How to Make Rubber Stamps

It's not difficult to learn how to make rubber stamps. Having this special skill will enable you to create unique and personalized rubber stamps for your next card making, scrapbooking or other craft project.

To learn how to make rubber stamps at home, you first need to learn how rubber stamps are made commercially. All rubber stamps begin with a design. The design is then photographed and duplicate copies of the photo are transferred to an aluminum plate. By removing the parts of the plate that are not wanted on the design with acid, manufacturers are able to engrave even the most detailed designs.

A sheet of rubber is placed over or liquid resin is poured over the metal design and then various degrees of pressure and heat is applied to it. This process, called vulcanization, changes the makeup of the rubber, causing it to become more stable and much stronger.

Make Your Own Rubber Stamps
When you make your own rubber stamps, the process is a little simpler. Because you have to either cut or sculpt your design into the stamp, it might wind up being a bit harder as well.

You will need a block of wood, a sponge and a soft, non-porous material to use as the actual stamp. Erasers work well, as do old rubber soles and pieces cut from discarded tires. Cutting into tires is not an easy process. The cutting is made significantly easier when the cut is lubricated with water. A rubber stamp made from a discarded tire will last forever. Erasers will be easiest to work with, especially if you use white erasers. Not only are they softer than actual rubber, they are also easier to cut into because the design remains fairly visible.

Any time you're using a knife or electric blade to cut crafting materials, it is essential to be extremely careful. Working in pairs is the best way to do this kind of work.

Cut the design into the rubber or eraser and then glue it to a same-sized sponge. Then, glue the sponge to a wooden block.

The hardest thing about making your own stamps is that designs can be very hard to cut out and tools small enough to work with can be even harder to find. Use jeweler's tools or the smallest crafter's knife available. Use a straight-edged razor to make straight, deep cuts.

Don't be afraid if the stamp is not perfect when you finish. Each successive stamp will be better than the last, and since stamping designs generally have a softer edge, many slight imperfections won't even show up.

Make Rubber Stamps for Crafting
Not all rubber stamps should be detailed designs. In fact, using a very plain design or rubber stamp cutout that is then stamped repeatedly onto a craft item, can be the best way to create a detailed design. Even a design that is as simple as a circle or square can be overlaid or stamped in a pattern to create a brand new masterpiece.