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Clear stamp storage using paper indexes against stamps OK? My research and ???
Since i converted all my stamps to this system
I have been wondering if the paper index resting against the front of my clear stamps might be bad for them. I have seen other systems that have a paper index up against the stamps on several blogs and I have contacted one large company and two vendors to ask them if it was a bad practice. Both vendors are well known and well respected. One has an online business and the other has both an online business and a brick and mortar store. The representative from the company I contacted said she didn't think there would be a problem, but I confess I didn't exactly come away convinced. One vendor said she stores clears up against paper and has had no problems thus far. The other vendor replied as follows:
"Thanks for your question about clear stamp storage. Unfortunately, I don't have a definitive answer for you; however, I did discuss your question with (name removed) and the following is what we came up with. According to the manufacturer of our clear stamps, it is best to store them with a plastic covering touching both sides of the stamps. For instance, (name removed) and I both store our clear stamps on the binder sheet that comes with our sets and then lay the clear plastic sheet (not the acetate film but the heavier clear piece they are on when you get them. It is probably best not to put the paper directly on them for storage. We don't have long term experience with that but assume it will eventually damage the stamps in the long run based on the information from our manufacturer."
This leaves me wondering what I should do. You can see in my second picture (the stamps happen to be rubber there, but I have my clears stored the same way) that the stamps do rest right up against the paper. The paper is acid free. Still, I am wondering if I shouldn't get some sort of plastic sheet to cover them and what it should be made of.
I know I have posted to this question in several places on this forum, but I wanted to fully disclose the results of my research and perhaps get some opinions and suggestions. I'd like to keep this storage system. If I have to tweak it, I will. But I'm not sure what I should do, if anything.
Any responses would be welcome.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Last edited by Rachelrose; 02-25-2013 at 12:45 PM..
I still feel a bit like a newbie - not at all a stamp expert. I'm sure you'll get more knowledgeable responses from others, but I just thought I'd share my idea. Just looking at your photos, my first thought was that if it's okay for the plastic to touch the stamps, but not the paper, maybe you could simply take the paper out of the plastic sleeve and just glue the paper to the front of the plastic? It would probably be pretty easy with a tape gun. Maybe not ideal, and you probably already thought of this, but I thought I'd throw it out there. Good luck!
(I'm using CD cases for most of mine... something I've heard might not be ideal, either, but I'm taking my chances.)
__________________ ~ Kitty ~ "If you can dream it, you can do it." - Walt Disney
Thanks for your post, KoffeeKat. Very helpful. Yes, in my research I've read quite a few stories about people having clears break down in all sorts of storage - and most of it was what would be considered perfectly correct.
I just received an email reply from one of the people who posted about a very similar system to mine on her blog in 2010. I figured if she has had no degradation or other issues at this point, then it might be okay. She wrote to me that she has not had a single problem. She said that she did use acid free paper, so maybe that made a difference.
So there's another vote for it not being a problem. At least for a few years.
Postscript - I just reread your post. I'm not using the paper to stick the stamps on, I have them on a laminated panel. But I have the panel in a page protector with a paper index stuck in front of the stamps. So the front of the stamps are in contact with the back of the paper index sheet. Just so you understand.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Last edited by Rachelrose; 02-25-2013 at 06:04 PM..
I just recently started collecting both clear and unmounted stamps. I am also going to unmount some of my wooden stamps in the very near future. I never thought about paper being a problem but I have heard all kinds of warnings about different kinds of plastic possibly damaging the stamps. What about transparancy plastic or the plastic from the old style overhead projectors; I have boxes of it but I am afraid to use it. Any advice?
I have heard that you can store clear stamps safely on acetate (but NOT rubber clings!). Some people use Grafix, which is duralar, which is a bit different. My stamp panels are polycarbonate.
