pleaze help me with papertrey stamps

[nuts4levibutts]

I absolutely LOVE papertray stamps, but I am having problems with them. One.. they seem to have lost their stickiness to the cd case they are stored in..... and two. no matter what cleaner I use, they stain, and I can NOT get them clean.. what am I doing wrong????

[ArmyWife2Sam]

Originally Posted by nuts4levibutts

I absolutely LOVE papertray stamps, but I am having problems with them. One.. they seem to have lost their stickiness to the cd case they are stored in..... and two. no matter what cleaner I use, they stain, and I can NOT get them clean.. what am I doing wrong????

Not sure how to help with the staining issue, though I've heard that people swear by SU! cleaner.. as far as the stickiness of your stamps. Just wash them in a mild soapy water and let them air dry they should stick fine again.

Hope this helps..
Michelle

[Etha]

stained polymer = loved polymer
you should see some of my sets, the more colorful the better LOL.... the polymer just stains with some inks, it really doesn't bother me at all, why should they be all clean?
yes, as to the stickyness, just rub them with a bit of dish detergent under water and rinse well, that should get them back to like new...even if stained

[fura]

Originally Posted by nuts4levibutts

I absolutely LOVE papertray stamps, but I am having problems with them. One.. they seem to have lost their stickiness to the cd case they are stored in..... and two. no matter what cleaner I use, they stain, and I can NOT get them clean.. what am I doing wrong????

There's nothing that I've been able to do. Unfortunately, I decided to stop buying their stamps because of the stickiness and staining. The ink sticks to the stamps and when I go to stamp, nothing. The ink clings onto the stamp. I don't know what it is. I've tried ranger clear stamps cleaner and had no luck. I still have an unopened package that I'm probably going to try and sell. Maybe someone who's had success cleaning them can chime in here to help? I've also seen a thread where you can make your own stamp cleaner. HTH

[Joan B]

Hmm, this has piqued my curiousity as I have a lot of PTI stamps and do not have these issues.

What kind of ink are you using?

It is possible that you simply have a bad batch of stamps. Did you let them soak in water by any chance? I've read that a long soak can permanently remove the stickiness of photopolymer stamps.

Try this. Put the plug in your kitchen sink! Put the stamps in a large bowl and run some warm water and dish detergent over them. Rub them with your hand for a few seconds each and rinse each one carefully with plain water and let them air dry on something other than cloth or paper (the threads from the cloth and paper will stick to the stamps and cause the unstickiness sometimes).

See if that works, if it doesn't email PTI's customer service.

In terms of staining, most clear stamps will stain, but the stain should NOT affect a clean stamp image. In other words, I have some clear stamps that look black but I can stamp them onto a white ink pad and they do not stain the ink pad. To me that is the test of a really clean stamp.

I hope you are successful!

[nuts4levibutts]

Thanks for all the replys. I have not done the soaking in water, but as soon as my hot little hands got on them out of the package, I did do the good quality eraser over them to get the residue off. I guess I don't really have a problem with the inking on them. They stamp a clear image unlike cheaper clear stamps (dollar joanne ones).. just wondering if I could do something to keep them looking new, but I guess I agree: stained stamps = well loved stamps. But.. it is becoming an issue with them not sticking to the acrylic block. I now have 5 sets of papertrey and they are all losing their stickiness, some have only been inked a couple times, and they no longer cling to the cd case either.... thanks for the help

[fura]

Yeah, mine is the very opposite of your problem. I use Brilliance and Stazon with my clear stamps. They stick so much that I just have them on EZ mount storage panels. They stuck to each other in the cd case. The very first time I used their stamps, I inked it w/ graphite black Brilliance stamp pad and when I went to stamp on the cs, the ink did not transfer except for a few lines. The second time I used yellow ink for some stars and again, they did not transfer and it's stained. I scrubbed it with stazon cleaner and then w/ ranger clear stamp cleaner and finally with dish soap and ranger's scrub it pad as someone suggested in another thread. Most of the ink washed out, but it's still stained.

I know others have had a problem with the stamps being 'sticky' so I think soaking them might help. It might take away the 'stickiness.' I don't mind using what I have. I just don't want to deal with the stickiness or them losing their "cling" so I'd rather buy polymer stamps from other companies. I don't know how these stamps are made, but I gather they layer or seal them with something that makes them sticky and I really think that this batch just had more than others and yours maybe not enough?

[MWDStamp]

I have never had problems with the stickiness of PTI stamps. I agree a good soapy wash should renew the stickiness. I would not soak them though.
And as far as staining, they will stain. Really not much you can do about it. It does not affect how well you can stamp with it. If anything, they are easier to find in case you drop it. I'm always a bit confused why people worry about a stained stamp. So, I totally agree that a stained stamp is a well loved stamp.

