Letterboxing stamp?

[+Fox_Trot]

can someone please descibe what a Letterboxing stamp is? On letterbox hides it says to sign one log or if you have a letterboxing stamp use the other log...

[+dfx]

letterboxing works with stamping log books, in both ways: the letterboxer stamps their own personal log with the stamp from the letterbox, and use their personal stamp to leave their mark in the letterbox's log.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letterboxing

[+Trekkin' and birdin']

Letterboxers will carry their own personal stamp, usually hand carved, to stamp in the letterbox log book. The letterbox will have its own stamp that you can use to stamp in your own letterbox log book.

 

The geocaching letterbox hybrids can be hit or miss with the stamp part of it. We have a few hybrids out, and all but one have handcarved stamps. One was taken and I had to make a new one, but otherwise they have been left in the caches. We have our own handcarved stamp, which looks like our avatar. Our dog ate our first one, so we had to make a new one. Our dog also ate my 60cs! She's a little more grown up now, no more stuff getting eaten other than dog food and grass!

[+Snow_Friends]

Visite www.Letterboxing.org or www.atlasquest.com, they are the geocachin.com websites of the letterbox community.

[+L0ne.R]

Check these stamps out for some inspiration:

http://www.google.ca/images?hl=en&sour...q=&gs_rfai=

 

Here's a couple from the list:

 

 

Doesn't have to be a handcarved signature stamp, but it's nice when it is.

[+briansnat]

Check these stamps out for some inspiration:

http://www.google.ca/images?hl=en&sour...q=&gs_rfai=

 

Here's a couple from the list:

 

 

Doesn't have to be a handcarved signature stamp, but it's nice when it is.

 

Not having a hand carved stamp is the LPC of the letterboxing community.

Edited July 7, 2010 by briansnat

[+L0ne.R]

Check these stamps out for some inspiration:

http://www.google.ca/images?hl=en&sour...q=&gs_rfai=

 

Here's a couple from the list:

 

 

Doesn't have to be a handcarved signature stamp, but it's nice when it is.

 

Not having a hand carved stamp is the LPC of the letterboxing community.

 

'Tis true.

[el_piel]

I am not a "geocacher;" I am a letterboxer lurking the geocache forums because I have had a couple of my letterboxes discovered by geocachers who apparently don't know much about our hobby. I have actually been impressed by the apparent awareness of letterboxing among those posting replies on this forum; then again, the people interested enough to engage in forum discussions are most likely those interested enough to learn more about their own hobby and in so doing will learn something about related hobbies as well.

 

I had thought to come to this forum to make an APB to all geocachers about the existence of letterboxing; as stated, though, it seems that awareness is already in existence.

 

Unfortunately, not everybody reads the forums, so the majority of geocachers will remain unaware of the plight of the letterboxers, who find their stamps removed by a well-intentioned geocacher, playing by the rules of his game, but unaware that he has inadvertently stepped out of bounds, and into another game playing by different rules.

 

How, then, would you wise readers recommend that I go about reducing the likelihood that my stamps are taken from their boxes? I already include information within the box declaring that it is a letterbox and not a geocache. I usually try to relocate my boxes when I discover that I have placed one near an existing geocache. But I wonder if there is anything else I can do to keep from losing my stamps.

 

Thank you for any ideas!

[+RandomH3ro]

I am not a "geocacher;" I am a letterboxer lurking the geocache forums because I have had a couple of my letterboxes discovered by geocachers who apparently don't know much about our hobby. I have actually been impressed by the apparent awareness of letterboxing among those posting replies on this forum; then again, the people interested enough to engage in forum discussions are most likely those interested enough to learn more about their own hobby and in so doing will learn something about related hobbies as well.

 

I had thought to come to this forum to make an APB to all geocachers about the existence of letterboxing; as stated, though, it seems that awareness is already in existence.

 

Unfortunately, not everybody reads the forums, so the majority of geocachers will remain unaware of the plight of the letterboxers, who find their stamps removed by a well-intentioned geocacher, playing by the rules of his game, but unaware that he has inadvertently stepped out of bounds, and into another game playing by different rules.

 

How, then, would you wise readers recommend that I go about reducing the likelihood that my stamps are taken from their boxes? I already include information within the box declaring that it is a letterbox and not a geocache. I usually try to relocate my boxes when I discover that I have placed one near an existing geocache. But I wonder if there is anything else I can do to keep from losing my stamps.

 

Thank you for any ideas!

ive been a finder of one of your letterboxes by mistake.

 

anyway, i figured i was at the wrong box due to the stash note, and like i mentioned to you in my return email about your missing stamp, i dont recall if it was in there or not.

 

but tostay on topic, maybe there is a way you can attach something to the stamp (much like a TB dog tag usually has a hitchhiker), that explains very breifly to not take the stamp and why. also maybe leave a bit about the stamp and what it use is in your stashnote.

[+thedeadpirate]

I'm not sure what more you can do other than to put a clear stash note in the container.