I can't really advise you about it. Maybe others will. I know people are instructed by many companies to store on the medium the stamps come on, but I find that most of it is very flimsy. I opened a new set this morning that had just those instructions but the piece of plastic that folded over the set tore off almost immediately! The problem I have with that fold-over packaging is that the plastic - whatever it is - sticks so firmly to the front of the stamps that it's a big nuisance in so many ways. I also don't like having many different types of packaging to store and organize. Hence my current system.
Maybe someone else will weigh in on this.
I am starting to feel that clear stamps are way more work than red rubber. And not as durable.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Just my take on this subject- all my stamps, clear and rubber, are stored on to laminated sheets. I just run A4 laminating pouches through my laminator. I haven't had any issues with my stamps yet, and they've been like this for at least 4 years. I store the stamped image sheet in plastic page protectors, which are next to the stamps. Again, I haven't had any problems with the stamps either getting stuck to the page protectors, or breaking down in any way. I think, that maybe the quality of the clear stamps is the main part of the issue- we all know that not all clear stamps are created equal!I have had some cheap clear stamps, stored in their original packaging, that have gone yellow & brittle over time.
Your stamps don't stick to the page protectors? Mine do like mad! What kind of PP's are you using? If I didn't have that paper index in front of my stamps, they'd all get pulled off the panel when I tried to take them out!
Love to know why yours don't do this. If I didn't have the terrible problem with sticking, I'd just turn my panels over so they faced backwards and not have to worry about the paper touching at all.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I'd be wary of contact paper unless you know what kind of plastic it is - and I don't. Proper lamination of the paper index (maybe Shaz will share what laminating machine she has and what she uses) would be the way to go if you want to cover up your paper.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
My laminator is just a very basic model, nothing special. It cost me about �25- there are similar ones on Amazon for about $27. Laminating sheets, I use whatever I can buy cheapest- I've bought loads from a Poundstore, so again, nothing special. The page protectors are Staples own brand- I'm a real cheap person, lol!
Which makes me really wonder - you say your clears are right up against the page protectors and they don't stick to them?
I have the same page protectors, and boy, they stick like crazy if the clears come in contact with them. And my clears are all good quality. They were all expensive, mostly PTI.
You must have special powers of some kind ;-).
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I just recently started collecting both clear and unmounted stamps. I am also going to unmount some of my wooden stamps in the very near future. I never thought about paper being a problem but I have heard all kinds of warnings about different kinds of plastic possibly damaging the stamps. What about transparancy plastic or the plastic from the old style overhead projectors; I have boxes of it but I am afraid to use it. Any advice?
I used transparency film when I first put my un-mounted sets in order. I didn't like it. It was too flimsy and the stamps seem to really stick to it. I am not sure if they would permanently stick or not, but I didn't want to chance it. I thought about doing the laminated panels, but I had already purchased 2 sizes of page protectors. So I cut up thin chipboard, slid that into the small page protector then stuck the stamps to the outside of the PP. I then cut the big PP in half and slid the smaller PP into the bigger PP like an envelope; that way if a stamp falls off it won't get lost. I copied that idea from another splitcoastian.
Humidity? Yes, it could be. But if I am visualizing smcdonough's system correctly, she's storing her stamps by sticking them on page protectors! So I don't get why, if the back of the stamps stick to a piece of chipboard covered by a page protector, the front side of the stamps don't stick to the page protector envelope they are stuck into.
smcdonough - can you post a pic of your system? I am curious. If it's a big hassle, no worries.
Well, I think on balance that I am not going to worry too much. I like my new system and I'm going to stick with it. I ordered some Duralar. I can cut it down to the size of my panels and stick it over the clear stamps if I decide I really need to. And the truth is I honestly don't see myself buying a lot more clear stamps in the future, so it's more a matter of just preserving what I have. I find I prefer working with rubber for a lot of reasons. And the companies I am finding myself attracted to are all companies that produce rubber stamps.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I've converted to a new storage system for all of my stamps, as well. I have a mixture of unmounted rubber and photopolymer and wanted one consistent storage solution for all of them. I've used overhead transparencies and Contact paper and acetate in the past in various configurations, and I'd be wary of using anything that isn't vinyl or acrylic (call or email the manufacturer if you're unsure). My CTMH stamps tended to get gummy and soft and tear easily over time when stored improperly, which indicates to me that what I was storing them on was causing them to break down.
