Taking Care of Your SCEM Plates
While Ann was visiting, we
did a little bit of stamping (but not nearly enough). She couldn't believe the condition of my Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine (SCEM) "clear" plates. She was cute in saying "don't take this the wrong way, but your plates are extremely worn". She meant it as a compliment as she had never seen so much wear on plates, but in great condition at the same time.
I thought I would share my secret with you, as well as a tip she gave me for washing the plates. To be honest, I never even thought of washing my plates!
My "secret" tip is to use the entire surface of your plates. Most times,
people like to put the paper & die in the middle of the plate. Rather than that, use every inch! Use the sides and edges, both top & bottom. Flip your plate over and rotate as well. The other thing I do is use a new/er (less scratched) plate on top. All the cutting marks go on the bottom.
Ann's washing tip definitely helped out my plates, but be warned, they still have all the scratches and wear. It may be hard to see the improvement in the before and after pictures, but trust me, they are much better.
What the washing does is take all the bits of paper out of
the cut & grove marks left behind.
Soak your plates in warm, soapy water and then scrub real hard with a brush, such as a potato scrub brush.
