Have you ever stopped and thought about the level of impact a simple rubber stamp can have on your business? Probably not, but your competitors are, which is why the market share of different types of rubber stamps is going to increase to $2.8 billion by 2031. The reason? The paperwork has turned from stacks to mounds due to legal compliance. But as the best rubber stamp maker online, StampJam has got your back.
This blog will tell you about 5 different types of rubber stamps and their uses so you can make yourself feel branded and noticeable in a very cost-effective way while giving your business documents that “finished” feeling of authenticity.
Let’s get started.
First Up: Brief History of Rubber Stamps
The first use of stamps dates back to around 100 AD. Those stamps, made from a thick hide or wooden blocks, worked much the same way as these modern, conventional rubber stamp types – dip them in ink and create an imprint. Why change a technique that works, right?
First Vulcanized Rubber Stamp
With rubber stamps, it is said that the story began with Charles Goodyear and his vulcanized rubber experiment in 1839. Who actually invented the rubber stamps still remains a heated debate, but most of the credit goes to a New York resident James Orton Woodruff, who used wooden plates with mounted rubber letters with printer’s ink to make the first ever rubber stamp in 1866. He then went on and set up a company named Superb Stamp Pad Co. and became an overnight sensation. Within a few years, types of rubber stamps became one of the most crucial office supplies all over America.
History of Rubber Stamps in India
In British India, the earliest rubber stamp makers were the Gantz Brothers of Madras and their competitors Bloomfield & Co. of Calcutta. Bloomfield was such a huge success that they became the front runners to provide the stamping supplies to banks and government agencies like East India Railways all over India. Imagine their popularity from the fact that the army had to ban the widespread use of their types of stamps in official communications.
Since then, more and more producers and manufacturers joined this stamp-making fray, and the designs soon became as diverse as the population of India itself, and we finally came to the best rubber stamp maker online, StampJam.
Now that you know how rubber stamps became so popular in the world and subcontinent itself, it’s time to know about the types of rubber stamps.
Types of Rubber Stamps You Can Create With Rubber Stamp Maker Online
Every stamp tells a story, be it a shop in a busy street or a quiet office in a skyscraper. And with the huge variety available to take care of different needs and preferences, their designs and uses are as diverse as they can be.
So how can you choose the best type of rubber stamp for your own business? Here are the different types of rubber stamps:
- 1. Traditional Stamps
- a. Wooden Stamps
- b. Clear Stamps
- c. Band Stamps
- 2. Pre-Inked Stamps
- 3. Self-Inking Stamps
This section will take you on a journey through the different types of rubber stamps in India so that you can decide what’s going to work for you.
1. Traditional Rubber Stamps: The Classic Choice
This is what comes to mind when you think of a stamp – the evergreen and old-school classic that has a simple rubber face mounted on a handle or frame that’s usually made of wood (and sometimes of plastic or metal).
It’s the most economical category among all rubber stamp types and requires a separate ink pad to use them. This means you can use any type of ink, like industrial ink, washable ink (or even invisible ink – wink, wink) depending on your purpose.
Usually on the basis of popularity and usage, the traditional rubber stamps are further classified into:
a. Wooden Stamps
Wooden stamps are the most aesthetic of the lot and have a laser-engraved design on a wooden block. The stamp has a mounted rubber on that wooden base and makes for a really economical design. As the blocks are large in size and shape, you can use them without a handle too.
b. Clear Stamps
A clear acrylic block and a transparent rubber/photopolymer are the main components of those hugely popular clear stamps. You can see through them before stamp placement and help create the perfect designs if you are to stamp on something symmetrical.
c. Band Stamps
Band stamps have adjustable bands that you can customize to display numbers, letters or even combinations as per your needs. Usually, they have a metallic structure with adjustable rubber bands and a knob to rotate them.
• Pros of Traditional Rubber Stamps
Easy to Design: Want to design a custom rubber stamp quickly and conveniently? Traditional stamps are the way to go.
Durable & Last Longer: They are easy to make and last longer than most other rubber stamp types due to a sturdy build.
Variety of Ink Types to Choose From: Select your preferred ink from hundreds of types – the choice is yours. Be it an oil-based ink or a water-based one, there are no restrictions and compulsions.
High Affordability: Traditional Stamps are highly affordable. You can buy them for as low as $1 only or even less at some places.
• Cons of Traditional Rubber Stamps
Manual Care Necessity: Traditional rubber stamps can get messy from excessive usage. You won’t want to smear your documents with ink buildup on the wooden base, right? So it’s up to you to keep them clean and effective on a regular basis.
Separate Ink Pad Required: A stamp’s best friend is an ink pad, and you just can’t separate them. Traditional stamps can’t work without ink pads so that means more items to take care of for your stamping needs.
2. Pre-Inked Stamps
Pre-inked stamps have an ink cartridge in their specially styled mount. So when you press the stamp to make an impression, the ink flows down from the cartridge and acts as a stamp pad for the rubber base.
The ink that’s used in pre-inked stamps is usually oil based so it can create some very high-quality impressions. That feature makes them the best choice to create stamps that have intricate designs and details such as complex signatures and notary seals.
The rubber base of the stamp is raised up a bit to allow you to place and align the stamp’s impression before actually pressing it for stamping.
• Pros of Pre-Inked Stamps
Noiseless Stamping Operation: Now even though this stamp is mechanical in nature, the process to stamp an impression doesn’t create a noise at all and makes it the best choice for yet another reason for bigger and more prominent offices where quietness is preferred during working times.
Long Usage Life: You can use pre-inked stamps for an average of 20,000 to 30,000 impressions before you’d need to replace or refill the ink cartridge. Even if you use the stamp 80 times a day, one ink refill is going to last you longer than a year after which you can re-ink it again.
