Removing Stamps from wood block

OK...I am not sure I want to do this....It really seems like some kind of a crime or sin or something LOL...but I am slowly but surely edging towards removing my stamps from the wooden blocks they are on. I am getting such a large collection, it would save so much room to store them I know.

Can someone who had done this (Brave Soul) tell me how to go about it...and how do you then store them....do you put "Tac it Over and Over" on them??

Me, I usually soak them in water (keeping the bulk of the block above the water level) for a while, then use a razor blade to carefully peel the padding away.

After that, I usually remove the padding as well, place the stamp on EZMount, then stick it in a CD case and use them on acrylic blocks.

I think that I read somewhere that you can microwave for a short time to warm them and they come right off the wooden block

You can really do this? Hmm...that would SOO help save space!

What do you do with the wood mounts then once you have them all off? Please tell me you don't throw them away.

Also how do you get it off the rubber?

Not sure I want to do this yet or not too. But some of the sets I have make more sense in alignment to do this techinique.

And I am not sure I like that Tack It Over and Over, I used it for the first time yesterday and I had a very hard time getting it off the acrylic block. And does it ever come off the rubber stamp itself?

I did heat a couple yesterday in the Microwave and they peeled right off the wood block. One is a little sticky tho and sticks to the acrylic block...Anyone else have this happen??? I used Undu to take the tiny bit if the stamp off the A. Block. Any solutions for that problem??

With the Tack it Over and Over...you need to let that dry over night. I have used that befor and it worked really well....I wonder if putting that on the back of the one that is sticking would cover the problem area.

I was thinking about the Blocks too...being the compulsive pac rat that I am...was thinking I would clean them with Undu or something and recycle them to the Daycare room for building blocks...would be neat with the pictures on them.

I'm afraid to take this step too! I really want to take them off the wood because then I can store them with my acrylics, but I'm just not sure I can take the step! I don't know why, but I feel like I'll regret it later! What's a gal to do!

• skarletbegonias Said:

Well, I am taking the plunge...talked to a good scrapper friend last night and she said she did hers a couple years ago and LOVES it...she stamps the image on a sheet of cardstock and puts that in a page protector and then sticks her stamp to the OUTSIDE of the protector...She used Aleene's Tack it Over and Over on the back of them. She said they are still nice and tacky after a couple years. So, I am going to take a deep breath and go for it. I have around 700 stamps so just think of all the space that would free up. I'm saving my blocks for the kids to build with...use undu on those to get the last of the sticky off.

I don't want to spend $$$$ and have them ruin.

How do you keep them from curling when they are off of the wood??

I have a load of hand-me-downs that are all off the wood and curled something awful. I soaked one in warm water and have it sitting under a brick at the moment to see if that does anything helpful. It is like trying to stamp with a ball and because you have to roll it just doesn't come out pretty. Some still had the prices on them and they were not cheapies. They have lived their life in a climate controlled area (its not like they were in the windshield of a car). Any clue??

good morning.

i purchased a brand of clear stamps but found that i can't use them with my acrylic blocks. for the life if me i can't remember name of the brand of stamp that i bought. sounds like ezmount may be the solution. can you buy the ezmount in your local craft store?

thanks.

You'd be better off looking in a LSS, most regular craft stores don't carry it, since they don't carry unmounted stamps. You can find it just about anywhere online, however. I know both of my LSS have it in stock MOST of the time.

The problem is that using the EZMount on clear stamps takes away one big advantage to clears: they stop being clear, so just like normal rubber, you can't see what you're doing as well.

Good luck you brave girl! Let me know how it turns out! Maybe take some pictures of the process to share.

