Think of the Rubber That Goes Into Rubber Stamps
Rubber stamps is a generic term. It dates back to those times when Charles Schultze started selling vulcanizing presses for rubber stamps in 1890. The mould was made from cast letters arranged to form text. The rubber was pressed into place and cured in a steam press under pressure. Earliest rubber stamps used latex rubber mixed with additives like carbon. This method is still in use to make cheap stamps that are used in conjunction with a stamp pad. These stamps have a typical rubber stamp look because the outlines are not quite sharp and characters such as “o” and “e” can appear filled when printed. Interestingly, this look gave rise to rubber stamp fonts that are used in this digital area to mimic the look of rubber stamps.
The photopolymer
Photopolymer is an advancement in stamp making. The material used is entirely different. The photopolymer is a liquid resin in its natural state. When exposed to UV light it hardens and sets. This property is used to make photopolymer rubber stamps though, strictly speaking, there is no rubber in it. The process is simple. A negative is created either with a laser printer using transparent sheet or in a regular photonegative process. It is placed over the resin and UV light is shone through the film. The photopolymer is then washed in an etch solution. The advantage is that you can use whatever font type you like and include line art images. Since the depth of etch is low you face the same issues as in vulcanised rubber stamps such as lack of sharpness in small size fonts.
The latest – laser cut rubber sheets
This is the latest technology used by top rubber stamp makers worldwide. Flat machine produced rubber sheets serve as the raw material. A computer drives a laser cutter. The image drives a laser to cut the rubber sheets. Heat produced by the laser burns out rubber creating the design or lettering on the flat rubber surface. Since the rubber sheet is flat to start with and the laser is fine and precise you get better results especially with small font sizes. Lasers can engrave lettering and graphic design on flat rubber sheets in any size depending on the machine.
Impressions matter
Unless you are specifically aiming for the rubber stamp look you will find that laser cut rubber stamps are the best in terms of impression. The print is sharp and clear without any smudging or filling up of characters like “o” and “e”. You can create custom layout and design. You have freedom to pick the font you like and you can include your logo in the custom stamps.
The cost difference is not all that much when you opt for the laser cut rubber stamp. However, there is a world of difference in the looks. Each imprint conveys an impression of class and that enhances your brand value.