Diane (fionna51) had a great system that I adapted to suit my needs, and maybe it will be helpful to someone else. I wanted to use the binders that hold 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" pages, so this is what I did:
Cut 8 1/2" x 11" white cardstock in half
Stamped each image from the set or sets that fit on that page
Laminated the stamped cardstock
Put the stamps on the non-stamped side of the laminated cardstock
Slid the laminated card with stamps attached into a page protector
Put the page protectors into the binders
If the stamps are rubber, I put two half sheets into one laminating pocket, them cut them apart after they were laminated. If the stamps are photopolymer (or other clear), I only put one half-sheet into the pouch, so there would be a laminated, clear "flap" to fold over the stamps so that they wouldn't stick to the page protectors.
I have all of the holiday stamps together, regardless of manufacturer. I have five Christmas binders, two Halloween binders, and one "all the other holidays" binder. The rest of the stamps are arranged in binders by manufacturer (roughly alphabetical).
As far as an index, I started out to do a Rolodex, but realized that I had way too many stamps to fit on one Rolodex, so I re-geared. The Rolodex has all of my sentiment stamps on it, while the other images are stamped by category on 4" x 6" cardstock and organized in cheapo photo albums.
I've attached a few pics to illustrate the storage, but not the index...
Thanks for sharing this, Sue. I am thinking about an index for my next project, and wondering how to store the index cards. I do like the idea of a Rolodex for sentiments, and I never thought of using a photo album for the index cards. A great idea.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I'm in the process of sorting through my stamps to purge and to create an index. My stamps are unmounted and store in Univenture binder boxes. I purchased laminated sheets that are safe for rubber and clear stamps. Some of the stamps, I rarely/never use so they may have been on the laminate sheets for years with no visible effect.
My index is paper and if the paper was in direct contact with the clear stamp, some stamps glued themselves to the paper. The paper didn't hurt the stamp but it messed up my index. Where the paper was glued to the stamp, I ran the stamp under water to remove the paper and the stamp is fine.
Some of the stamps I stored on their original acetate sheets and have not been used at least in the last year are getting gummy or are so glued to acetate I almost tore them trying to slowly pull them off.
Some of my clear stamps are stored on Graphix acetate for a top and bottom layer are fine. I bought the Graphix acetate in the art supply section at Michalels. It comes in tablet form.
Lesson learned -
don't trust the acetate from the stamp companies
try not to have paper touch clear stamps for long periods
if you have clear stamps you don't use very often, peel them off the acetate now and then
Almost every manufacturer of clears instructs you to store "on original packaging" and I have never done it because I didn't trust it. I'm using the EZ mounts laminate panels from Crafters Companion, the laminates from Sunday Int. and Stampers Best, and the clear polycarbonate panels from Stampers Best and the stamps stick to them without that "too-stuck" feeling they have on the flimsy acetate most clears come on.
If the worst case scenario in my current system is that the paper gets stuck to the stamp and the index needs to be redone, but the stamp is fine after washing, then I am good with that for now.
Thank you so much for taking time to post this!
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Almost every manufacturer of clears instructs you to store "on original packaging" and I have never done it because I didn't trust it. I'm using the EZ mounts laminate panels from Crafters Companion, the laminates from Sunday Int. and Stampers Best, and the clear polycarbonate panels from Stampers Best and the stamps stick to them without that "too-stuck" feeling they have on the flimsy acetate most clears come on.
If the worst case scenario in my current system is that the paper gets stuck to the stamp and the index needs to be redone, but the stamp is fine after washing, then I am good with that for now.
Thank you so much for taking time to post this!
