Some nice stamps here....
- Thread starter navigator9
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navigator9
Well-Known Member
Ooooooo, DeeAnna.........those look great!!!!!! Mine came in the mail yesterday, but I don't have any soap new enough to stamp, so it's nice to see yours. I need to make some so I can try mine out. In the last pic, at the bottom, I have the same little one on the left. And I love the fish....how did I miss that one? So happy to know that this new source of stamps is one that will actually work for soap. Their prices are good, and their designs beautiful. Yay!
navigator9
Well-Known Member
WOWZA! me wantttttt..... i'm a self confessed stamp wh**ei need to get me some!
Pictures of your soaps show that you're a skilled stamper. I always admire what a clean, crisp impression you get. I know a lot can depend on the recipe and the age of the soap, but if you have any tips, I'm sure they would be appreciated here. I've had trouble with soap sticking to the stamp and ruining the impression. In a recent thread someone mentioned stamping through cling wrap. Is that a technique you use?
Saponista -- I did use the mallet. Even as a total newbie to this, I could tell this soap was too firm to stamp, but I just had to try it.
You can see where I cracked one of the end-cut bars because I hit the flower and feather stamps too hard. I should have backed off when tapping those smaller stamps. Also the bar with the fish stamp has a hairline crack that doesn't show in the pic. The cracks aren't the fault of the stamps -- a slightly softer soap and more practice will help solve that problem.
Navigator -- There is a smaller fish, not as detailed, and a large fish that is really cool, but it's too big for a soap bar. The big spiral is about 1 3/4" by 1 3/4" (45 x 45 mm). The fish is about 2 1/2" by 1 1/2" (64 x 38 mm) Those are about as big as I would want to go to get the entire imprint on the bar. These bars are kind of a medium size as soap goes -- roughly 3 1/2" x 2 1/2" x 1 1/8" (89 x 64 x 28 mm).
You can see where I cracked one of the end-cut bars because I hit the flower and feather stamps too hard. I should have backed off when tapping those smaller stamps. Also the bar with the fish stamp has a hairline crack that doesn't show in the pic. The cracks aren't the fault of the stamps -- a slightly softer soap and more practice will help solve that problem.
Navigator -- There is a smaller fish, not as detailed, and a large fish that is really cool, but it's too big for a soap bar. The big spiral is about 1 3/4" by 1 3/4" (45 x 45 mm). The fish is about 2 1/2" by 1 1/2" (64 x 38 mm) Those are about as big as I would want to go to get the entire imprint on the bar. These bars are kind of a medium size as soap goes -- roughly 3 1/2" x 2 1/2" x 1 1/8" (89 x 64 x 28 mm).
kchaystack
Supporting Member
Ok I ordered a couple myself. kind of spoke like sun shape and another abstract design with lots of geometric designs.
There is a video linked in some of the descriptions everyone should watch. It is pretty amazing.
There is a video linked in some of the descriptions everyone should watch. It is pretty amazing.
navigator9
Well-Known Member
DeeAnna, you did a great job for not having stamped before! There is a learning curve with stamping, and it varies for different types of stamps. My original stamp, made of metal, is one I still use and love, and I usually use that one when soaps are fully cured. I have other wooden stamps, and acrylic ones that I use when soap is newer. I'm anxious to try stamping through cling/saran wrap, to see how that goes. Yes, sometimes when you try to stamp too closely to the edge, on a soap that's a little harder, it will crack. I'm guessing you found the smaller stamps easier to use, right? Less surface area to impress into the soap. The small one I got that's the same as yours I think will look perfect in the center of some of my round soaps. I'm always looking for something new and different, and these certainly are. I'm glad they worked so well for you. I think the right stamp adds a nice design touch to soap, and since I don't do many swirls, or layers, they work nicely on my plain soaps. It's good to support a fair trade business as well. And the seller says they bring good karma, so hey, what more can you ask for? lol
Love those stamps. I had seen them before and wondered if they would work. Off I go to spend money again.
navigator9
Well-Known Member
Here is a link to the video kchaystack mentioned. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-qLUPW4KfI&feature=youtu.be[/ame] Thank you for that, I had not seen it. Makes me appreciate my stamps even more. I knew that wooden stamps like these are used in India to stamp fabric, and it was nice to see them in use for that purpose. I love that they are actually carved by hand, by artisans......like us! And I hope that they would be happy to see the way we're using them. India is a place I've always wanted to visit, so it's nice to have a small piece of that fascinating and beautiful country to use in my soapmaking.
"...I've had trouble with soap sticking to the stamp and ruining the impression. In a recent thread someone mentioned stamping through cling wrap...."
