Good old rubber stamps versus Acrylic (clear/Polymer) stamps....which is better? The debate rages on in many rubber stamping magazines, in stamping and scrapbooking stores and on the floor of trade shows such as CHA. Is one better than the other? Does it matter? They both have certain advantages over the other. Let's take a closer look at these products, and then you decide which is better.

Let me start by saying that I am a die-hard fan of rubber, so my opinion is admittedly biased.

I'll start with Polymer stamps, also referred to as Acrylic stamps or clear stamps. They are made with a polymer product, which allows them to be clear and see through. This is seen as a great advantage in rubber stamping. You can see exactly where you are stamping your image. They can be used with many different types of inks or paints, which allows for some versatility. Many companies are now making polymer stamps along with their rubber stamps, are switching over totally to polymer stamps, or are just getting into making stamps because of the sudden popularity of polymer stamps in the scrapbooking world. So there is a wide variety of stamps to choose from. Because they are so flat, they are also easily stored, the same as unmounted rubber stamps.

I have to say, however, that these are the only advantages that I can find with polymer. Let me list some of the disadvantages for you now. First, they are much more expensive than unmounted rubber stamps. The process used to make polymer stamps as well as the materials used is costly.  This increases the cost of the end product. Some of the cheaper polymer stamps may tear easily, so care must be taken when removing them from their backing and from the acrylic block.

One of the biggest disadvantages to polymer stamps, however, is the limits that must be placed on what inks you can use with them. Polymer degrades much more easily than rubber, therefore, is you  use any of the solvent based inks on the polymer stamps, you can not clean them with solvent based cleaners, because the cleaner will actually melt the polymer. This means that the polymer stamp becomes stained, and therefore, loses it's "see-through" advantage, one of the greatest advantages it has. These stamps will also stain easily with other inks, such as the chalk inks, or dye inks, but again, can only be cleaned with soap and water. You even must take care with the type of soap you use. For instance, don't use any dish soap on them that might contain bleaches, because the bleach will eat away at the polymer as well. And that brings up another point. You can't stamp with bleach using these stamps, for the reason I've just mentioned. One of the polymer stamp companies has made a cleaner specifically for the polymer stamps. That is a  good alternative, but you must be careful with that cleaner, as well. It is a greasy cleaner, which will leave stains if you get it on your work surface or papers.

It has also been said that because of the nature of polymer, polymer stamps will never be able to have very detailed or fine line images. So if you're looking for polymer stamps to have the wide variety of images that rubber does, you may never find them.

Those are the major drawbacks to polymer stamps as I see them. Others have noted that the polymer stamps have a strong smell, and that there is no way of knowing at this point how long polymer stamps will last. They do have a tendency to turn yellow over time, but this doesn't harm the image quality. They may, however, harden over time, making them unuseable. Only time will tell for that issue.

The main advantage for unmounted rubber stamps, I believe, is their extreme versatility for the more experimental stamper. They can be stamped in any media with any ink, and any cleaner can be used on them with no harm being done to the stamp. They can be scrubbed, soaked, left with inks or paints on them, and can be scrubbed clean again. Solvent cleaners can be used on them with no harm at all coming to them.

Unmounted rubber is flat, as is polymer, so you can store many stamps without taking up a lot of room. Rubber is also much less expensive than polymer, which is another huge advantage. Rubber stamps will also last forever. 

The main disadvantage with rubber, of course, is that they are not see through. You can't see exactly where you are placing the image. Unmounted rubber is a big improvement over wood mounted stamps, of course, because at least you are getting a little closer to the actual edge of the image, but they still don't allow that exact placement. 

Let me end by saying that it is up to you to decide what is best for you. If you are a fairly basic stamper who doesn't use anything but the most basic products, or if you are a beginner stamper, then polymer stamps may be just the stamps you are looking for. They are easy to use, come in a wide variety of images and letters, and will allow you to stamp easily. If, however, you are a more advanced stamper who is considering buying polymer, you may want to think a little more about it. Certainly, take these points into consideration, and be aware of the limitations of polymer. I'm not saying polymer stamps don't have a place in your stash, just be aware of the limitations when using them. Then you won't be in for any rude surprises in the middle of your stamping happiness!