Glad to help - one thing I didn't mention is when the stamp company prints the image on their packaging, I tape it to my paper index sheet then I don't have to stamp it. It's one way to get some use out of their index
[QUOTE=Rachelrose;20031592]Humidity? Yes, it could be. But if I am visualizing smcdonough's system correctly, she's storing her stamps by sticking them on page protectors! So I don't get why, if the back of the stamps stick to a piece of chipboard covered by a page protector, the front side of the stamps don't stick to the page protector envelope they are stuck into.
smcdonough - can you post a pic of your system? I am curious. If it's a big hassle, no worries.
Hey rachelrose! I hope these help you out!
Here are some pics, my system is similar to Sue's. this is the way they are stored when finished. I bought the basket at Target (click the pictures to make them bigger)
this is a 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 page protector from Office Max with the chipboard
the stamps are stuck to the page protector itself. I slid a piece of white CS next to the chipboard to make the stamps stand out more
this is the other side with the stamped images
this is a 8 1/2 x 11 page protector cut in half to make an envelope. I purchased them at Office Max. They are called "standard sheet protectors", they are also archival safe and acid free, which I just found out now.
this is the smaller page protector (pp) sliding into the cut one.
I posted all of these pics to show exactly how I did it, I know some may seem a little overboard and obvious. I did have to cut the page protectors down at the seam so they would fit properly.
I left most of my clear stamps on the index sheet they came with and that is slid against the "envelope" page protector and the other side is stuck to the smaller pp. However, my PTI stamps don't have that. I stuck the back of the PTI stamp (the side that goes on the acrylic block) to my small page protector then the "stamping" side of the stamp comes into contact with the envelope page protector. They stick a little bit, but not enough to pull them off of the main panel.
I agree with you that some of the clear stamp's original packaging is not good. I have 2 sets my Aunt gave me that will take much more effort than I care to use to get the stamps off of the index sheet and backing sheet. With the other clears that were stuck this well that I did end up pulling apart; (to the point I thought the stamps might rip in half) I got rid of the original packaging and stuck them to my pp.
I like the idea of using laminated panels, they look really nice, but since I change my mind often, I would rather use the half size pp, that way I can just slide out the index sheet and insert a new one when I change stamps around.
If you have any other questions, just let me know, I hope this helps!
Stacey
Last edited by staceylovespaper; 02-28-2013 at 04:35 PM..
Thanks, Stacey, for all those pictures and the clear explanation. I can see exactly what you are doing. Nice system. Not so different from mine.
So the outer envelope doesn't come in contact with the stamps because they are protected by the original acetate (or whatever) sheet. Thus no sticking! In my case almost all of my clear stamps are from PTI, so they were in the CD cases until I took them out. I did get some Duralar that I can cut to fit over them on the panels, but not sure I am going to bother. I'm going to wait and see. It's so nice to be able to just slide the panels out and pull off the stamps. Like I said, if the worst case scenario is that my indexes get stuck on the stamps and I have to wash them and then stamp new indexes, I'm willing to do that for the convenience.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Thanks, Stacey, for all those pictures and the clear explanation. I can see exactly what you are doing. Nice system. Not so different from mine.
So the outer envelope doesn't come in contact with the stamps because they are protected by the original acetate (or whatever) sheet. Thus no sticking! In my case almost all of my clear stamps are from PTI, so they were in the CD cases until I took them out. I did get some Duralar that I can cut to fit over them on the panels, but not sure I am going to bother. I'm going to wait and see. It's so nice to be able to just slide the panels out and pull off the stamps. Like I said, if the worst case scenario is that my indexes get stuck on the stamps and I have to wash them and then stamp new indexes, I'm willing to do that for the convenience.
You are welcome. I have edited that post about 20 times over the last hour so the newest change really answers your question about them sticking to the pp.
And it absolutely does! Thanks for taking all that time! Please know it's very much appreciated!
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Just reading through the posts again, and I realised there is a slight difference with what I do. My stamps on the laminated sheets do not go inside page protectors! They just go in the folders as they are, it is the stamped out index pages that go inside the protectors- and these don't pull the stamps off the sheet.