• Ande Said:

I actually did remove all of my rubber stamps from the wood blocks. I uploaded some images and placed a description of the process in my blog.

http://scrapbook.com/blogs/121025/view/104 607.html

• hannacat Said:

That was great info...What kind of plastic sheet did you place them on...where did you get them?? And where did you find clear plastic envelopes?? I like the "flip through" way to look at them. I had thought of what one gal did stamping the image on Card stock and putting that in a page protecter and then sticking your stamp to the outside of the Page P...but not sure if they will stay adhered to the PP...She said they do, but I'm not sure...she keeps them in a 3-ring binder. I think I like your method better

You know, the binder thing works also. But what I like anout the envelopes is that you can take an envelope or two out of the basket and have all of your holiday stamps on the table with you and if you go to crops and such (I never have) I would think it would be easier to take a few envelopes than a few binder pages.

I got the clear envelopes, storage cards, foam backing, and scissors at blockheadstamps.com.
I have to cut the plastic sheets a little to make them fit nicely into the basket I have. And the envelopes are just letter sized clear envelopes. I have to cut these also. The way I do this is, I slip the plastic storage sheet with the stamps into the envelope, seal the envelope, and then cut along the long side so make an open-ended pouch. If I could find envelopes that seal on the long end instead of the short end, I guess that work a little better for me. Anyway, hope that wasn't confusing?

Also, little thing about blockheadstamps.com. When you place an order add one of these to your basket, they are free when you order. I think they are cool.

http://www.blockheadstamps.com/dot-stippling.html

• hannacat Said:

thia is very interesting...where on the site do I find the plastic sheets?? and what size envelopes do you get??

the foam and plastic sheets are here:

http://www.blockheadstamps.com/cushion.html

scrapbook.com also has the scissors

The clear envelopes are here:

http://www.blockheadstamps.com/clearenv.html

• hannacat Said:

I really like the envelopes...am going to order those...I will need so many of the plastic sheets I wonder if I can find something cheaper for that...I already have the scissors...They are wonderful!! Did you stamp the image on your Key sheet?? I see some are colored...did you do that??
I am so excited about this method...as I said on your blog I would be alot more comfortable with this method...I like to "Flip" through things LOL

rather than stamp the images for the Key sheet I suppose you could Copy the front of the wood mount couldn't you??

I have a question regarding somethign you said in yro blog on this subject:

You said you don't take the foam backign off the rubber..if that is the case then why do you then add it to the ez thin mount? Doesnt' tat amke it too thick?

Also a wonderful point was brought up above in a previous post, the rubber wont' then curl without the thin mount and only the tack it over and over if soemone were to go that route?

Also if I have already put tack it over and over one a stamp can I then put it on this thin mount?

700-1000 stamps? I must have that many too, and boy of boy the room I'd ahve. Wow though the time this woudl entail. Wow....

Just had a "lightbulb" Moment...I have tons of Matt board scraps from a local frameing place..I think that in a page protector would be perfect to put the stams on rather than the plastic sheets. and FREE///they would then fit into the plastic envelopes...I am going to order those tomorrow...

The sheets would need to be plastic if you are using the static mount foam. They stick to the plastic sheet they way they stick to the acylic block. The static mounts won't stick to paper/chipboard.

Someone asked about the leaving the foam on the stamp. Really is it because it is easy to get the stamp of the block, but not as easy to get the foam off of the stamp. And if you can't get it all off, you will have a n uneven stamping surface. So, yes the stamps do get a little thicker when you add the static mount, but that why I get the thinnest kind.

I cut a piece of Matt board and put it in an 8.5x11 page protector. It seems to work just great...I just sent off an order for the clear plastic envelopes 9x12,,,,Can't wait to get started on this project. will be soooo much easier to just flip through all the cards to find what I am looking for. Thanks again HannahCat I am so excited to find this idea!!

• hannacat Said:

No, but they stick to the page protector...I put the Matt board inside the page protector for stability...

oohh, that is a good idea!

good morning.

what would be best to use on clear stamps which do not adhere to your acrylic block?

thanks!

• John's Mom Said:

A friend of mine uses Aleene's Tack it over and over. I have that on some letter stamps and it is nice and tacky...let it dry over night tho befor you stick them on the Acrylic blocks.

• scrappintlc Said:

hm recycle them.

• ninajeanette Said: