Self-Inking stamps are great to carry around when you commute or travel; it’s because you don’t need a separate ink pad for it. Although it is more expensive than a traditional stamp, it is encased in a plastic container, making it convenient and easy to use and store.
There are many types of rubber stamps. Self-inking stamps are rubber stamps with a mechanism that rotates, allowing the impression to touch the ink pad everytime it is pressed. The inside ink pad is made of a special foam material that holds ink evenly hence the ink quality is maintained during the transfer of ink while stamping.
Common Uses of Self Inking Stamps
Where are they most commonly used? Self-inking stamps are ideal if you stamp a lot of documents for work or personal use. You can use them in stamping your signature when signing forms and contracts. You can also use them when marking orders and invoices as paid, or stamp your address for snail mail. Whenever you need something stamped fast, self-inking stamps are for you.
It can even be a great gift idea for a friend’s wedding or house warming event.
Self Inking Stamp Colors
Self-inking stamps come in different colors. The most common and most popular color is black. Ink colors also come in red, orange, green, blue and purple.
Black color is usually used for signatures and addresses. Red color conveys urgency and is used for “urgent” stamps, “immediate action required” and “rejected” stamps for example. Orange color stamps shows a more subtle sense of urgency like in teachers stamps and office stamps.
Green signifies a feeling of appreciation. They are ideal for “approved” or “accepted” stamps for students who have submitted applications or assignments. Blue color stamp is more neutral in its use, and it can be an alternative to the usual black ink. Purple is a symbol for royalty and is also used for art and decoration.
How Long Does a Self Inking Stamp Last
Now it’s time to talk about stamp life.Self-inking stamps can make thousands of impressions. To be precise, they last anywhere from 20,000 to 25,000 impressions. Depending on how often you use one, it can last you 2 to 3 years, or even more.
Another factor to consider when it comes to stamp life is the ink coverage. This means how much ink the impression design is using. A design with just a few small texts would use less ink. A design with bold prints and graphic logos and dark backgrounds, on the other hand, will use more ink.
Should your stamp design have a complex design with a lot of solid colors on it, it would be best to use a pre-inked stamp because it can provide twice as much more impressions than a self-inking stamp. In other words, they would last twice as longer.
Just remember that the ink of self-inking stamps is water-based, hence it could take a bit longer to dry. This also means that you need to store your stamp in room temperature. If it’s constantly exposed to the sun or warm temperature, the ink will evaporate faster and will have lesser impressions.
Also, they are meant for use on paper and envelopes and not on other surfaces. If you use the stamp on more absorbent material such as fabric, it would use more ink.
Stamp Care and Ink Refill
Nothing to worry though when your stamp impressions start to fade. You can always restore it with a replacement ink pad or ink bottle. You can purchase these separately without the need to replace the entire stamp. Read the stamp manual when replacing the ink. It usually involves holding the stamp down and unlocking it so you can remove the ink pad to replace or re-ink it.
There are also some best practices when storing and caring for your stamps to extend their life. Traditional stamps need to be stored facing up to avoid dents on the impression. Self-inking stamps however can be stored face down without the ink pad touching the surface.
Conclusion
There’s no definite answer as to how long self-inking stamps last. It depends on many factors such as usage, design, and care and maintenance. Self-inking stamps can be really useful for your everyday activities, so it would be best if you take good care of it.
How’s your experience using self-inking stamps? How long did it last for you before you had to re-ink or replace it? Please do shareyour experiences in the comments section.