Oh, that makes sense. That's why your stamps don't get stuck to the PPs. Thanks for that clarification, Shaz!
I have not done anything to change my system so far. I'm letting it all percolate in my head. There's no immediate danger, I figure, if there's any at all.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I love the idea of the flap for the clears in Sue's post. Are you putting them into page protectors in case they slide off?
I have my clears and clings in original packaging and I am trying to simplify. TBH I find that extra step of putting them in the sleeve a pain. I'm thinking of investing in unikeep binders so wouldn't have to worry too much about a stamp slipping as they would be encased in the binder.
Was thinking of dividing sets but I think it is more productive for me to index. I have them listed on my computer but think I want a hard flipable copy...
I love the idea of the flap for the clears in Sue's post. Are you putting them into page protectors in case they slide off?
I have my clears and clings in original packaging and I am trying to simplify. TBH I find that extra step of putting them in the sleeve a pain. I'm thinking of investing in unikeep binders so wouldn't have to worry too much about a stamp slipping as they would be encased in the binder.
Was thinking of dividing sets but I think it is more productive for me to index. I have them listed on my computer but think I want a hard flipable copy...
Yes, I do have them in page protectors in case they fall off. I've tried other methods (like the one mentioned above where the index sheet is in the page protector, but the stamps are stuck to the page protector, but not inside of it), but there were always issues of some type that made me re-gear. This has been an ongoing "project" for me for roughly three years now - unmounting, refining storage solutions, etc. - and I'm ready to be done. The extra step of removing the laminated "folder" from the sleeve protector is no more bothersome to me than peeling off the protective sheet from a clear stamp set in its original packaging, so it's a non-issue for me. The ease of flipping through a binder without worrying about anything becoming dislodged is SO worth it to me!
All of my stamps - regardless of manufacturer or type (clear, rubber) are in binders, and they are indexed on 4" x 6" cards in cheap photo albums (images) or on Rolodex cards on a Rolodex spinner (sentiments). All are indexed by category, and cross-referenced with the binders. My goal was to have ONE storage method for ALL of my stamps, and I believe I've finally achieved that! The ONLY exception is one CD crate that houses five very small alphabet sets on wooden pegs - they're easier to use this way, so this way they will stay... My other 45 alphabet sets (no, I'm not kidding - can you say "addiction"?) are in the binders, though.
__________________ ~ Sue Happy for no reason...
Last edited by gregzgurl; 03-04-2013 at 07:32 AM..
[QUOTE=gregzgurl;20040520]Yes, I do have them in page protectors in case they fall off. I've tried other methods (like the one mentioned above where the index sheet is in the page protector, but the stamps are stuck to the page protector, but not inside of it), but there were always issues of some type that made me re-gear. This has been an ongoing "project" for me for roughly three years now - unmounting, refining storage solutions, etc. - and I'm ready to be done. The extra step of removing the laminated "folder" from the sleeve protector is no more bothersome to me than peeling off the protective sheet from a clear stamp set in its original packaging, so it's a non-issue for me. The ease of flipping through a binder without worrying about anything becoming dislodged is SO worth it to me!
I agree also, some of the smaller stamps fall off easily and I would hate to be searcing around for it. Because my storage is only 5.5 inches high, pulling them in and out of the page protector is pretty easy. That is what works for me for now, who knows next year?
Yes, I do have them in page protectors in case they fall off. I've tried other methods (like the one mentioned above where the index sheet is in the page protector, but the stamps are stuck to the page protector, but not inside of it), but there were always issues of some type that made me re-gear. This has been an ongoing "project" for me for roughly three years now - unmounting, refining storage solutions, etc. - and I'm ready to be done. The extra step of removing the laminated "folder" from the sleeve protector is no more bothersome to me than peeling off the protective sheet from a clear stamp set in its original packaging, so it's a non-issue for me. The ease of flipping through a binder without worrying about anything becoming dislodged is SO worth it to me!
