Wax seal stamp from rubber

I’ve tried making my own wax seal stamps from acrylic and from Delrin, and while the stamps themselves came out great, I had endless trouble getting the wax to release from the stamp, even after using silicone release spray. I recently found out that rubber stamps can be used, although the commercially available ones have the image sticking out (for stamping on paper) rather than engraved into the surface like you want for wax seals. No problem, I’ve got a laser!

For this project I used the low odor rubber stamp material that is actual rubber rather than the transparent photopolymer I usually use for rubber stamps, because of the heat resistance of the rubber. For settings I used ones I found in this forum here, although I only did one pass on the engraving as that was deep enough.


Of course, you can still use them for stamping on paper, as long as you don’t mind the reversed image.

As far as how well they stamped in the wax: I felt they worked just as well as the metal wax stamps, and far better than the acrylic or Delrin. I did coat the stamp with Versamark embossing ink (it’s a clear sticky glycerin-based ink) before stamping in the wax, but I don’t think it was really needed. In future I will skip that step.

52 Likes

Thanks for this info. I love your array of wax beads.

14 Likes

Those designs are very crisp, really good detail. Thanks for the description.

11 Likes

They came out really great. You always have the most creative ideas!

11 Likes

Am also enjoying your selection of wax beads.

Mind sharing your source?

9 Likes

I got the low odor laser rubber as well as the laser photopolymer here:

The wax beads came from Amazon (many suppliers). But you can make your own wax beads by melting together 1 part crayon with 2 parts low melting hot glue. In fact, I like it better. It has a richer appearance than the plastic wax beads.

22 Likes

That a great tip! Do you form the mix into beads as well or just use it right away?

6 Likes

Great info, thanks for sharing. Crayons and glue! I’ll have to give that a try. My wax sealing efforts are never so nicely round as yours!

6 Likes

I make up a bunch and pour it out in a line on a silicone mat, then after it cools I cut it up into pellets with scissors, and store it for later.

10 Likes

Those turned out really nice! And the crayons and glue - what a great tip!

6 Likes

Very clean engraved on your rubber. You are always inspirational!

8 Likes

Love it

2 Likes

I’ve been reading the Enola Homes series. She talks a lot about the era and the culture of the time in the writing. It was interesting to learn about the different colors of wax and what each indicates.

5 Likes

I’ve never heard there was a significance to the colors! Can you summarize for us?

1 Like

I watched a YT vid on this at some point years ago. I have a manufactured steel stamp with my monogram on it, but have no idea where that is now.

9 Likes

Haha. I was coming back to post that same photo. That’s what I found with a quick search.

I think it about lines up with what the author wrote but I am sure this is likely more accurate or accepted

3 Likes

I don’t know which would be more accurate. The video I saw was pretty detailed, although just a few minutes long.

Makes the point, though, and I had used the different colors many, many years ago - the stamp came with a red candle, but I also bought blue, pink and white IIRC, and used them all. The white was used for invitations to some very special events we hosted, the blue back “in those days”, the pink for colleagues I was working with. All were conversation starters. :+1: Dang, now I am itching to see if I can find it. I think the stamp is brass and the handle steel. It would be with my Washington’s Sword letter-opener, which I’ve been frustrated to not put my hands on since I moved in 2016.

5 Likes

Thank you for sharing source! Just bought some grey and clear material. Going to try my hand with making stamps for metal clay.

3 Likes

Thanks so much for sharing! I recently bought some wax to try this very thing. :slightly_smiling_face: You have saved me hours of testing . :pray:

You’ve always provided the best write-ups and shares! I still refer to the polymer stamp post of yore. :purple_heart:

8 Likes

Thanks for sharing! I’ve thought about making wax stamps like these using Delrin, so thanks for helping mitigate that effort going to waste.

4 Likes