The image is light simply because there is not enough ink in the ink pad. Solution is either one of two remedies. First, if it is a self inking stamp, make sure that there is enough ink in the pad. They usually use a water-based ink and will slowly dry out over a period of time. Even quicker in the winter because of the dry heat. You can either re-ink the pad (using a good quality water-based ink) or simply buy another ink pad. Second, it may be operator error that is making a poor imprint. By this we mean that if you do like what you see the tellers in the bank do (hammer the stamp on the pad like they are driving a 10″ spike into rock) you are simply pushing the ink down in to the bottom of the inkpad. All you want to do is transfer the ink from the pad to the paper. If you don’t have enough ink on the pad, naturally you will have a light image. The proper way to do it is to gently dab the stamp a few times on a good ink pad and then “touch” the paper. Pat It, Don’t Pound It!

What has happened it that when you took the pad out to re-ink it, you turned it around and put it back in the opposite way. Now the hills and valleys don’t line up.  Not to worry though! All you have to do is take the pad back out, turn it 180° and put it back in again. Now everything will line up and your imprint will be clear.

The problem you are having is because the paper is glossy. It has a coating on it and it’s like trying to write on a piece of glass with a marker. Most regular ink pads use a water-based ink. The ink will never be absorbed in to the paper and will just sit on top, never drying and smearing. To solution here is simple. In order for you to get the image of the stamp to dry, you will need a special quick drying ink and have to start with a dry ink pad. Never add quick drying ink to a regular pad. The two do not mix and you will end up with an unusable ink pad. We have specially formulated inks that are meant to be used on those shiny surfaces. The big difference is that they use an alcohol type substance instead of water for a thinner and pigments instead of dies. What this means is that, when you stamp your catalogue the alcohol part evaporates away and the pigment (colour) part dries up and sticks to the surface. And they don’t rub off! Depending on the ink used the drying time can be virtually instantaneous or up to a minute. Please note that quick drying inks need a little more T.L.C. than ordinary inks.  Their high alcohol content means that they dry out sooner. You need to re-ink more often or in some cases us a liquid thinner.  We also recommend that the ink pad be kept in an airtight bag (like a ziplock) when not in use.  This will help prolong the life of your stamp and keep it ready for the next use. If you have a situation like this, or something similar, contact us.  We can help!

Rubber stamps are not something that people buy often so that is why we don’t have accounts. If customers order from us on a regular basis, we can then consider setting up an account.

Absolutely! To make sure that your image can be easily used e-mail us your file, use our File Uploader, or call us at 1-877-717-1716.  We can accept most graphic files (.psd, .png, .cdr, .tiff, .ai, .jpeg, .bmp, .eps).

We say NO! Our motto is…if you write something more than 5 times a day, STAMP IT! There are almost no limits to to how much information can be put on a stamp. We do not charge for typesetting and DO NOT RESTRICT YOU to how many lines or how much information you can have. Some factors to be considered though are the available area where you will be using the stamp, the size of the font, readability, etc. If you are not sure, contact us and we will be glad to help you.

This is a relatively simple fix. The reason a self inking date stamp is not printing is probably because it has come out of alignment. If you compress the stamp in your hand and look across the bottom, you should see that the date part and the dieplate (your info part) should be at the same height. If the date looks recessed inside then that’s why it is not printing.  To fix this, release the stamp back to its normal position and look up inside the bottom. You should see two small screws on either side of the mechanism. To make the date higher (to make it even with the rest and print properly), turn the screws clockwise (or inwards). Turn them only a little bit at a time and be sure to turn both screws the same amount. Test the imprint after each turn. If you went too far, you should have the opposite problem.  You’ll see just the date and not the rest. Reverse your procedure until both parts print properly. If you are having this problem with a manual date stamp, there should be a similar adjusting screw either under the top cap or on the side of the stamp. Loosen the screw and move the date mechanism so the it is even with the dieplate.  Don’t forget to tighten the screw once it is in position.

Only Self Inking stamps can be recycled. To make sure this is available for your stamp, look at our descriptions above to be sure. h3>I need a new ink pad.  How do I know what to ask for? There are actually 3 ways to ask for your ink pad.  If you know what kind of stamp you have, you can go to our replacement ink pad page and find your model number, an order online.  Secondly, you can email, call or fax us with the make, model and colour of ink pad, and we’ll make sure you get the right one.  Thirdly, and the best way, is to remove the ink pad from your stamp and tell us the numbers that are on the back of the ink pad itself.  Then you know for sure you have the right one. Does it matter what kind of ink I use to re-ink my stamp? ABSOLUTELY!  Using the wrong kind of ink can actually ruin your stamp.  A regular water-based ink will not work in a flash or pre-inked stamp and the special inks used in flash or pre-inked stamps will NOT work ink a self inking stamp.  Even different flash stamp brands use different inks and should not be crossed over. Make sure that you know which ink is to be used where.  If in doubt please call us BEFORE you reink.

Yes, there are. There are “polymer” dieplates (aka synthetic rubber) and “true rubber” dieplates.  You will see both types in use. Polymer dieplates are very common and are usually clear or see-through looking.  These dies work well with all water-based inks.  True rubber dieplates will be grey, black or red and are created when the dies are either laser cut or molded. These are necessary when using speciality or non-water-based inks.

BIG!  The biggest self inking stamp in a regular (plastic) body is 1-1/2″ x 3″. The biggest heavy duty (all metal body) self inking stamp can be as large as 5″ across x 2-1/2″ high.  This is the biggest stamp available in the world. The biggest woodmount stamp is a little harder to describe.  It is possible to do a full letter size sheet, that is 8-1/2″ x 11″.  You would need a heck of a big block to mount it and a huge ink pad to use it but it is possible.

We make every effort to make sure that we send you the correct item. This is why we send confirmation emails and proofs when requested.  Any items that are special order, are reconfigured or retrofitted and NOT eligible for return.  We will work with you to try to get a solution that does work but T.S.T. Rubber Stamp can not and will not be held responsible for errors or omissions once an order has been approved and finalized.  If an item is found to be defective then it may be eligible for warranty replacement or repair.  All items will be verified before any actions are taken in these matters. 

Self inking rubber stamps have a plastic or metal body with a replaceable ink pad housed inside the frame. When the stamp is idle, the rubber die rests against the ink pad. When the stamp is pressed, a spring mechanism turns the rubber die to face the object being imprinted. The pad may be either re-inked or replaced with a fresh pad.