All of my stamps - regardless of manufacturer or type (clear, rubber) are in binders, and they are indexed on 4" x 6" cards in cheap photo albums (images) or on Rolodex cards on a Rolodex spinner (sentiments). All are indexed by category, and cross-referenced with the binders. My goal was to have ONE storage method for ALL of my stamps, and I believe I've finally achieved that! The ONLY exception is one CD crate that houses five very small alphabet sets on wooden pegs - they're easier to use this way, so this way they will stay... My other 45 alphabet sets (no, I'm not kidding - can you say "addiction"?) are in the binders, though.
Thanks.
I think I am going to do something similar. Did you just use Georgia Pacific or different cardstock for yours. I was debating this or chipboard or just buying the panels. I think if I find too much slippage I can always add in the page protectors at a later stage.
I think I am going to do something similar. Did you just use Georgia Pacific or different cardstock for yours. I was debating this or chipboard or just buying the panels. I think if I find too much slippage I can always add in the page protectors at a later stage.
I have some time to think about it.
I bought a cheap laminator and laminating pouches at Sam's Club (the laminator online, the pouches in the store), and bought a package of the cardstock that they had at Sam's, as well. It's 110 lb., so it's a nice weight for this project. Georgia Pacific would be fine, too. I don't think chipboard will go through the laminator that I have (too thick), but I'm sure that there are laminators that would work. I was going as cheap as possible, while still accomplishing the goal Hope that helps!
I recently read these posts and checked my stamps - some of them were really stuck to the sheets provided by the manufacturer - I even tore one in half. I would like place them on sheets that I have laminated with Staples heat seal hot laminating pouches but, I can't find what they are manufactured out of. Before I go to the trouble of removing all the photopolymer stamps and storing them in this manner, I wondered if there was an update to your storage solutions. Are the stamps still okay after being stored on the laminated sheets for a couple of years?
I can't speak for the Staples ones, but I've been storing mine on Laminated sheets, using pouches bought from my local Pound store for at least the last 5 years, and all are fine. Clear stamps and bare rubber, as well as foam backed rubber are all stored like this.
The only ones I feel I might have to put into page protectors to catch the ones that slip off are some that were mounted onto cling foam 10+ years ago- the foam seems to be cupping, so they don't grip as well. Ongoing project to strip the foam off and just go to bare rubber.
I can't speak for the Staples ones, but I've been storing mine on Laminated sheets, using pouches bought from my local Pound store for at least the last 5 years, and all are fine. Clear stamps and bare rubber, as well as foam backed rubber are all stored like this.
The only ones I feel I might have to put into page protectors to catch the ones that slip off are some that were mounted onto cling foam 10+ years ago- the foam seems to be cupping, so they don't grip as well. Ongoing project to strip the foam off and just go to bare rubber.
Same here. I have a mix of brands of laminated sheets and have seen no problems after 5+ years. I also have warping on EZ-mount backed stamps for the ones I rarely use. My stamps are stored in binder boxes away from sun & heat but I believe the EZ Mount is shrinking and drying out. I do have some stamps that I never applied a foam backing but I'm not ready to tackle the project of removing all the foam.
I've had some foam mounteds where the glue seems to have dried up after all these years,and the EZmount just peeled straight off. Unfortunately, not all, lol. Totally agree, stamphappy1650, it is as though the mounting foam has shrunk. It seemed like a good idea at the time!:???:
You're welcome. We learn most from our mistakes, but it's way better to learn from other peoples! . Of course, the biggest mistake of all is to NOT ask questions!
Just affirming what the others have said - no issues with the laminated sheets + stamps at all... I never bothered with foam (EZ mount or any other kind) on my stamps, so I haven't had to deal with shrinkage issues, either. The only thing that I've changed since my earlier posts is the size of the panels. I'm down to 4" x 6" photo sleeves at this point, with the panels themselves being 3 7/8" x 5 1/2" so there's "wiggle room" to slide the stamps in and out of the sleeves without warping/bending.
Clear stamp storage using paper indexes against stamps OK? My research and ???
