Wax Seals!

[Eleazar]

I used to have wax and a stamp I got at Disneyland.

 

This post has gotten me thinking about it again. :hmm1:

 

Now I have something new to look for at Michaels. Darn, my Christmas list is already out.

 

Oh, with the glue gun seals, do you use the glue gun or just use a flame?

[Friend of Pens]

Glue gun for glue-gun seals. Since the ones I've seen in the store (Michael's again) just look like the standard cool-melt glue sticks impregnated with dye and glitter. I would not recommend trying to light them, unless you like sniffing fumes. I see them listed here http://www.wax-works.com/shop.htm (no affiliation or experience with this merchant) and the phrase "faux wax" tells me "do not treat like wax!"

[Red Devils forever]

I just received a Gift from Markers Mark last night.

It was a sealing stamp and wax. My first one. Now I'm looking for more.

 

 

That makes two of us!! As I was looking through this post and wondering if I should start a wee 'lil collection for my wife, as she loves this sort of thing, I remembered I'd not gotten the mail yet a 'viola - brand new stamp and wax in the ole mailbox. Gotta love the Maker's Mark Ambassador's club!!!

 

Mike

 

Now I'm starting to think we need to have some FPN logo stamps made up... :hmm1:

Edited December 11, 2007 by Red Devils forever

[WhosYerBob]

What is the 'cancellation portion' of the envelope? Is that where we would normally put our stamp (upper right hand corner)?

 

When you say keep the seals below the stamp do you mean keeping the seal below the stamp on the back side (because the stamp would be on the front side and the closure of the envelope is on the back side)

Precisely. I keep the seals about 1/2 inch or so below the top of the envelope on both sides, so the automated equipment doesn't tangle up with the seals.

 

[chud]

Do you do anything special with these mail like using the hand cancel method or stuff them in a larger envelope, etc.? If you didn't do anything special and each one of the seals made it to their destinations safely, then as Chud said "reliably arriving intact is worth something".

 

Jen

 

Nope, nothing special at all -- just drop in the mailbox. Keeping it away from the upper right corner is probably a good idea, as has been mentioned, but I usually put them on the back anyway.

[Limner]

I've never worked with the material but maybe fimo clay can be used to make your own seals. It is a low-firing polymer clay.

 

I've made seals from polymer clay (Sculpey)...they work great. Dip them in water before pressing into the wax so they won't stick.

[Titivillus]

I just received a Gift from Markers Mark last night.

It was a sealing stamp and wax. My first one. Now I'm looking for more.

 

 

I just joined up as an ambassador. Did you notice the silver 149 in the middle of the 'desk'

 

Maybe my barrel will be out in 2008 :bunny01:

 

 

Kurt

[Djehuty]

For those of you who have used Atelier Gargoyle's wax, is there a noticeable smell? I recall reading somewhere on their website that they use essential oils and things and I'm just wondering if it's really apparent or more subtle...

 

It's fairly strong in the stick, somewhat less so on the envelope (because there's less of it). But it's definitely noticeable. I sent a letter to a friend with an Atelier Gargoyle wax seal on it, and he immediately emailed me to ask me whether I knew my wax smelled like cinnamon.

 

[tfwall]

I find that the blues and reds have the strongest scent. The other colors less so. They also seem to be strongest as a seal on the envelope. The raw sticks have a faint scent and the melting wax sometimes smells like melting plastic, but the seals themselves definitely are scented.

[Escribiente]

These sites came to mind:

 

Wax Works Based in Canada. Looked most promising.

 

Cannizzaro Most of my local stationery stores order embossers and wax seals from them. It is a New York based business. I was hesitant because of their sucky website (there's only one page) but I did communicate with them thru phone and E-mail with modest satisfaction. I'm guessing if all the stores use them they must be pretty good or at least okay.

 

Scribes Delight (although I believe they use Cannizzaro's service) seemed somewhat knowledgeable; nice on the phone.

 

Nostalgic Impressions Contacted them for a custom seal quote. Twice they claimed they never received my JPEG attachment file. They gave me another E-mail address to send the file to, never heard back from them. I did order one standard initial seal from them and the delivery was prompt.

 

Jen, Thank you. I'm requesting quotes.

 

 

[Jen]

You're VERY welcome Escribiente!

 

[CasmiUK]

I've been given about a pound of sealing wax, in all manner of colours! I can't wait to begin playing!

[Jen]

I've been given about a pound of sealing wax, in all manner of colours! I can't wait to begin playing!

 

Wow are you lucky!

 

[Friend of Pens]

Some questions for the experienced stampers here...

 

* I've seen various instructions for applying the melted wax, and all the talk in this topic makes me think that most folks have the wickless kind that you soften, then drip? rub? onto the area to be sealed. It would seem to be preferable not to set fire to the wax, one's hands or paper in the process. I used to have some sticks of this, but I think they've fallen into a vortex/were lost in a move some time ago.

 

* The other type appears to be the wicked variety, which (obviously) is meant to be lit candle-style and then dripped onto the paper. What do you do when the wax burns down small -- use a pair of tongs? Sear your fingertips? These sticks seem awfully small, and as I've already noted, I should not be playing with fire.

 

* Is a proper handle necessary? I ask because I found some interesting metal buttons at the craft store that are going to be repurposed, but of course they just have flat backs with the little loop. Do you need the leverage/grip afforded by the handle (for keeping one's fingers out of hot wax, for instance)? I'm thinking I should be able to press the button into the wax, and use a paper clip to pull the button-seal back out.

