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Let me start off by saying that SU is one of my FAVORITE stamp companies. I have SEVERAL sets all of which are wonderful with no flaws whatsoever.
I have ordered two custom stamps from SU and thing that are very much under-par compared to their regular line of mass produced stamps. I have never been disappointed with their products until now.
No matter how I trim them I always get extra ink on the edges that leave unsightly lining when printed. The depth of the cut into the rubber doesn't seem to give a good impression when I stamp.
I thought after having this issue with my personalized "hand-stamped by" stamp that it was just a fluke, but I just got an address stamp the other day and it is this way too.
Is there anything I am missing. Should I contact the demo (not my regular demo) who I purchased it from. Honestly, I have gotten better quality address stamps from office supply stores. I hope this isn't a common problem. :?
UPDATE!!!!!!!
I contacted SU directly about my issue. They responded quickly. They are willing to exchange my stamps for credit toward additional SU products. I am only going to exchange the stamp I got last week as I feel I have used my other stamp enough that it would be wrong to ask to exchange it. SU has always been one of my favorite companies. Now I am even more impressed than I was before. Thanks, ladies, for all of your comments.
Wow, I am so sorry that has happened to you. You are right and SU! has excellent quality stuff for sure. These things happen to the best of companies sometimes though and I would certainly talk to the demo whom you purchased the stamp through. From everything I have heard, this company highly values their customers and will want to make it right as soon as possible. I don't have personal experience because everything I have received is in top condition. I just ordered a personal stamp myself but it hasn't come in yet. I will let you know when it does and tell you if I had the same problem or not. In the meantime, definitely contact the person you ordered it through. Good luck and happy stamping!
I'm soory for your experience with your personalized stamp. Unfortunately, this is how the personalized stamps come. They make them in house and they are just not up to the quality of the rest of their stamps. I tried to like them as well, but since the rubber is just not cut deep enough I always get the edges inked too unless I stamp very very quickly and barely press my stamp down on the paper. I also hate the horrendous odor when they first arrive. Hopefully, someday they will update their equipment to be able to make a better quality custom stamp until then it is off to my local Office Max or small mom & pop shop I go.
__________________
Juliy
* The first step to better times is to imagine them. *
Yes, what the previous poster said is true, they will not be the same quality as the sets since they are manufactured in-house. I order them for realtor's clients for closing gifts and have found that I need to trim them as close to the image as possible without cutting off words. Also, stamping with a softer touch will definately help. I get so used to stamping with strength but you don't need to with the personal stamps. I hope they improve the manufacturing process in the future...I've already called and expressed my concerns. I figure the more they hear about it, the faster they will make it a priority.
Well shot, I wish the demo had told me about this IF she knew. I would tell the people I was selling to so that they knew in advance and could choose to buy that stamp or something else in the catty. Oh well...
My mom bought a personalized stamp and it was horrid. She's awaiting a replacement, but if it's not any better (meaning unusable) she'll ask for her money back. It's $18 for a piece of %#@@*(.
It's the manufacturing process, not exactly the "quality" that's different. As I understand it from another discussion on this topic, regular SU stamps are molded, and personalized stamps are laser cut. (Of course, this made perfect sense when someone explained it -- they can't make a mold for a one-time stamp!) So I guess you will never get the same thing as we are used to with the general line.
I've had my personlized stamp for several years, use it on every card, have it trimmed close (but not dangerously so), and have just learned to stamp lightly. Mine came with a big wood mount, and maybe that prevents me from rocking it, but I don't get the edge mark.
I think if someone orders one of these, it's good to give this explanation!
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I just got a personalized stamp myself, and I haven't had the opportunity to use it much yet. It did come with a WAY oversized block for the size of the stamp, my husbad is going to trim it down for me, because I DO have a problemwith rocking it since I mounted it at the bottom edge, so I can line it up on my project. I found it IS cut more shallow than the regular stamps, but really gives the card a nice touch, and if you're going to do any craft fairs, it's nice so you don't have to sign every one of your items! I'm a demo, and I will be sure to tell my customers who are interested, the downside to your own personal stamp...
I thought it was just me! I love all my other SU! sets (and I have lots to love!!!), but my personalized stamp just doesn't work as well. I'll have to try the microwave trick to remove the rubber and trim it a bit closer.
I have also noticed that my personalized stamp is sticky. It's very wierd. Any hints on how to remove that? I used baby wipes for a while to clean my stamps, but now I'm using my Stampin' Scrub.
I have the same problem and the stickiness issue, too. I have remounted mine like a dozen times. I finally pulled the rubber off, cleaned it really well, and mounted it (without the foam) onto the wood by itself - seems to be working better and not so moveable. I use a toothbrush and LOTS of mist to clean because of the tackiness. It doesn't look pretty, but works fine. Since mine is so small, I have found that I do not need the foam between the rubber and wood. HTH!
I have 2-one the hand stamped by and one for my address.
I purposefully chose the ones with bigger fonts and they have been okay-but I do need to be careful with them.
When I mount stamps I do the opposite of undercutting (if that makes sense) so that the rubber and foam are like a little trapezoid-the rubber is cut closer to the image, and the foam angles out a bit. It seems to help keep a nice base while not getting "edges" inked up.
__________________ I want people to be afraid of how much they love me-M. Scott
Jeanne Marie - I like the idea of taking the foam off. That, and a closer trim, might help keep my edges clean of ink. And I'll try a toothbrush to clean my little stamp.
Even with the problems I have with the stamp, the people that receive my cards don't even notice it. However, they DO notice when I don't use that stamp! They love to show the card to people and then turn it over and show them that their friend handmade the card!
