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e_doe
PeaNut
PeaNut 525,528
October 2011
Posts: 306
Layouts: 0
 |  Posted: 11/18/2012 9:04:45 AM
I have been cleaning out and purging and something I put off dealing with as long as I could was the dried out rub-on problem. Yesterday, I decided to get pseudo-scientific on they selves.
I tried several different ideas, which I will detail below for people who want the details. HOWEVER, the one thing that worked that I actually didn't expect to work was this: Use the Martha Steward "ballpoint-tip glue pen" (available at Michael's) and outline the back of your dried out rub on. This pen is nice because it helps get in the delicate tricky areas of the rub ons. I just did a basic outline of the entire part I wanted to rub on. Then comes the hard part: let it dry to clear. The glue comes out of the pen in a light blue color and it turns clear as it dries. Once it is clear, it is still lightly tacky. But don't forget about it and let it dry completely! Once it's clear and tacky, place it where you want it, rub it on like you normally would until you see the color change that lets you know the rub on is releasing, and then very slowly and carefully peel the backing material off. I say slowly and carefully because any little drips of glue that are on the backing material but not on the rub on itself are going to "catch" the paper you're rubbing onto, and will tear that paper. So just be really careful.
This technique is really fussy, so I wouldn't do it for something that I could easily get other ways, like basic block letters that I could just print and cut or find a sticker for. But for the super-fancy foof-a-las and my Marah Johnson tattoo set that I love, it's worth the extra effort.
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Now for the details for those who are interested in all the details. First of all, I had 12 different brands of rub ons (I actually thought I had more rub ons than that, but OK, I guess I did purge some along the way). The following brands were still fresh and working after several years in my stash: MM, Colorbok, Fiskars Heidi Grace, Marcella K, and these ANCIENT "Better Letters" I had from my dad's days as an aspiring draftsman. There were also a few sets that didn't have any brand name or were missing packaging, and those still worked. What I learned from this is that it doesn't matter if they are still in their plastic sleeves or not. Some of them that were in the sleeve didn't work (KI, foof-a-la), and the MMs were not in a sleeve but they went on like buttah.
The sets that didn't work (foof-a-la, KI, marah johson, and something called Royal Langasomethingorother (from HL) went through the following tests:
Iron (30 seconds, low setting) and then rub on as usual (but this seems like a PITA to actually do on a page where you're adding a rub on at the end, unless you have that tiny iron from Clover which I totally want for its adorableness but cannot justify purchasing)
Hairspray (allowed to dry to tacky--this actually worked on a few but not well enough that I'd do it for actual crafting)
Alcohol (yes, I know it's a drying agent, but it's also a solvent, so I thought it was worth a try)
Glue pen as described above.
For the KI, the iron trick was beautiful and the MS glue trick also worked.
For the Marah Johnsons, the iron worked OK (but not great) and the MS glue trick was beautiful.
For the foof-a-las, the only thing that worked was the MS glue trick.
And for the Hobby Lobby Royal-whatever-they-ares, I decided I don't really like them much anyway, so I'm pitching them.
All in all, I'm glad I tried this because I really did not want to let those foof-a-las or Marah Johnsons go.
That's all I tried. I have a couple of other ideas for things that might work, so I'll post again if I find any other tricks.  | |
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*kaleidoscope*
Leader of the Banned
PeaNut 52,171
October 2002
Posts: 17,512
Layouts: 105
Loc: Froogville
 | Posted: 11/18/2012 10:38:02 AM
And they're called Royal Langnickel. 
I have the Martha Stewart hot tool kit (they actually call it a heat tool kit) and it comes with a little iron point. |
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e_doe
PeaNut
PeaNut 525,528
October 2011
Posts: 306
Layouts: 0
| Posted: 11/18/2012 11:08:22 AM
Thanks, kaleidescope.
I wrote all that down in my "lab" and couldn't read my own handwriting! 
Did you get that heat tool at Michael's?
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*kaleidoscope*
Leader of the Banned
PeaNut 52,171
October 2002
Posts: 17,512
Layouts: 105
Loc: Froogville
| Posted: 11/18/2012 11:09:20 AM
Yes, with the Martha paint stuff. Used a 50% off coupon. (retails for $25) |
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SueSume
AncestralPea
PeaNut 262,757
May 2006
Posts: 4,596
Layouts: 5
Loc: Big Bottom Valley
 | Posted: 11/18/2012 11:10:25 AM
e_doe I LOVE YOU THANK YOU SO MUCH
(ok, sorry I was shouting but I'm just really excited to think all is not lost)
THANK YOU!!!
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Sue Who? SueASume, SueSume, who cares?
Reality is made up of words.-Ferdinando Buscema
Words are hard.-Hannah Kelly
NSBR: "We're like a big damn disfunctional family. We'll beat the crap out of each other, and it's ok, but dammit, if an outsider turns on one of ours, we circle the wagons." -Free~Bird
Used with permission & with 9% royality fee paid annually. Starting next year. Honest | |
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scrappycass
You Wanna Peas of Me?
