How to ink "solid" stamps
 

I've been having trouble inking any stamps that have a solid patch of rubber - "The Shape of Things", "By Design", etc. If I tap-tap-tap the stamp on the ink pad, come spots get no color and if I drag the stamp across the pad, I get the drag marks when I stamp. I looked at some of the samples in the gallery for "TSofT" and it looks like other people have the same issue. Heeeeeeelp!

I drag it across the pad and then tap it. This seems to help me.

Hmmmm...why didn't I think of that? Thanks for the idea!!

Try rubbing it with a pink eraser. I'll try to post a link to a page with instructions on dealing with this.

http://www.rubberstamper.com/basics/index.cfm#trick

Hope this helps.

I received a tip from our local stamp store that has worked for me! Take your solid stamp and rub it a few times across a brown paper grocery sack a few times and then ink. It did the trick!

I've also heard of lightly sanding the stamp with a fine sandpaper or nail block, but since the paper bag worked and didn't harm the stamp, I haven't had to try this. Good luck!

I "smoosh" (techincal word :lol: ) it. I put it on the ink pad and push down and twist it. This works very well with solid stamps. I acutally twist clockwise and counterclockwise. then once it is inked i stamp it on the ink pad again to remove the swirl marks (if any).

Hope this helps.

Sanding blocks
 

I usually sand stamps like this down a bit with one of our sanding blocks. Usually does the trick. They grab the ink better after that.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. This site - and all of you who are so willing to share your knowledge - are truly amazing! I don't think I'll ever again have a stamping problem that haunts me! LOL

I bought a brayer and it works better than anything else I tried. It especially works on larger stamps. I tried smooshing but coverage wasn't usually even. Dragging worked better but really damaged my ink pads after a while.

Great question!

I just had this same problem last night stamping. I was having a hard time too. I totally love this place. Everyone seems so helpful with advise and so informative!

erase new stamps
 

I use a regular pink eraser on almost every new set of stamps that I get. It is very quick and easy. Especially helps on the bold images like you were describing. You can really tell the difference if you use our markers on them. Sometimes the ink just seems to float on top of the rubber. After erasing it is much better!

When using them I tap a couple times and then give it a gentle twist back and forth like others have described here. That sreads the ink out randomly and I have good imressions with that. Make sure you walk your fingers all over the image on the wood before lifting the stamp and make sure you are not stamping too quickly - take a second and give it a good press all over.
Hope that will help too.

I do like smooshing or brayering when needed, but it's also a great idea to keep your ink pads nice & juicy with the reinkers. Solid or bold images really do "tell" when they've been stamped from a drying pad.
Happy Stampin'!

Thanks for more good ideas!