What are your thoughts on Acrylic Stamps??

[scrapb]

I have been using Rubber stamps for some time now...but am wondering if I should go over to the "other " side of acrylic stamps?? What are your favorite things about them? I really appreciate your comments
Bobbie

[Skittl1321]

I got an acrylic alphabet at Michael's and really liked to see where I was stamping. But, I found them difficult to clean, and they didn't leave a very crisp image.

I like rubber stamps a bit better.

[Mom2Men]

Although I prefer rubber stamps for most things. I do prefer the acrylic alphabet stamps. I like being able to line up and stamp my words. I do agree that they do not clean up as well. But as far as a crisp image, you kind of have to learn how much pressure to use. Too much and they come out smeared and blotchy, not enough and they stamp too light. Just practice with them.

[Mahloumel]

I love being able to see where I'm stamping. I find the image comes out a bit better when I stamp with a mouse pad underneath the paper. I think I will continue to have a mix of acrylic and rubber stamps in my crafting area.

[gmcbunny]

I am super biased as far as acrylic stamps go but here are a couple of my top reasons

1) the ability to see where I am stamping
2) the ability to re-stamp over an image if I don't like the intensity, or want it darker
3) STORAGE! Those mini milk crates or event the larger photo boxes can hold a lot of stamps

[duluthscrapper]

I do prefer rubber stamps over acrylic. But I do have many acyrlic stamps. Mostly alphabet ones. I like the fact you can see where you are stamping, but I do not like that it is not as crisp of an image. But for some things they do work great.

[stamping_jen]

These are not my orginal thoughts since I read them here but they sure did help.

I read that if you use a pink eraser to "condition" the clear stamp first, it truly does make a big difference in getting a good clear image. You basically just rub the eraser over the stamp. The other thing that honestly does make a big difference is if you put a cushion like a mousepad under your card stock before pressing your stamp down. You can actually rock your clear stamps a bit and it doesn't smear like the rubber ones do.

As for cleaning them, Inky Antics sells the best cleaner ever called Ultimate and it cleans your clear stamps perfectly. There is no stain at all using this cleaner. I have found that it leaves a kind of oily residue on rubber but on clear it works like a gem.

Storage is awesome but having said all of that, I will never never go completly acrylic. Rubber on wood is quality that can't be matched. Inky Antics clear stamps do seem to be better quality than some of the others. The ones at Michaels kind of stink as far as quality goes. The cheap ones at Walmart are not worth a dime.

[Gina K. Designs]

I bought a set of "cleary wordsworth" stamps at HL. I expected to hate them because I had tried some in the past and really hated them but I had to try these cause they were so dang cute. I LOVE THEM!!! They are nice and crisp- no conditioning, nothing!! I couldn't believe it. SO, I'm sold on this brand.

I heard somewhere that polymer stamps are not all created equally. So, I found one brand I love, that's Wordsworth.:mrgreen:
My 2 cents.
Gina K.

[Michelle Rose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrapb

I have been using Rubber stamps for some time now...but am wondering if I should go over to the "other " side of acrylic stamps?? What are your favorite things about them? I really appreciate your comments
Bobbie

I've made the switch!!!! And I love them so much better. You do have to get use to them just like the rubber stamps. But I found that if you use the little foam padding (underneath the image your stamping) that it helps to get a "crisp" image.

[ajcmeyer]

When you buy the CTMH acrylic stamps each set come with a sheet of foam to place under your paper to give the stamp some give when you stamp your image. This helps make the image more crisp. Give it a try it really helps! I have to agree with everything stated above. My biggest pluses are the storage and no more blind stamping! Although now that I figured out how to use a stampamajig no more with rubber either! Am I alone with this thought I would buy more from CTMH if they would come out with as cute of stamps as stampin up?

[Lisa Lisa]

I can see the economic advantages to them... but if I had the same images and had to pay extra to get Rubber... I would! I just like it SO much better.

[Babsnelson]

I have just recently started collecting acrylic stamps. And like anything else, there are plusses and minuses. I love the crisp image from rubber, but I love being able to see where I'm stamping. I guess you just have to try them and see if they work for you.

[Ally]

I really don't mind whether the image is acrylic, rubber or rubber on wood, it is the design I go for.
I have Stampendous, MSE and Wordsworth acrylic stamps and I love them, I really don't find any difference in stamping quality to SU.

The background of this card is made using an acrylic set and the main image is obviously SU.

There are a couple of things with acrylic, you need a cushion of some sort underneatn, I have a stamping mat and you also don't need to press as hard. If you press down too hard the image smooshes and you get a blurred image.

[HeatherHolbrook]

I'm of course biased but I have to say I don't think it should be a matter of one over the other, I've been stamping for almost 10 years now and have more rubber stamps (mounted and UM) than I'd like to count and I'm not going to throw them out, stop using or stop buying them them just because I love acrylic stamps so much. Just buy what you like, make sure it's from a good quality company and have fun with them!!