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I recently bought my first Classic Stamp Pad from SU. I used it with several of my stamp sets and noticed that the ink doesn't fully cover the whole stamp's image. I have stamps sets of Christmas 'presents', circles, squares, flowers, leaves...and when I stamped with the classic pad, I get a very faded outcome on my paper. Are my stamp pads defective?
You might try taking very fine sand paper or an emery board, or sometimes a clean pink eraser works, and rub it gently all over the stamp. Then clean as usual. I find that helps when something like this happens. You could also re-ink your stamp pad.
when inking up a solid stamp I use this method, I tap it on the pad about 5 times, then I push down and twist it just slightly on the pad, then tap tap again, 2 more times. That gives me much better coverage on the stamps. Hope this helps. My demonstrator told me this method. Thanks MOM! Heheh!
__________________ Lisa C., Mom to 3 great kids, 3 super dogs and an cat that thinks she is a dog! My Gallery
It could be a couple of things, none of which are "defective"
As mentioned above, use an eraser on your stamps first to clean off any manufacturing residue
May be the type of paper you are using. Try different cardstock
You don't say what color the ink is, so I'm not sure what you mean by "fading". Could it be a light color? Some of the Soft Subtles are just that--soft and subtle.
Also, SU pads have a natural dip in the center. The flexibility of the lid and pad allow for "squeezing" ink onto the lid for watercoloring, etc. If your stamp is larger than an inch or so, you will have to tap, tap, tap your stamp around on the pad to get even coverage. Also important, LOOK at the inked stamp before stamping it to see if the entire stamp is covered in ink.
Good luck and if you think your pad is defective, show it to your demo and she can help you get it exchanged
__________________ Liz
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless ~ Mother Teresa
I don't like the new stamp pads that they came out with a couple of years ago. My friend the "Stamping Guru" does not either. I can never get mine open and I have troubles inking the stamp also. Maybe it's just me.
I have to say I love the SU ink pads. I love the fact that the lid stays closed without me having to rubber band it to the bototom and that the pad is automatically stored upside down without me having to flip the pad when I put it away (the flipping is what made me rubber band my other pads, becasue the lids would inevitably come off as soon as I turned the other pads upside down).
I also think the lock prevents the pad from drying out as quickly as some of my non SU pads. Plus the lid serves as a watercoloring tool for your blender pens and aquapainters.
In my view the benefits of the ink pads outweigh any inconvenience I may suffer by having to twist the stamp on the pad to get even coverage on a stamp. And I totally agree with Lisa C., that method has always worked for me when inking my stamps.
Like Liz, I tap around the pad, sometimes focusing a corner of the pad on the center of the stamp. With larger stamps I often pick up the pad and actually watch where the ink goes on the stamp as I ink it up. That way I KNOW that ink is spread over all of the rubber.
An uneven surface under your paper can also cause uneven coverage. You really need to have a perfectly smooth surface to place your paper on. The foam mounting cushion can only even out the impression to a certain point. I also press my stamp to the paper and hold it for several seconds...meaning up to 10 or 15 of them! More ink is absorbed by the paper that way. In fact, sometimes ALL the ink comes off my stamp by doing this. I find that a quick one second impression only works with a stamp pad that has been freshly refilled. Maybe I need to re-ink my pads...LOL!
I'm using SU cardstock actually..so should be quite good for their stamps right? Also, I used a bunch of other stamp pads last night like VErsa colour, colourbox, etc..and before I stamped, I looked at the stamp itself and it was fully covered with ink. However, I can't get the SU stamp pad to do the same as the other brands. I will try the tapping method tonight, but how come SU made the pads so you have to work harder at it? I tapped once on another brand stamp pad and instantly the colour is on the rubber stamp pad. By the way, I have scrubbed my stamps already too - should I try the eraser method now?
I'm using SU cardstock actually..so should be quite good for their stamps right? Also, I used a bunch of other stamp pads last night like VErsa colour, colourbox, etc..and before I stamped, I looked at the stamp itself and it was fully covered with ink. However, I can't get the SU stamp pad to do the same as the other brands. I will try the tapping method tonight, but how come SU made the pads so you have to work harder at it? I tapped once on another brand stamp pad and instantly the colour is on the rubber stamp pad. By the way, I have scrubbed my stamps already too - should I try the eraser method now?
