Do you ever get excited when you get a new stamp collection but only to get an uneven impression when you take it for a stamp? Your first reaction might lead you to believe it was cause by human error… right? Maybe you did not thoroughly ink your stamp or pressure was not properly applied…? Uneven stamp impressions are not always caused by human errors but rather a product defect or the surface environment you are working with… who knew!! Of course, always inspect your new stamp for any defect(s) prior to inking. If you have a stamp in good working condition and still result from an uneven stamp impression it’s likely the surface environment has affected your stamp impression. You might think to yourself a flat tabletop surface should be just as good as any surface…no? Since I never did have this problem with rubber stamps, so naturally, I did not think the surface I am using to stamp on would have affected my stamp impression. My own encounter with uneven impressions didn’t come to light until I started using clear/polymer stamps. When I initially researched this issue it was suggested that a stamp mat be used to resolve the issue. So I set out to find a stamp mat and was a bit surprise Darice was the only provider at my local craft stores.

In Image A you will notice the uneven impressions or as I’d like to call it blotches that resulted from using a tabletop surface.

In Image B the impression is near perfect because the stamp itself presented defects but you can see the rich color impression as a result from using the stamp mat.

When the same stamp mat was used for rubber stamps there was not any visible evidence to distinguish which image was tabletop surface or stamp mat. In Image C can you tell which image was stamped using a stamping mat?

If you are in search of perfect stamp impression using a stamp mat can help achieve that perfection you desire for. This is a mat worth having especially if you are a clear/polymer stamper. Some of you may know I personally preferred rubber over clear/polymer stamps but it’s a minuscule investment for a perfect impression earning 5 out of 5 stars. Thanks for reading and please join me next time when we take a look at the Tonic Studios thread cutter.