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Actually both the red rubber stamp and the acrylic stamp are good stamps but they each have unique stamping qualities.
Red Rubber Stamp
The Red Rubber stamp is the traditional stamp that comes mounted on a wood block. However you can now buy them without the wooden block so as to store them with less space.
The advantages are:
- Image – red rubber gives a cleaner image
- Ready to use – because they are typically already mounted on wooden blocks they are ready to use
- Durable – red rubber does not tear due to peeling off acrylic blocks and can withstand high temperature, for example when you press them into molten embossing powder for deep embossing techniques.
The disadvantages are:
- cost – red rubber is slightly more expensive than clear stamps
- placement – because you cannot see through them it is harder to know where you are stamping
- storage – wood mounted rubber stamps take up more room
Acrylic Stamp
Clear rubber stamps are know by different names such as acrylic stamps, polymer stamps, photo-polymer stamps, clear rubber stamps. At Stampin’ Up! we call them photo-polymer stamps.
The advantages are:
- Cost – clear stamps are often cheaper than traditional red rubber stamps
- Ease of Use – the stamps can be used immediately with a single acrylic block without having to pre-mount or prepare the stamps in any way.
- Accurate Stamping – the clear stamps and clear stamping block mean that it is easy to accurately place stamps
- Storage – clear stamps are simple to store and do not take up much room.
The disadvantages:
- Loss of Stickiness – the stamps can lose their stickiness due to dirt or dust (although washing the stamps in water may help to restore the stickiness)
- Image Quality – many clear stamps give a slightly softer stamped image than traditional rubber stamps.
- Tearing – the stamps are soft and can tear when being removed from the backing sheet or block
- Fiddly – some of the tiny stamps can be fiddly to use and to clean.
- Blocks – blocks are required in order to use the stamps and this can add to the cost
The way I see it is, if I want a good clear detailed image I will use a red rubber stamp but if I need to see through for exact placement I will use clear photo-polymer stamp.
I hope this information was helpful.
Don’t forget SALE-ABRATION is still going on and I just found out the second release of FREE items will be announced tomorrow February 1
Excellent summary of the pros and cons of each. Thank you.
Excellent summary of the pros and cons of each. Thank you.
It’s good to know that red rubber stamps produce a clean image when used. My wife is a teacher and wants to put stamps on her students’ papers for a job well done. She also wants the image to come out as clear as possible. I’ll pass this information along to her so that she can look further into the matter.
It’s good to know that red rubber stamps produce a clean image when used. My wife is a teacher and wants to put stamps on her students’ papers for a job well done. She also wants the image to come out as clear as possible. I’ll pass this information along to her so that she can look further into the matter.