Precise Impressions: Impressions are the best part of pre-inked stamps. They create very precise designs where all the details and intricacies will remain perfectly legible and intact. The same can’t be said for other types of rubber stamps.
Customizable Designs: As they are used for stamp designs that are detailed and meticulous, you can customize them with a good rubber stamp maker online like Stampjam however you want. They come in a variety of mounts and sizes.
• Cons of Pre-Inked Stamps
More Expensive than Most: This is the biggest drawback of pre-inked stamps. They are more expensive than traditional stamps and can go beyond $50 with just a simple design.
Not Suitable For Excessive Usage: If you are going to deal with repeated and extensive stamping procedures, say like 200-300 impressions per day in quick successions, pre-inked stamps are not for you. They can wear out if used excessively in just a few months while refilling the ink cartridge would be cumbersome.
3. Self-Inking Stamps
A self-inking stamp is the answer to your problems if your job requires you to stamp documents rapidly and repeatedly. This stamp is basically a modern upgrade of the traditional rubber stamps and has a self-contained ink pad and a rubber plate as its base.
With each impression, the ink pad re-inks the plate to make it ready for the next one. This feature makes them efficient and convenient to use. The designs of self-inking stamps are sturdy enough to handle excessive usage and are maintenance free for a long time until you need to refill the ink.
• Pros of Self-Inking Stamps
Refillable Internal Ink Pad: No need to buy any separate ink pads. Self-inking stamps have a refillable ink pad contained within which you can fill up with the inks of your own choice every time.
Fast & Clean Stamping: Quick and hassle-free stamping makes it a preferred choice for those who have bundles of documents that need stamping. The quality of impressions, however fast you stamp, stays clean and legible.
Longer Stamping Life: These stamps are the best for repetitive usage. Each ink pad can last for at least 10,000 impressions on average so you won’t have to break your stamping tempo every few weeks.
• Cons of Self-Inking Stamps
Limited Ink Colors: This is the biggest drawback of pre-inked stamps. They are more expensive than traditional stamps and can go beyond $50 with just a normal design.
Heavier & Bigger Size: With an internal ink pad that is soaked with ink, these stamps become a bit heavier and bulkier than the traditional and pre-inked stamps. You can’t carry them around as easily in your pockets or bag.
High Initial Cost: Because they provide quality impressions at a very rapid stamping pace, the initial price of these self-inking stamps is more than what other types of rubber stamps are usually sold at.
There you have it all – the variety of rubber stamps you can create with a rubber stamp maker online that can help you do your job and branding in a better way. Each of these types has its own distinct advantages and what you choose to go for depends on your requirements.
StampJam – The Best Rubber Stamp Maker Online
Chosen the right rubber stamp already? That was just the first step. The next is to design it so that it can perfectly represent your own style and your brand.
This is where StampJam comes into the picture to turn your imaginations into reality and helps you create the best design possible for all types of rubber stamps.
Why Choose StampJam To Design Your Rubber Stamp Online?
• User-friendly Platform
This is where you stop looking for an easy interface to create the best stamp design. With our intuitive and user-friendly design creator and detailed tutorial, your online rubber stamp design will be ready in just a few minutes.
• Highly Affordable Options
StampJam is another name of value for money. You can download your stamp design for the most affordable price possible. No need to pay hefty stamp making charges.
• Exclusive Payment Options
We hear you and we value your feedback. That’s why we have integrated Razorpay for Indian customers, in addition to Stripe, to make sure that your transactions are as seamless as it gets.
• Direct-to-PDF Stamping
Upload your PDF documents and insert the stamps you’ve designed, directly into your PDF. A first-of-its-kind feature that is ideal for you if your business has a digital workflow.
FAQs: Create the Best Stamps with a Rubber Stamp Maker Online
Here are some of the most common questions we get asked about when it comes to the types of rubber stamps and their usage.
Q: What Type of Rubber Stamp is Best?
Well, the “best” type of stamp is the one that fits the job so it depends on your needs. If you use stamps frequently and want quality impressions, self-inking and pre-inked stamps are the best choice. If your use is rare and you need a stamp that’s affordable, the traditional wooden stamps are the way to go.
Q: What is the Difference between Rubber Stamps and Polymer Stamps?
Rubber stamps have a base that is usually made from natural or synthetic rubber and have a handle or support to grab onto. Polymer stamps are made from a transparent photopolymer that’s much softer and more flexible than a rubber base.
Rubber stamps are also more durable so you can use them repeatedly but the polymer stamps wear out faster and are not suitable for continuous stamping over a period of time.
Q: What are the Different Types of Rubber Stamps in India?
India has a very diverse market and a wide range of rubber stamps are commonly used all over the country for different purposes. For official documentation, traditional rubber stamps are used as signature stamps. For repetitive business tasks, people in India use self-inking stamps. And in commercial and public settings, clear stamps are the preferred choice.
Q: What are the Prices of Rubber Stamps in India?
Well, the prices of different types of rubber stamps in India are based on their size, type and the way you want to customize them. Usually, traditional wooden handle stamps can range from INR 50 to INR 500. Self-inking stamps can cost anywhere from INR 200 to INR 2000 and pre-inked stamps are generally available from INR 400 and can go up to INR 2500 for more complex designs and sizes.
Conclusion
You see, the first impression is the last so the right stamp can make all the difference. Branding and personalization have now become a key to success and all these types of rubber stamps we have mentioned above provide the perfect way to stand out from the rest.
StampJam as the best rubber stamp maker online, has made it easy and affordable to create custom rubber stamps that are as unique as you are. So choose the best one that fits your needs and start making a mark that takes your business way above the rest and makes your job easier.