It sounds like you are using pigment and/or chalk inks. These are a far more dense ink because they are slow drying and can be embossed. Dye ink dries immediately and does have a softer more translucent image than pigment inks.
SU craft inks are closer to versacolor/colorbox and maybe you could get a demo to demonstrate the difference to you!
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I love SU stamp pads! I use a technique I call "spanking." Hold the pad in one hand and the stamp in the other. Smack them together, turning the stamp so it rotates in different spots on the stamp pad. This works welll for me.
The flexibility of the lid and pad allow for "squeezing" ink onto the lid for watercoloring, etc.
Thanks! I didn't know that! Kept thinking if I wanted to watercolor I'd have to get reinkers, which I know I'm going to want, but not just yet, too many other wants/needs.
No one else has mentioned this, so I thought I would throw it out. Your ink pad may need reinking, I live in a very dry climate and have to reink my pads more often than those who live in a more humid climate. It might work a lot better if you reink it! I have some very old SU pads and a lot of the newer ones and they all work great, given a frequent enough reinking schedule! HTH!
Yikes! My stamp pads are completely brand new! I just opened them :( How often do the stamp pads need to be reinked?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Laurie FW
No one else has mentioned this, so I thought I would throw it out. Your ink pad may need reinking, I live in a very dry climate and have to reink my pads more often than those who live in a more humid climate. It might work a lot better if you reink it! I have some very old SU pads and a lot of the newer ones and they all work great, given a frequent enough reinking schedule! HTH!
It sounds like you are using pigment and/or chalk inks. These are a far more dense ink because they are slow drying and can be embossed. Dye ink dries immediately and does have a softer more translucent image than pigment inks.
SU craft inks are closer to versacolor/colorbox and maybe you could get a demo to demonstrate the difference to you!
I read that back and it makes no sense at all. Sorry. I meant to say Versacolor are pigment inks and Colorbox are pigment or chalk. They have a very dense very wet coverage of stamps because pigment ink can be embossed.
SU Classic inks are dye inks. They are much more watery and pale and dry immediately and cannot be embossed. They are meant to give a more translucent image than you are used to with pigment ink.
You still haven't told us what color you used. Also you won't get a good effect if you are using classic ink on colored cardstock. Dye inks only really work on white or if you are using dark ink on light card.
Yikes! My stamp pads are completely brand new! I just opened them :( How often do the stamp pads need to be reinked?
If you got them from a demo, they should be inked up ok. Have you tried any other kinds of stamps (non SU) with the SU ink pad? see if that makes a difference. I also try to work around the edges of my pads to make sure I have nice coverage, and I find that the longer I am using a pad, the more *inked* up it becomes, as the ink is coming up from the bottom. Very curious as to what colors you are using
__________________ Lisa C., Mom to 3 great kids, 3 super dogs and an cat that thinks she is a dog! My Gallery
I have tried other kinds of stamps with the SU pads but it seems the SU pads is the problem. On the pad itself I see a 'pattern'...it's almost like 'canvas or linen' stamp pad lol...so before I stamp, when I look at the inked stamp, it's not fully covered because of this 'pattern' (very slight).
I guess I'm used to Versacolours therefore the juicy very wet covered look...definately not used to/like classic ink at all :(
I am using the IN colors classic ink stamp pad with my IN colors cardstock.
IN the 2006-07 catalogue, on the first few pages, there is a page with information on the wheel. It features the 'seeing spot' and 'spot on' stamp set used on a cool caribbean card. I don't have it on me, so I don't know the page number (however it's in the first few). The inked circles looks faded like mine..i guess it's supposed to be faded?
Quote:
Originally Posted by nmslmomto3
If you got them from a demo, they should be inked up ok. Have you tried any other kinds of stamps (non SU) with the SU ink pad? see if that makes a difference. I also try to work around the edges of my pads to make sure I have nice coverage, and I find that the longer I am using a pad, the more *inked* up it becomes, as the ink is coming up from the bottom. Very curious as to what colors you are using
The larger area smooth surface stamps do need some gentle buffing before they will hold the ink well. I just rub softly on my jeans, then clean before using the first time. Also try huffing: Ink up your stamp, then huff gently on it - like you are trying to fog up a mirror - then stamp. The steam from your breath helps keep the ink moist.
Effect of Classic Stamp Pad from Stampin Up
