Tips to Maintain Pre-Ink Stamps in Best Condition

1. Tips to Maintain Pre-Ink Stamps in Best Condition Keeping your pre-ink stamps in the best condition possible isn’t as hard as you think. If you follow these tips, they’ll keep your stamps looking fresh and help prevent them from fading before the ink even sets. But first, let’s take a look at why you should care about keeping your pre-ink stamps in the best condition possible. What Are Pre-Ink Stamps? Pre-ink stamps are the stickers that come with the inks for your checks, money orders, and other legal documents. These inks are specially formulated for printing on paper. They have a short shelf life, and once they’re printed, they’re gone. These stamps have a distinct color that’s more vibrant than the inks you’ve been using, and they usually have a stronger scent. The scent of the ink is left over from the printing process, so if you get the chance to smell it, you’ll probably find it very familiar. It’s the scent your mother used to make you put away your writing utensils when she was done with schoolwork. While you can always get new inks for your stamps, it’s a good idea to use the oldest ink first. This will ensure that the ink will be fresh when it reaches your hands, and you’ll have more time to do more important things with it. 1. Avoid Dark Conditions Dark areas in your stamps will cause problems, not just for the appearance of your stamps, but for their longevity as well. Areas that are darker than the surrounding areas will absorb more light, and as a result, the darker the stamp, the shorter the lifespan it will have. If possible, try to keep your stamps as light as possible. Avoid using heavier inks if possible, as they will soak up more light and cause darker areas to appear more quickly. 2. Don’t Over Expose Stamps Over-exposing your stamps is another reason to care about keeping your pre-ink stamps in the best condition possible. Over-exposing your stamps will cause the ink to fade much more quickly than if you kept them less saturated. If you use a darker color in your stamps, you’ll probably want to over-expose them in order to match the color scheme of your stationery. While this is fine for oranges and reds, it will cause a problem if you want to use a dark color in a world like India or China. 3. Let Stamps Air Out After you’ve printed your documents, allow them to air out for about 24 hours. This will allow the excess ink in the stamps to air out, and the resulting scent from the ink will go away. After about 24 hours, your stamps will smell clean and fresh again, and you can begin using them again. This process will help your stamps last longer since they won’t have been exposed to those noxious fumes for as long as they were while still in the envelope.

2. 4. Change Your Ink Prior To Expiration If you start using your pre-ink stamps after they’ve expired, you’ll notice that the colors are somewhat amber-colored. This is due to the aging process of the ink as well as the increased resistance the paper has developed over time. To prevent this from happening to your stamps, change your ink to a fresh color before their expiration date. This will help your stamps last longer and have a more consistent color scheme across your papers. Are Pre-Ink Stamps Worth The Investment? It all comes down to how much you’re willing to spend, and how much you’re getting in return. If pre-ink stamps sound like a good deal to you, then they are worth the investment. If not, then they’re not worth the money, and you should think again before you spend it. If you’ve never owned or printed pre-ink stamps, then the price may seem a bit high to you. After all, these are novelty items, meant to be used once, and then put away. But these are also collectible items, and they’re meant to be used as collectibles. When you’re done with your pre-ink stamps, store them in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and moisture. Don’t leave them in a car, and don’t store them in the trunk or the box that contains them. Final Words Keeping your pre-ink stamps in the best possible condition is important, whether you’re a stamp collector or an individual who simply wants to use them. A properly stored set of pre- ink stamps will last for years, if not decades, and will look as good as the day you received them. Just follow these simple guidelines, and your pre-ink stamps will be just as fresh and moist as the day you received them.