The following tutorial is the smARTworks method for using unmounted rubber.
It is what works best for us...
Why use unmounted stamps?
Reason #1 - UMs are less expensive (up to 50%) than wood-mounted rubber
Reason #2 - UMs take up far less
storage space than wood-mounted stamps.
These factors may mean little to casual, or beginning stampers, but to those of
us who are
seasoned, and hopelessly addicted, one or both factors eventually become an issue.
Basic Preparation and Use of Unmounted Stamps --
1. Using sharp (i.e. KAI brand) scissors, and being careful not to undercut*
the image, trim away excess rubber.
*Undercutting happens when, instead of cutting with scissor blades perpendicular to the rubber,
the top blade is angled outward... The cut edge of the rubber is then angled under the image.
One way to solve this problem is
by not cutting too close to the image outlines.
NOTE: Here at smARTworks we make it
a habit to employ the Stamp-a-ma-jig stamp positioner.
Unless we're stamping randomly, we ALWAYS use it. This eliminates the need for exact
trimming and/or exact placement of the rubber on a mount.
2. Apply a thin layer of restickable gluestick or pen (i.e. Scotch, Avery brands) to the
back
of the trimmed image.