 

* Various sites advise dipping the seal in water or vegetable oil before stamping to keep the wax from sticking to the seal. This sounds like lovely advice, though again oil + open flame + me = recipe for disaster. Do you notice any sticking when you stamp the seal on an ink pad first? I really like this look, and if it makes removing the stamp easier, then it's another plus in my book.

[WhosYerBob]

...most folks have the wickless kind that you soften, then drip?

Correct, at least for me; with the wickless drip kind, one can get 10 to 20 seals per stick depending on the size of the seal and how large of a pool of wax is melted.

 

What do you do when the wax burns down small -- use a pair of tongs?

Nope; hold two sticks together, apply heat to the ends of both, then press the melted ends together - voila! One long stick of wax that basically never ends.

 

Is a proper handle necessary?

Not that I've found. The proper way to seal is to make a vapor barrier on the metal of the stamp - blow on it by mouth as if to blow vapor onto a mirror - then quickly press the vapored stamp into the hot wax. No effort at all that I can tell.

 

Various sites advise dipping the seal in water or vegetable oil before stamping...

I've had excellent success by simply blowing onto the stamp before pressing it into the wax. The light amount of vapor gives the flat areas a matte finish.

[Jen]

Some questions for the experienced stampers here...

 

* I've seen various instructions for applying the melted wax, and all the talk in this topic makes me think that most folks have the wickless kind that you soften, then drip? rub? onto the area to be sealed. It would seem to be preferable not to set fire to the wax, one's hands or paper in the process. I used to have some sticks of this, but I think they've fallen into a vortex/were lost in a move some time ago.

 

* The other type appears to be the wicked variety, which (obviously) is meant to be lit candle-style and then dripped onto the paper. What do you do when the wax burns down small -- use a pair of tongs? Sear your fingertips? These sticks seem awfully small, and as I've already noted, I should not be playing with fire.

 

* Is a proper handle necessary? I ask because I found some interesting metal buttons at the craft store that are going to be repurposed, but of course they just have flat backs with the little loop. Do you need the leverage/grip afforded by the handle (for keeping one's fingers out of hot wax, for instance)? I'm thinking I should be able to press the button into the wax, and use a paper clip to pull the button-seal back out.

 

* Various sites advise dipping the seal in water or vegetable oil before stamping to keep the wax from sticking to the seal. This sounds like lovely advice, though again oil + open flame + me = recipe for disaster. Do you notice any sticking when you stamp the seal on an ink pad first? I really like this look, and if it makes removing the stamp easier, then it's another plus in my book.

 

This website has a lot of useful information. I follow their instructions on melting wax with great success. With the torch flame (or any other heat source) aimed at the end of the sticks, hot wax starts to melt and drip onto paper, when enough wax puddle is on the paper, set the torch aside, use the stick to stir the puddle (very important step), breathe on the face of the seal as you would to clean your glasses or glass windows to create a moisture barrier, then stamp! With J. Herbin wax sticks it's hard to NOT to set the sticks on fire because of all the lacquer in them, but it's ok. As long as the wax puddle is not on fire, which happened to me a few times, just quickly and carefully blow it out like you would a birthday candle, and continuing melting the wax stick. The important thing is not to set anything else on fire! If you're using a torch, make sure you don't aim the flame downward, and make sure there's nothing in front of the flame BUT the wax stick. I'm making a special note here because any other heat source I can think of the flame goes upwards and you wouldn't have to worry about it as much. A kitchen torch may be intimidating but it is really an awesome tool, much better than matches, lighters, or ordinary candle lighters -- I've used them all.

 

Tip: if you're right handed, use your left hand to hold the heat source and your right hand to hold the wax stick. It's a lot easier to me than the other way around.

 

At first either my wax puddle would be too small, dripping the wax too slowly (wax cools off before you can make an impression), or not enough moisture on the stamp and chunks of wax would stick on my seal. But after just a few practices I get a perfect impression almost every time. I haven't had any major problems with the wax sticking to the seals since the first few tries, although sometimes I do find itsy bitsy pieces of wax stuck in the groove, especially for the more intricately carved seals. About half of my impressions are made with metalic ink, half are not. So I don't know if it's because I'm more experienced now creating good moisture barrier or inking the seals first helped.

 

One observation: once the impressions are cooled, the metalic ink never dries completely on flexible seals but it does on real wax.

Edited December 14, 2007 by Jen

[Tony the Tiger]

Question for those who've ordered stamps quite a bit. I recently purcahsed a poinsettia stamp that has male threads on it, where it can be screwed into an aluminum handle. Is this same design used by other wax seal companies?

[WhosYerBob]

I recently purcahsed a poinsettia stamp that has male threads on it, where it can be screwed into an aluminum handle. Is this same design used by other wax seal companies?

Perhaps. The ones I have from Atelier Gargoyle are certainly that way, but I can't speak for others. Now, that said, that doesn't mean the threads are the same standard depth and gauge.

[Tony the Tiger]

I recently purcahsed a poinsettia stamp that has male threads on it, where it can be screwed into an aluminum handle. Is this same design used by other wax seal companies?

Perhaps. The ones I have from Atelier Gargoyle are certainly that way, but I can't speak for others. Now, that said, that doesn't mean the threads are the same standard depth and gauge.

I'll check it out, thanks

[tfwall]

I recently purcahsed a poinsettia stamp that has male threads on it, where it can be screwed into an aluminum handle. Is this same design used by other wax seal companies?

Perhaps. The ones I have from Atelier Gargoyle are certainly that way, but I can't speak for others. Now, that said, that doesn't mean the threads are the same standard depth and gauge.

I'll check it out, thanks

Two of mine have female threading on the stamp itself, while the handle is male. I haven't checked to see if they are interchangable.