[babydal57]

Mine stain like the dickens too. Riding Hood Red is TERRIBLE for staining my PTI stamps. But it doesn't seem to affect anything, so it doesn't bother me.....much. LOL~ I'm too much of a neat freak to let it go completely, but I'm trying. Even if the ink doesn't appear to stain, they turn yellowish.

Some of mine I've used a lot, but they all seem to stick just fine. I'd call PTI and see what they have to say. You have nothing to lose, right?

[cjbapp]

I just went and washed ALL my PTI stamps in warm soapy water a few days ago. It does seem like after a few uses, especially with Versamagic ink, they lose their cling.

After washing them all up and using a little screen strainer to find them all in the suds (some are TINY!!) they all stick like new again. Though they are all a bit yellowed...oh well...like some others said...it's not old yellow...it's LOVED yellow.

[Waldsb651]

Thanks for this thread. I LOVE PTI stamps, have 50 some sets and can't wait until tonight at the release party to order more. I am starting to have a little problem with the sticking and was going to E-Mail PTI Customer Service, now I'm going to give them a good wash and dry and see if that doesn't help. As far as the staining, it's only a few colors that stain. I use UltraClean and it's seems to really work well.

[Seaside Rose]

I've never had stickiness issues but they do stain terribly. I only mind because it makes it hard for me to tell what the stamp says. And like other writers, I've tried a variety of cleaners with really very poor results.

I wish they offered us a choice of rubber or clear.... I'd pay extra for rubber. One reason I don't own more of their sets is the staining issue. Funny, but I have this issue with PTI, Flourishes, and MFT but not with other brands. Must be a component in the polymer because I use the same ink....

[stamper1996]

As everyone has stated above, yes, they do stain. IMHO, I would rather have a little staining and produce a clear image than no staining and a crummy image (like some of the $ stamps do). They stamp very well, so I've learned to live with the stains.

[s_anthony]

Some ink pads do not like acrylic stamps. Try stamping in versamark first then your dye ink pad and stamping to see if it gives you a better image. Some of the studio G $1.00 sets I have, have the same issue with my CTMH ink pads. A quick rub on a versamark pad and then into my CTMH pad and they work. I've tried erasers, and all the other tricks - but this seems to work best.

It's going to vary from manufacturer to manufacturer on how well your inks cling to your acrylic stamps. Keep in mind that a lot of these terms are getting used interchangeably lately too - there are acrylic stamps, there are polymer stamps, and then there are photopolymer stamps... all of them react differently to different inks. Your mileage may vary

[jeanstamping2]

The only problem I have had with Clear stamps. Is the smaller stamps tend to not be as sticky.

But Like the other's have washed them and let them air dry. I also use to store them in CD cases. But I have stopped doing so. I am not leaving them on the Clear Sheet that they come on and store them a Album.

Since I've started doing this. I haven't had any problems with them not staying sticky.


I also use Versa Mark Watermark ink first before I use any Dye ink on my clear stamps. It makes it much easier to clean them.

[stampinsweeney]

Something I have discovered since I have a papercrafts class with individuals using my stamps and blocks is that the blocks themselves seem to pick up a lot of yuck and prevent the stamps from sticking until the blocks are cleaned and dried. Not a huge SU cleaner fan, but Ultra Clean seems to get EVERYTHING off. There are pesky stains that are simply par for the course.

[AmberAKAmom]

maybe your acrylic block needs to be washed?

[jennelf]

Originally Posted by AmberAKAmom

maybe your acrylic block needs to be washed?

I was just coming to suggest that, too! I have LOTS of PTI stamps and have never had an issue with them not sticking, but know others have and the warm water spa treatment usually solves the problem.

As for the stamps staining, that is just how acrylic stamps are, it won't affect their stamping ability at all. Certain dyes are more likely to stain than others (e.g., red always stains mine, yellow never does).

[valmin]

Originally Posted by Joan B

Hmm, this has piqued my curiousity as I have a lot of PTI stamps and do not have these issues.

What kind of ink are you using?

It is possible that you simply have a bad batch of stamps. Did you let them soak in water by any chance? I've read that a long soak can permanently remove the stickiness of photopolymer stamps.

Try this. Put the plug in your kitchen sink! Put the stamps in a large bowl and run some warm water and dish detergent over them. Rub them with your hand for a few seconds each and rinse each one carefully with plain water and let them air dry on something other than cloth or paper (the threads from the cloth and paper will stick to the stamps and cause the unstickiness sometimes).

See if that works, if it doesn't email PTI's customer service.


In terms of staining, most clear stamps will stain, but the stain should NOT affect a clean stamp image. In other words, I have some clear stamps that look black but I can stamp them onto a white ink pad and they do not stain the ink pad. To me that is the test of a really clean stamp.

