The proliferation of 'commercially available stamps'

Over the past week I managed to get out onto the moors a couple of times (Honestly). Out of the stamps I found only one was what I would call a genuine stamp!

I think there are too many of these ready made shop stamps and it is devaluing the spirit of letterboxing.

What happened? I used to look forward to the unique designed stamp... actually I look forward to the unique stamps... but I have to get through a plethora of these shop stamps just to get to one unique stamp.... not good!

What does everyone else think???

Should we encourage unique stamps over the mass produced shop stamps?

I am a bit on the fence for ths one,

We use a shop bought for 'our' stamp but we feel it is relevant to the sport. I have also seen some nice shop bought that relate to either the name of the box or Dartmoor in general and we are new so were not sure what stamp we want to have made in our name.

I don't like to see a shop bought stamp that is just there for the sake of it - I have penguins and christmas trees that I know come from a leading chain of hobby shops and have no bearing on the 'topic' at all. In fact we do have a talk as to wether we want to collect it at all.

So

Yes shop bought is fine if it 'fits' with the stamper, name of the box, letterboxing or the moor

NO if it is bought and placed for the sake of it.
________
Vanilla

I was not going to reply to this as it is a subject that has already been raised before and at one point caused a lot of 'discussion' to take place.

The 'letterboxing' sport, hobby, pastime, whatever, is applicable to whoever enjoys doing it, in the manner in which they do it, if they choose to put out stamps or not, go for catalogue clues, charity walks, or WOM clues.
I readily admit that I am selective in the stamps that I collect - that is my choice as it is everyones.
But, I hasten to say that ALL who put out a stamp, whatever it may be is furthering the letterboxing and if it happens to a 'micky mouse' stamp from a child - good on them (the next Generation of boxers maybe!)
The art of hand cut stamps has rapidly decreased. Why? - the manhours cost to undertake, the minute to thieve!!! To answer this thread - buy cheap and lose a little is one way of looking at it!

TWA

Suggest Hand cut stamps are sadly on the decline as the erasers are no longer up to the job. In the old days(well a few years ago) one could get good erasers from a well know high street store now they are plasticized and crumble..

It is still nice to collect a well crafted stamp, but how many times does one look at their collection? Without commercial stamps being put out I guess the game/hobby will also be in sharp decline.

Not all of us have the artistic skill required to Hand Carving, we have used computer graphics to design many of our stamps and at £22.00+ for an A.4 sheet it doesn't come cheap. Sometimes we do resort to a relevant shop bought version.
But hey, the idea of Letterboxing, in our view, is to go out and have an enjoyable day. It does not matter even how many stamps we collect, a hand carved, a shop bought, a computer assisted design. or even the number we have collected. If we come home with say under 5, as long as its been a good and enjoyable day. That's now and for some time been our criteria.

I am not saying that every stamp should be hand carved, but designed.
Last year I went out around Haytor and the surrounding area and found 5 identical stamps each with a different name.... that to me demeans letterboxing with the lack of original thought and design.

Some years back there was a campaign for stamps to be "Dartmoor themed" as much as a purist I am it isn't totally practical... but the idea is sound

Having said all that - the hand cut stamp... I have some absolute crackers and some bloody awful ones one of which I rate the bad stamps against none of which have come close - I wont name it as I don't want to offend it's owner

We have to admit that it's nice to find a stamp that relates to where it is or who put it there or relates to part of a collection. Now we have our 100 we're being a little choosy! But sometimes it's not just about the stamp - it's nice to sit and read the history that is in the visitor book.

Ogwell Oddbods wrote:We have to admit that it's nice to find a stamp that relates to where it is or who put it there or relates to part of a collection. Now we have our 100 we're being a little choosy! But sometimes it's not just about the stamp - it's nice to sit and read the history that is in the visitor book.

Exactly my point - make it relevant to the moor