Product Preview: Ink Bottle Rubber Stamps (Shameless Plug)

Following discussions and suggestions from friends and followers of the blog, we are introducing two new rubber stamps in the shop this week. This post falls clearly in the category of shameless self-promotion so proceed forewarned.

We created two different ink bottle rubber stamp designs. The first stamp is based on a classic bottle design ($14) used by many companies. The stamp measures 1.5″ x 1.5″ and fits easily on a Col-o-ring card, Col-o-dex Card, or Col-o-ring Oversize page.

The stamp is available mounted on wood as an “art block” (no handle) or with a blonde wood handle.

The stamp is thick red rubber, mounted on cushion foam and the design is laser etched on the top to make it easy to identify.

The second design is a tall faceted bottle stamp ($14) based on a vintage bottle design. It is 1.25″ x 2″.

It is also available as the “art block” (no handle) or with a blonde wood handle and laser etched on the top with the design.

The stamp features the same high quality as the short ink bottle stamp.

We recommend using a waterproof, archival stamp pad if you want to swab your ink samples over the stamp. Below we have demonstrated tests using the Avery Carter’s Stamp Pad, Office Depot Stamp Pad and Ranger Archival Stamp Pad. The Avery Carter’s and Office Depot came from Office Depot. Similar big box office supply store stamp pads should work as well. Look for a pad that says “dye-based” not “pigment-based”. The Ranger Archival pad came from JoAnn’s hobby store. Again, any stamp pad listed as archival, waterproof or dye-based should work.

The sample above shows the three black stamp pads used in a Nanami Cafe Tomoe River Notebook. The Ranger pad seems darkest but all three pads have been in my possession for sometime and the quality may be a  result of age.

Above, the same three stamp pads are used in a Col-o-ring Oversize. Again, the darkness of the ink from the pads may be a result of how old the pads are though my inclination is to guess that the Ranger pad may be of slightly higher quality as it’s designed for craft purposes.

Don’t think you have to limit yourself just to black stamp pads. There are lots of different color options in the Archival stamp pads and it could make for some really fun looks in your Col-o-ring Ink Testing Book or other notebook. Here, I used a Ranger Archival green stamp pad with Vinta Sirena green ink. I think it looks pretty cool.

I tried a similar technique with an Avery Carter’s red stamp pad and Ferris Wheel Press Lady Rose ink and I got a little bleeding of the red ink. It could be a reaction between the ink from the stamp pad and the fountain pen ink or that the stamp pad ink is not as waterproof as the black ink. I’ll have to test it further to find out. I still think it looks pretty.

Finally, back to using a black stamp pad and Colorverse Crystal Planet. I left the label open to maybe write the color name in once the ink is dry. So many options!

I hope you are as excited about these new stamps as we are. If these stamps are well-received, we may introduce more ink bottle shapes. What do you think? Do you like them?