About Rubber Stamp Making Kits

Rubber stamp making is an easy way to create customized stamps for personal or business use at a fraction of the cost of professional custom stamps. Basic stamp carving kits cost around $10 for the starter materials, but you can purchase extra rubber blocks to create additional stamp designs. The most common kit is made by Speedball, but there are other carving supplies manufacturers like MasterCarve and Soft-Kut to round out your tools.

Function

Laser-engraved custom rubber stamps can cost several thousand dollars per stamp to produce. Similarly, purchasing a photopolymer stamp-making kit can cost anywhere from $400 to $4,000, depending on the size of your desired stamp. Rubber stamp making kits are a cost-effective option to create your own custom stamps. They're useful for personalized stationery, gifts or even logos for your small business materials. With the growth of eraser and rubber stamp carving as a hobby, there are more companies producing a variety of tools and materials, with the benefit being a reduced cost to you.

Features

A basic rubber stamp making kit like the Speedball Speedy-Stamp Basic costs approximately $10 and includes rubber print blocks, linoleum cutters, a cutter handle and tracing paper. More deluxe sets, which cost upwards of $25, will also include ink and a rubber brayer for evenly applying ink to rubber stamps. The best places to look for sets and supplies are craft stores or artist supply stores--both of which should carry replacement tools and additional rubber blocks. Another good item to purchase with your kit is a cutting mat, to help prevent gouges in your tables or counter tops. They are available at most office supply stores.

Size

Teachers can also incorporate rubber stamp making as a fun craft activity for older grade school kids. Speedball makes a range of safe "pull-down" cutters. The Soft-Kut Classroom Starter Kit, $74.25, contains 24 four-by-six-inch rubber blocks, 24 cutter handles, 24 assorted lino cutters and a jar of black water-based ink. A beefed-up set, the Blick E-Z Cut Classroom Starter Kit, is designed for a classroom of between 24 and 30 children and also contains two four-inch brayers, a pocket sharpening stone, 300 sheets of Masterprinter Paper and 24 plastic burnishing spoons. It retails for $174.95.

Expert Insight

In her book "Rubber Stamp Carving," Luann Udell outlines the basics of creating your own stamps, but offers some suggestions for making the transfer process easier. The simplest way to transfer an image is to draw it in pencil on vellum or tracing paper. Turn the paper over and place the drawing on your carving block, and rub the pencil sketch with a burnishing tool (a spoon works well) to transfer the pencil onto the rubber. For a more advanced image, print out your design from your computer, or use a photo copied image. Cut out the image and place it ink-side down on to the rubber. Using an iron set at low heat, place a piece of blank paper between the block and your iron, and lightly iron your image onto the block.

Troubleshooting

To avoid transfer issues if you choose to use the pencil method, be sure to purchase a dark enough graphite that will leave a clear image on your block. Standard pencils are No. 2, but to as they get darker, the numbers go up: 2B, 4B, 6B and so on, up to Ebony (the darkest). Additionally, consider your ink selection when you purchase your kit. Pigment inks are insoluble and dry more slowly, but they are non-reactive with other materials, which makes them embossable and ideal for scrapbooking. Dye inks are fast-drying and more convenient, but are not waterproof. They produce bright colors and work well on absorbent paper.