How many of us were told by our father or grandfather “use the right tool for the job”? That was some very good advice and can be used for most tasks we are faced with and stamping is no different. There are countless tasks that a Trodat stamp can accomplish, from the office to the factory floor and everyplace in between. It’s important to know what tasks your stamp needs to accomplish and communicate that to your local stamp maker. Then they can recommend not only the right stamp but more importantly what ink to use.
Some of the most common questions a stamp maker gets concerning inks has to do with industrial or semi-industrial applications. These applications, by their very nature, require an ink tailored for the specific surface and environment being stamped on.
As with any product, there are pros and cons to each ink available for stamping and that all inks are not created equal. For example, the Trodat Super Marking ink works great as a general purpose quick dry ink on common surfaces like coated catalog papers. This ink dries relatively quickly on slick paper while staying moist in the pad. Also, this ink does not damage stamps as quickly as more aggressive inks. But, on the flip side, they can't stand up to harsh environments and won’t work well on difficult surfaces.
Stamping on more difficult surfaces, like steel or glass, requires a much heavier bodied ink like the Trodat Ultra Perm Opaque inks are required. These inks can adhere to more “challenging” surfaces and will last longer in the harsh environments. The tradeoff for these advantages is that the ink will dry up much faster in the pad and are much harsher on your stamp. Requiring you to clean your stamp more often. Also, regardless of how well you maintain your stamp, due to the nature of the ingredients in these inks, they will destroy your stamp, requiring occasional replacement.
Likewise, just as there are differences between industrial inks, there are also differences in the more common water based stamp inks used in all office and home self-inking stamps. The differences revolve around color shades and imprint quality. When it comes to water based inks it's important to stick with the same ink for re-inking that was originally in the stamp. These inks are specifically formulated for the stamps they are used in for optimum results. If you are not sure what stamp ink was used in your self-inking stamp then you can’t go wrong using the Trodat Pad Ink. This ink will work in all self-inking stamps.
Another common home and office stamp are pre-inked stamps. Like self-inking stamps the pre-inked variety should use the same ink for re-inking as was originally used. If you are not sure what ink was used, the Trodat MaxLight ink will work for re-inking pre-inked stamps. The one thing that you must remember is that ink for self-inking or pre-inked stamps are not interchangeable. Using the wrong ink will destroy your stamp and require it to be replaced. If you are not sure which stamp you have, just reach out to your local Trodat dealer. They can assist you in determining the proper ink for your stamp.
Like any good advice, it only works if it is actually followed, and using the best tool for the job is good advice. Knowing which ink to use for your stamp or special application can be confusing. Your local Trodat dealer is well versed in helping you determine which ink or stamp you need to use.