. Now, I often use my printing press when I am at home.

Doesn't stepping on it cause skidding? I think that the printing press is more reliable for this.

Reinkers are important for regularly used colors.

I agree. I use it for my Ranger Jet Black ink pad.

have used the kudichan patented stepping on it technique for LTCs before to get a good print. Now, I often use my printing press when I am at home.

Doesn't stepping on it cause skidding? I think that the printing press is more reliable for this.

Ahem. The patented technique works perfectly with firmer materials like OZ. Just place it on a hard floor surface, step carefully onto it with one foot, and when your friend or family member walks in and sees you, tell them to stop looking at you like that.

Oh wow! You even have a sig stamp showing off your patented technique of paw printing!