PeaNut 413,587
February 2009
Posts: 5,632
Layouts: 42
Loc: Western New York
 | Posted: 11/18/2012 11:41:35 AM
Thank you for posting this! |
Chocolate......who needs a reason?!
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jillienedesigns
BucketHead
PeaNut 346,707
November 2007
Posts: 939
Layouts: 62
Loc: San Jose, CA
 | Posted: 11/18/2012 11:52:08 AM
TFS - this is a great tip! |
Jilliene Isaacs
http://jillienedesigns.blogspot.com
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janedee
BC Pea
PeaNut 91,256
June 2003
Posts: 12,842
Layouts: 886
Loc: Okanagan Valley
 | Posted: 11/18/2012 11:55:55 AM
Great tip!! Thanks! |
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VexedAngel
Cold Pea on a Cracked Plate
PeaNut 156,343
July 2004
Posts: 5,092
Layouts: 46
 | Posted: 11/18/2012 12:08:49 PM
That is awesome! TFS, I have a zig 2 way with a ballpoint tip and a chisel tip, and I'm loathe to get rid of rub-ons, I think they're so versatile. This is great to know!! |
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~crisann~
AncestralPea
PeaNut 302,923
March 2007
Posts: 4,145
Layouts: 47
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA.
| Posted: 11/18/2012 8:04:23 PM
thanks!
marking my spot b/c i had this prob. not too long ago as well... |
organize your stuff challenge (master thread).
dysfunctionally-functional
and yes, he did use the ladder...
"some day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful." -sigmund freud
there are some things that you should just not have to hear for the first time on facebook.
"our lives at times seem a study in contrast... love & hate, birth & death, right & wrong... everything seen in absolutes of black & white. too often we are not aware that it is the shades of grey that add depth & meaning to the starkness of those extremes" -ansel adams
crisann
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mamagidget
PeaNut
PeaNut 565,904
September 2012
Posts: 341
Layouts: 16
| Posted: 11/18/2012 9:24:06 PM
Good to know, thank you! I came across some crunchy rub-ons in my stash recently, so glad to hear something works. Mine were only a year old, I wouldn't think they'd be dried out yet, maybe its the dry CO air? | |
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MelissaRS
StuckOnPeas
PeaNut 49,137
September 2002
Posts: 2,493
Layouts: 193
| Posted: 11/18/2012 9:33:57 PM
Wow, I want to.thank you so.much for relaying all of your experiments. It's very much appreciated!
I have a whole drawer full I'm afraid to.use now and mess up a layout.
Thanks again!
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Xanthippe
PeaNut
PeaNut 243,916
January 2006
Posts: 469
Layouts: 22
Loc: Texas!
 | Posted: 11/18/2012 10:31:07 PM
Such a great tip! Wish I hadn't thrown away so many rub ons over the years! | |
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ScrapsontheRocks
PeaNut
PeaNut 561,690
July 2012
Posts: 343
Layouts: 0
| Posted: 11/18/2012 10:50:31 PM
Thanks for the tried-&-tested tips- another rub-on hoarder here... I have had a little success using my miniature straightening iron (normally used for ironing ribbons) but this only works near the edge of a L/O and it can scorch.
Not tested, but "they" say it can help: warm the rub-on a bit over an incandescent lightbulb, then apply.
Putting this thread on my watchlist- thanks again, e_doe | |
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FurryPea
Sit. Stay. Pea!
PeaNut 115,196
November 2003
Posts: 7,363
Layouts: 101
Loc: It's dark in here......I can't see a thing!
| Posted: 11/18/2012 10:53:33 PM
If I could remember the new way to bookmark a thread I would. But since I can't, I just save this thread by posting.
Thanks OP for sharing your results! |
Love is love. It doesn't matter if it is a dog. ~Diane Keaton in Darling Companion~
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*Delphinium Twinkle*
I'm just a pea:)
PeaNut 163,613
August 2004
Posts: 68,304
Layouts: 236
Loc: *Sunny Southern California*
| Posted: 11/18/2012 11:00:53 PM
Wow! Thanks for the info. I almost threw out all my old rubons today but decided to hang into them in case there was done way to get them to work.
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paperpilekitten
StuckOnPeas
PeaNut 118,945
December 2003
Posts: 2,821
Layouts: 126
Loc: Stockholm, Sweden
| Posted: 11/19/2012 1:51:12 AM
Thank you so much for these tips! And for the reminder to use my rub-ons more often, preferably before they dry out.
I once read a tip from Lain Ehmann that if you put your rub-on sheets in a zip lock bag, they will last longer and not dry out so fast. I wonder if that's true. Anyone who's tried it?
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miss-E
Stuck In The Bucket
PeaNut 314,572
May 2007
Posts: 700
Layouts: 54
Loc: Queensland, Australia
| Posted: 11/19/2012 2:20:02 AM
Doh, I just threw away my long hoarded but never usable Hambly bird rub ons about two weeks ago. |
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