I learned what you mean about the sticking -- I had to gently rock the larger stamps to get them to release. They came away clean, though. I didn't know about the cling wrap tip -- sounds like something to try.
Seven, would you please share some tips?
"...I'm guessing you found the smaller stamps easier to use, right? Less surface area to impress into the soap...."
Yes, you're right. The bigger stamps took more force to get a clear impression, so maybe they are the ones that need a bit softer soap. I started with the big ones and didn't think properly when I switched to the little ones -- so I whacked the little stamps too hard. The little ones are certainly more forgiving and easier to use.
I live in an area where outdoor activities like fishing, hunting, mushrooming, wild crafting, etc. are big, so I'm curious to see what folks think of the fish and feather stamps. Some of my friends will enjoy the symbolism of the spiral.
"...And the seller says they bring good karma, so hey, what more can you ask for?..."
I am all for building good karma! I watched the video and was blown away by the skill needed to make these stamps. Impressive!
I learned what you mean about the sticking -- I had to gently rock the larger stamps to get them to release. They came away clean, though. I didn't know about the cling wrap tip -- sounds like something to try.
Seven, would you please share some tips?
"...I'm guessing you found the smaller stamps easier to use, right? Less surface area to impress into the soap...."
Yes, you're right. The bigger stamps took more force to get a clear impression, so maybe they are the ones that need a bit softer soap. I started with the big ones and didn't think properly when I switched to the little ones -- so I whacked the little stamps too hard. The little ones are certainly more forgiving and easier to use.
I live in an area where outdoor activities like fishing, hunting, mushrooming, wild crafting, etc. are big, so I'm curious to see what folks think of the fish and feather stamps. Some of my friends will enjoy the symbolism of the spiral.
"...And the seller says they bring good karma, so hey, what more can you ask for?..."
I am all for building good karma! I watched the video and was blown away by the skill needed to make these stamps. Impressive!
dixiedragon
Well-Known Member
I really really need to NOT look at this page.
Cindy2428
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You guys are BAD... Navigator for finding them and DeeAnna who sent me over the edge with her pictures.... I'd planned on having an acrylic logo stamp made but I will have fun and practice with these first. I'm hoping that I can glue magnets to them and use on an arbor press. I'm afraid using a mallet would end up in me getting pounded instead of the stamp.
snappyllama
Supporting Member
Love those Deanna! Especially the hypnotic sunflower...
Okay, more amazing stamps to enjoy --
http://auntieclaras.com/2014/04/soap-stamps-by-nature/
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.581228291892847.151296.153236471358700&type=1
http://auntieclaras.com/2014/04/soap-stamps-by-nature/
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.581228291892847.151296.153236471358700&type=1
kchaystack
Supporting Member
My stamps came today. Not sure what I want to use them on first. Haha. I might just make a solid color and then use mica on the stamps.... hmmmm.
Love 'em both, KC! Nice choices....
The batch of bars I experimented with in the pics I shared in Post 18 ... well the color scheme didn't work out as planned. I wanted golden yellow swirls throughout a creamy white lard soap. I forgot the FO discolored to a light tan, unfortunately. The soap itself is nice, but the colors ... meh. So I used my stamps with a dusting of mica on all of the rest of these bars to dress 'em up a bit. The stamping on these bars look pretty much like my experiments, just tidier. I stamped the bars both front and back. I fractured a couple more bars (dagnab it!) by hitting too hard, but that's just the learning curve.
The batch of bars I experimented with in the pics I shared in Post 18 ... well the color scheme didn't work out as planned. I wanted golden yellow swirls throughout a creamy white lard soap. I forgot the FO discolored to a light tan, unfortunately. The soap itself is nice, but the colors ... meh. So I used my stamps with a dusting of mica on all of the rest of these bars to dress 'em up a bit. The stamping on these bars look pretty much like my experiments, just tidier. I stamped the bars both front and back. I fractured a couple more bars (dagnab it!) by hitting too hard, but that's just the learning curve.
Saponista
Well-Known Member
I cracked and bought some too, but from a UK store, so I didn't have to wait forever for the package to come from the US and probably pay some extra horribly expensive customs charges. I can't wait for them to come!
janzo
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Hi Saponista, are you willing to share which shop you bought stamps from. I was also thinking of ordering some stamps from overseas, but it just gets complicated with customs and time etc. I am also heading back home to Zambia next week so need them soon. Thank you
Saponista
Well-Known Member
I bought them from this seller on eBay.
http://m.ebay.co.uk/sch/how-luk/m.html?_pgn=1&isRefine=true
They are based in Bath.
http://m.ebay.co.uk/sch/how-luk/m.html?_pgn=1&isRefine=true
They are based in Bath.
