Seal Ink Packets

Seal ink sold in packets is relatively moist, as opposed to ink sold in tins which is usually harder and dryer. Once seal ink dries out—which will be obvious as it will be more and more difficult to get ink to transfer to the stone—there’s nothing you can do to “refresh” it. Each seal ink maker has their own proprietary formulas and the oil in the ink can’t be replaced once it dries out. No matter what kind of oil you try to use, it won’t mix well with the dry ink, leading to the same problems as using cheap seal ink such as oil stains around your stamped seal impression. Once your ink has dried out, buy fresh ink. Don’t mix new seal ink with old unless you know you have the same ink (which can be nearly impossible since makers change their formulas). And if the old ink you are trying to mix with is very dry it will only make your new ink stiffer, again making it hard to transfer to the stone. Don’t try mixing ink from different manufacturers either as there is a good chance they won’t combine well and could create an uneven seal impression or oil separation. I recommend buying as much ink as you think you will generously need and keep it in a lidded, non-porous container. It should last for ten or twenty years or more.