Monday 11 May 2009

Solvent ignorance





So here's the birthday book - 41/2" tags, cut on the Cricut, covered and blah. I've used random number stickers and although the birthdates you currently see are mostly in date order, it won't matter to me if I have to add to a tag and 'break' the order. Two reasons for not minding...this will hang above my desk and provide me a monthly overview, the dates are still logged in my diary - I'm just hoping that this will allow me to find myself ready for a birthday, instead of turning the page of my diary to discover that I've got 12 hours to pull something out my, erm, head! The other reason is the papers I've used - for me, redolent of a less organised and speedy era; hand made annotation and additions would have been perfectly acceptable. So they are. Even Mr. Churchill used hand written additional notes to put across his point. There's the famous paper that carries his pen - marked here and there to show his approval or otherwise of the text. In the margin, against something that the great man clearly disagreed with, he'd written 'small round objects'. How polite!
Gosh, how's that for a digression!
Are you familiar with the hoo-ha about not using solvent inks with Copics and Pro-Markers? Because they are solvent inks themselves and if you marry the two, they run. Horribly.
Did you know that this rule also applies to clear (polymer) stamps? That is, you shouldn't use Stazon ink and cleaner on them? I didn't.
I bought a really nice stamp at the show in February at Farnborough and finally decided to use it last week. (I know, but hoarding unused stash isn't part of today's discussion.) It's a lovely clear stamp, made lovelier by the fact that the image is really visible because it's indexed in black ink. I like that on a stamp and am definitely drawn to this type of 'finish' from a manufacturer. I had a brand new Fuchsia pink Stazon inkpad to play with last week too, and couldn't resist. Imagine my horror to find all the black indexing ink came straight off the stamp onto my pristine pink inkpad! I was incredibly put out. Really. Five and half quid ruined in about 10 seconds of tapping! I was offended by the damage and cross too. Fired off an email to the stamp company I was so put out. Usually I'd suck it up, but the inkpad was brand new and five quid and well, you know. I don't think my email was rude, I wasn't demanding compensation, apology or pistols at dawn, I just wanted them to know how put out I was that their packaging didn't carry a 'clean me first' warning. Their response arrived today, pointing out that they only use Versafine and that the packaging says Stazon is for rubber stamps. And this fascinating fact that we shouldn't be using Stazon (and Stazon cleaner of course) on the polymer stamps. Have I had my head in a bucket since the arrival of clear stamps then - I feel really foolish that I didn't know this - did you?
You may be interested to know that the Stazon label says 'appropriate for all surfaces' and the only reference it makes to rubber stamping is 'Use solvent ink cleaner to clean rubber stamps'. No mention of not using them on polymers, no mention of it on my stamp packaging either. You'll be unsurprised to know that I have had to respond further to the stamp company. The words teeny tiny and loophole appear. I know they don't want to promote negatives, but not advising against something is I think, very different from implying a recommendationfor soemthing else. And all I wanted was to be soothed, even if I am ignorant. Still going to use Stazon on the clear stamps too. I'll just take my chances. Ah, rebel rebel!!

13 comments:

Cricut Queen said...

I've never heard that one before either, so that makes two of us fools then. Great customer service - not!
Shan't be buying any stamps from them any time soon.

Jo Power said...

I didn't know that either and glad that you have told me. Oviously my head is in the same bucket.

Tina said...

Love it ...........It's so dinky

Paper and Ribbons said...

I didn't know that either. We will just have to be rebels!

Love the birthday book, such pretty and a great idea.

Smudgemakes said...

Make room for me in that bucket as I didn't know that either! Love the tag book!

JaneH said...

I love that tag book....may have to try one myself! Beautiful...

JaneH said...

Try using Ancient Page instead of Stazon. It's absolutely brilliant and waterproof. Your image, even with slippy clear stamps, will be crisp and even. Never a bad image and none of the hoo-ha that goes with solvent inks!

Ginny said...

LOVE the tag book

didnt know that about the ink OR cleaner, which I use on my stamps. Haven't heard of AP pads, don't think they're here in Oz, as always :0(

Move over buckethead..I need some room ;0)

Angie said...

Had no idea either about the inks but have heard that one should either NOT clean the stamps or use washing up liquid and warm water not cleaner.
Love the Tag Book idea.

CoventryAnn said...

I did know that Stazon will eat into your acrylic stamps, so haven't used it with mine. I think I heard it from some-one at a crop... and my OH says that all we do is talk about shoes and ohter useless stuff :)

katharine said...

hi i too did not know about this and am rebelling along with you all!!!!!!!!

Anne said...

I didn't know that either. Although I think that if anyone saw my stamps, they would take them into protective custody - I treat them dreadfully. I'm ashamed to say I am not very good at cleaning them at all. I whack all sorts of ink onto them. They are (so far) all still working perfectly... hopefully it will continue like that!

Anneliese said...

Love the tag book .. very pretty !