I just talked to my demo whom I bought the stamp through. She is the nicest person!!! She said that she has sold about 20 stamps and never had one complaint and she likes hers so that makes me feel better. She said I should stamp with a light hand. You know, I don't care if it isn't as great as all the other SU! stuff. I understand the laser cut thing NOW, but I have ordered it so I'm going to make best of it. I am glad really because now I'll know whether or not I need to say something to anyone who wants to buy one from me. I can also show them mine and let them use it so that they can make up their own mind. Thanks for the heads up so now I know what to expect when I get mine.
Had anyone used the CTMH personalized stamps? I've been thinking about getting an address stamp made, but I've definitely heard mixed reviews about the SU! one, and figured this might be a good time to ask.
Martha, are you psychic ?
MY post exactly!
I ordered a 4-line with my demo advert
and a 2 line wth name and phone
and a handstamped by personal stamp
and every card has all three with stray marks!
UNLESS I'm being super gentle and use the stapamajig tool
a PAIN but worth it - it's my name!
I warn people when they pick up an order to let me know if it's not working out
then I can troubleshoot according to their needs and still not scare them off!
(I did counsel a lady to shop at st@ples for those fiddly ones you set up because she had a once-a-year, superhuge amount of stamping to do that wasn't for keepsakes or gifts but wasn't going to work with printer labels either)
these days, more than ever before, there is a tool for EVERY job
and enough business for everyone!
( I believe in abundance and I receive it, anyway! )
I have not had any bad luck with these stamps. I ordered a 4 line stamp for my brothers wedding favors and stamped and embossed 350 tags with it. I ordered another 4 line stamp for my parents wedding anniversary favors (see a pattern). It worked great. I have a "hand stamped by" and like it fine as well. I will say that the rubber is not as attractive as our regular stamps, but I've never had an issue stamping with them. I guess I should count myself lucky!
__________________ Sheri Salazar
Money may not buy happiness, but it buys stamps, which makes me happy!
It is not just you, mine stunk too -- both in the cut and smell dept. I have found that it works fine though even though it looked like it would not . . . I dunno . . . good luck . . .
I thought it was just me! I love all my other SU! sets (and I have lots to love!!!), but my personalized stamp just doesn't work as well. I'll have to try the microwave trick to remove the rubber and trim it a bit closer.
Since the catalog came out in July 2004, personalized stamps come with 1/32" skinny foam instead of the regular 1/16" foam, and that helps a little. My "Tag It!" personalized stamp is trimmed super close, but I also remounted it on the skinnier foam. I saved the bigger scraps from mounting a set for my mom (I think it was Mini Mates) and then made a collage of the pieces big enough to fit behind my stamp. Then I carefully peeled the rubber off the foam on the scraps and peeled my stamp off it's foam and stuck it to the new foam scraps. Then I trimmed the excess foam away. If you're careful at doing this, you should have no problems with the stamp sticking to the new foam. You peel the back of the foam and mount your stamp again, just like new!
I have had my "Tag It" since they came out in July of 2003, and I got a four-line personalized one year ago. I haven't had any problems with either of them. I've also sold a ton of the "Tag It's" and the others with your name on it, and have not had one complaint. I advise my customers to cut the rubber super close to the edges.
Quote:
Originally Posted by musicmarth
I have also noticed that my personalized stamp is sticky. It's very wierd. Any hints on how to remove that? I used baby wipes for a while to clean my stamps, but now I'm using my Stampin' Scrub.
Mine is too -- using the Stampin' Scrub. I'll have to try a toothbrush. I wonder if the sticky comes back?
__________________ Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels. -Faith Whittlesey
I took my stamp yesterday to the kitchen and put it in the microwave...to which I received a very odd look from my DH. But, we'd already had dinner so he knew we weren't having nuked stamps to eat!
I took off the foam, trimmed it very close and used a light touch when stamping and it seems to be working very well now! I hadn't ever noticed until yall posted it here, that the image wasn't cut as deep. So, I think I've saved my stamp...and it's even mounted a little more straight than it was before.
Lazer cutting--makes sense; different rubber so it can be lazer cut--makes sense. Is there even yet another issue affecting ease of use on the personalized stamps?
I normally have to remember to keep a light touch on the little word stamps (e.g. I cut off all the words in A Little Love and mounted them separately), and stamps that have long slender designs are tricky for me to balance (not impossible, I just remind myself to pay attention, take it easy, slow down, etc.).
I'll find out soon enough, my personalized stamp arrives tomorrow!
__________________ "I like work. . . I can sit and look at it for hours. I love to keep it by me: the idea of getting rid of it nearly breaks my heart." J.K.Jerome
I had a stamp made with our info for our fencing business. We use Staz On ink and are stamping on glossy brochures and small samples of the rails (so people have an actual piece of the product in their hand). We haven't had a problem with stray marks and we've stamped it thousands of times! I say "we" because my husband even stamps with it- and then tells everyone he stamps, too! We do use a light touch, tho, otherwise we get moving words. We laugh at those and tell people that's what happens when you stamp while you're drinking. He's a beer distributor, so everyone expects comments like that from him! Remember, friends don't let friends stamp drunk!
I guess I have never noticed that they stamp any differently. Both of mine seem to work fine. The only problem I have is that I mounted one of them a little crooked so I have to practice before I stamp. I guess I am afraid to try the microwave!
__________________
Mary Kay
"Happiness does not depend on what you have or who you are. It solely relies on what you think." Buddha
Here is an idea for the stickiness- First ink it up with Versamark, then press it into your Classic ink pad then stamp. Its completely safe for your classic pad to do that, and maybe the versamark will make it not so sticky!
Tandra
SU Custom Stamp **UPDATE** 4/6
I wipe my edge, if i rememer, before i stamp I know they will work it out 
