Last year I bought some rubber stamps that fit into little Plastic Soap molds at JoAnn's or Michaels, maybe even at both places to use when my granddaughter and I were doing a MP soaping project. I have since used them for CP with no problems. I looked around to see if I had any left and the only one I still have is a MP to include for comparison.
Last month I got some more of those stamps from another soaper during a destash and was happy to have more. It did not occur to me than because they were kind of older (slight bowing and discoloration being the clue) that they would stain my soap. (Maybe not altogether true, I think I did consciously note that they were slightly more used looking than mine what with the discoloration around the edges and how they were bowed/convex.)
Anyway these used/obvious older ones are staining my soap.
Here is a picture of 3 soaps made this way. The stamps I used for each is above the soap with which it was embossed. The 2 on the left (CP) were made with the 'new' used stamps I got at the destash. The staining is quite obvious, even in the yellow soap on the left. The one on the right, I made last year using MP base.
I suppose I could get out the MP base and see if the staining persists with MP, because that would probably be a better comparison, but judging by the bowing and discoloration of the obviously more used stamps, I'm thinking it may not matter.
Has anyone else run into this in the past and what would you suggest?
Would you find the staining alarming? Do you think there is anything to worry about with this kind of staining?
I am not getting very far with my Google searches, other than an old 1916 Deficiency Bill (US) where it documents discussion about red rubber stamps sold to the US Government, and another document about the Care of Rubber Objects Made from Rubber and Plastic put for by the Canadian Conservation Institute. Actually this second one has useful information, whereas the first one was just interesting reading.
Apparently rubber deteriorates constantly when it is exposed to oxygen, so they should be stored in an airtight container as much as possible. Who knew? Not me. I have been storing mine in ziplock bags, not to keep oxygen out, but to keep them together more easily. Guess that was a wise move.
Okay I thought of something else. I have a latex sensitivity. When I go to the dentist they have to use non-latex dental dams and wear non-latex gloves. I wear nitrile gloves when I soap. The tender skin of my face & around my mouth breaks out in hives if latex is used in the vicinity, hence the precautions. This is not a full-blown latex allergy (blood tests say I am not allergic), but it is still alarming and my doctors won't allow latex usage when I have surgery either.
So if these rubber stamps are deteriorating, as evidenced by the bowing and discoloration, maybe I shouldn't use them. Especially not to make soap I might give to my SIL, who does have full-blown latex allergy.
I guess the other question is 'are they really made of rubber?' I really have no way of knowing for sure. Some of the packaging for some of these embossing stamps say rubber. Some don't say one way or the other. And of course I don't have the original packaging.
Last month I got some more of those stamps from another soaper during a destash and was happy to have more. It did not occur to me than because they were kind of older (slight bowing and discoloration being the clue) that they would stain my soap. (Maybe not altogether true, I think I did consciously note that they were slightly more used looking than mine what with the discoloration around the edges and how they were bowed/convex.)
Anyway these used/obvious older ones are staining my soap.
Here is a picture of 3 soaps made this way. The stamps I used for each is above the soap with which it was embossed. The 2 on the left (CP) were made with the 'new' used stamps I got at the destash. The staining is quite obvious, even in the yellow soap on the left. The one on the right, I made last year using MP base.
I suppose I could get out the MP base and see if the staining persists with MP, because that would probably be a better comparison, but judging by the bowing and discoloration of the obviously more used stamps, I'm thinking it may not matter.
Has anyone else run into this in the past and what would you suggest?
Would you find the staining alarming? Do you think there is anything to worry about with this kind of staining?
I am not getting very far with my Google searches, other than an old 1916 Deficiency Bill (US) where it documents discussion about red rubber stamps sold to the US Government, and another document about the Care of Rubber Objects Made from Rubber and Plastic put for by the Canadian Conservation Institute. Actually this second one has useful information, whereas the first one was just interesting reading.
Apparently rubber deteriorates constantly when it is exposed to oxygen, so they should be stored in an airtight container as much as possible. Who knew? Not me. I have been storing mine in ziplock bags, not to keep oxygen out, but to keep them together more easily. Guess that was a wise move.
Okay I thought of something else. I have a latex sensitivity. When I go to the dentist they have to use non-latex dental dams and wear non-latex gloves. I wear nitrile gloves when I soap. The tender skin of my face & around my mouth breaks out in hives if latex is used in the vicinity, hence the precautions. This is not a full-blown latex allergy (blood tests say I am not allergic), but it is still alarming and my doctors won't allow latex usage when I have surgery either.
So if these rubber stamps are deteriorating, as evidenced by the bowing and discoloration, maybe I shouldn't use them. Especially not to make soap I might give to my SIL, who does have full-blown latex allergy.
I guess the other question is 'are they really made of rubber?' I really have no way of knowing for sure. Some of the packaging for some of these embossing stamps say rubber. Some don't say one way or the other. And of course I don't have the original packaging.