I hope you are successful!

I have had a problem with my PTIs too. I find them TOO sticky on the stamping side and not sticky enough on the back. I've done the water and soap thing to no avail.

Re contacting customer service - forget it - I contacted them, was told someone (who shall remain nameless but you all know her) would contact me - which she didn't and I wrote again - and got no answer - so NO MORE PTIs for me!

[Seaside Rose]

My issues/experiences with PTI:

Not sticky enough -- not a problem, really. If they aren't sticky enough, it's usually because I've been handling them and have gotten oil on them from my hands (or loose embossing powder -- they don't call me Cathy the Clutz for nothing....). A gentle swish in soap and water takes care of that.

Too Sticky: this IS a problem. They stick very tightly to the CD cases if you don't use them very often. Also, the sticky sheets that you adhere to the case are not laid out and printed in the same size as the stamps, so you can't put the stamps over them in the case, which is a nuisance when you are trying to store and retrieve a stamp.

Staining: At least in my experience, there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason.... I use the same inks, some dye based, some chalk, on all of the stamps from all of the companies I get stamps from and it's totally variable and unpredictable from set to set and even within a set. I did notice, however, that archival inks and Versafine, which I like to use for text stamps do stain SOME stamps instantly and when that happens, they're impossible to clean no matter what product I use.

I suspect it's something in the manufacturing because it's so variable. I used the SAME INK for several stamps on one project and it stained one of the stamps in Spiral Bouquet (the only one I've used in that set) terribly but left only a faint hinty of color on the stamps in the "Believe" Collection.

Mazel Tov and the add-on greeting pack didn't hardly stain at all - and I used that set a lot with every and any kind of ink including Archival and Ancient Page. Same with Believe... only a couple of the stamps stained in just a minor way, and I used that set a lot as well. Holiday Wishes and Snowflake Serrenade, the stamps I used stained heavily, and many of the sentiment stamps from the small packs are stained so terribly, it's to the point where I struggle to read them.

I always clean my stamps immediately after use, and I never leave them "soaking". I am absolutely **** about how I take care of my stamps and clean them so this staining is frustrating. I have a similar issue with some of my Flourishes stamps too, but to a much lesser degree, although the worst staining came from a chalk ink, if you can believe it - it stained one of the sentiments in the Thank You set a dark orange, but the rest of the set cleaned up perfectly with the same ink and other dye and chalk inks. So explain that one!

Thanks for the hint about Versamark.... I will definitely try inking with the Versamark first in the future.

Paper and Vellum: IMHO, PTI has the best white card stock and best vellum I've found anywhere, and for an absolutely reasonable price. Note: I don't have any financial or other interest in either PTI or Flourishes and this is totally unsolicited... I just find their white card stock and vellum head and shoulders above the rest. I'm not on their design teams now or in the past either. I'm just a satisfied (for the most part) customer.... just frustrated with the staining and with minor storage frustrations.

Cathy W.

[stamphappy1650]

I find it a little funny about the concern about staining because I stained a set of PTI stamps on purpose. It has a ton a itsy bitsy teeny tiny words that were hard to see, so I staned the entire set with Stazon.

I do not have one clear set of stamps that do not stain at some point. IMHO I don't care about stained stamps because it just means that I like the stamp and use it as designed. I know, I know, there are a lot of stampers that want their stamps pristine, not me. For me it is too limitiing to worry about what ink to to use to stop the staining, I'm more concerned about what ink gives the best impression. Perhaps if you want to have pristine stamps it's best to stay with rubber.

The best cleaner I've used for clear stamps is Ultra Clear. It's the best, pricey, but nothing else I've tried has worked this well and it doesn't hurt the clear stamps.

[polargirl]

Originally Posted by Seaside Rose

I've never had stickiness issues but they do stain terribly. I only mind because it makes it hard for me to tell what the stamp says. And like other writers, I've tried a variety of cleaners with really very poor results.

I wish they offered us a choice of rubber or clear.... I'd pay extra for rubber. One reason I don't own more of their sets is the staining issue. Funny, but I have this issue with PTI, Flourishes, and MFT but not with other brands. Must be a component in the polymer because I use the same ink....

Me too. I wish that companies that sell clear stamps would give an option of purchasing images in rubber. I really like Unity Stamps not only are they red rubber but they are die cut like SU.

[Seaside Rose]

Originally Posted by polargirl

Me too. I wish that companies that sell clear stamps would give an option of purchasing images in rubber. I really like Unity Stamps not only are they red rubber but they are die cut like SU.

I feel the same way.... MUCH prefer red rubber unmounted.

And I don't care (truly) if they aren't "pristine"... my issue is that the entire thing stains and then I can't read the text.