 

As you said, anyone who takes the time to read the forums and/or site is already likely to know about letterboxing. But if they don't, then posting even more info isn't likely to help.

 

I guess you could possibly attach a laminated note to the actual stamp. At least then there's not way someone can remove the stamp without having been told what it is.

 

Good luck.

[+L0ne.R]

How, then, would you wise readers recommend that I go about reducing the likelihood that my stamps are taken from their boxes? I already include information within the box declaring that it is a letterbox and not a geocache. I usually try to relocate my boxes when I discover that I have placed one near an existing geocache. But I wonder if there is anything else I can do to keep from losing my stamps.

 

Thank you for any ideas!

• A small business size card - print it on cardstock and slip it into a small bead baggie or laminate it. I like to use neon colored cardstock, that says "Please don't take the stamp. No trades."
  
• Also take a sharpie fine point marker and write the same thing on the back of the stamp.
  

The practice of writing "This is a letterbox, not a geocache" on the box is common in the letterboxing community, but if someone doesn't know what a letterbox is, how will they know that the stamp is not tradeable and must remain in the box? The eye-catching business card informs people about the importance of the stamp.

[Mr.Yuck]

I am not a "geocacher;" I am a letterboxer lurking the geocache forums because I have had a couple of my letterboxes discovered by geocachers who apparently don't know much about our hobby. I have actually been impressed by the apparent awareness of letterboxing among those posting replies on this forum; then again, the people interested enough to engage in forum discussions are most likely those interested enough to learn more about their own hobby and in so doing will learn something about related hobbies as well.

 

I had thought to come to this forum to make an APB to all geocachers about the existence of letterboxing; as stated, though, it seems that awareness is already in existence.

 

Unfortunately, not everybody reads the forums, so the majority of geocachers will remain unaware of the plight of the letterboxers, who find their stamps removed by a well-intentioned geocacher, playing by the rules of his game, but unaware that he has inadvertently stepped out of bounds, and into another game playing by different rules.

 

How, then, would you wise readers recommend that I go about reducing the likelihood that my stamps are taken from their boxes? I already include information within the box declaring that it is a letterbox and not a geocache. I usually try to relocate my boxes when I discover that I have placed one near an existing geocache. But I wonder if there is anything else I can do to keep from losing my stamps.

 

Thank you for any ideas!

 

Here's an idea. Place a restriction on your letterboxes, so that only people with X number of letterboxing plants can even see your letterbox on AtlasQuest.com. Then when a Geocacher who has dabbled in letterboxing, and has 25 or so finds stumbles on it while looking for a cache, and emails you through AtlasQuest.com saying they can't "see" it, totally blow them off and ignore the email.

 

Just kidding of course, but that really did happen to me. Within the last month, as a matter of fact.

 

But really, I don't think there is much more you can do than you already have, as far as labeling the boxes. You are correct, in my opinion, only a small amount of people who are really into Geocaching read these forums, and the vast masses of Geocachers are totally clueless about letterboxing.

[+Houlagans]

I am not a "geocacher;" I am a letterboxer lurking the geocache forums because I have had a couple of my letterboxes discovered by geocachers who apparently don't know much about our hobby. I have actually been impressed by the apparent awareness of letterboxing among those posting replies on this forum; then again, the people interested enough to engage in forum discussions are most likely those interested enough to learn more about their own hobby and in so doing will learn something about related hobbies as well.

 

I had thought to come to this forum to make an APB to all geocachers about the existence of letterboxing; as stated, though, it seems that awareness is already in existence.

 

Unfortunately, not everybody reads the forums, so the majority of geocachers will remain unaware of the plight of the letterboxers, who find their stamps removed by a well-intentioned geocacher, playing by the rules of his game, but unaware that he has inadvertently stepped out of bounds, and into another game playing by different rules.

 

How, then, would you wise readers recommend that I go about reducing the likelihood that my stamps are taken from their boxes? I already include information within the box declaring that it is a letterbox and not a geocache. I usually try to relocate my boxes when I discover that I have placed one near an existing geocache. But I wonder if there is anything else I can do to keep from losing my stamps.

 

Thank you for any ideas!

 

My plan with future letterbox hybrids is to drill a hole through the wooden block of my stamp and attach it to the container. I hope this will prevent my stamps from walking off. Just a thought.

[+briansnat]

I am not a "geocacher;" I am a letterboxer lurking the geocache forums because I have had a couple of my letterboxes discovered by geocachers who apparently don't know much about our hobby. I have actually been impressed by the apparent awareness of letterboxing among those posting replies on this forum; then again, the people interested enough to engage in forum discussions are most likely those interested enough to learn more about their own hobby and in so doing will learn something about related hobbies as well.

 

I had thought to come to this forum to make an APB to all geocachers about the existence of letterboxing; as stated, though, it seems that awareness is already in existence.

 

Unfortunately, not everybody reads the forums, so the majority of geocachers will remain unaware of the plight of the letterboxers, who find their stamps removed by a well-intentioned geocacher, playing by the rules of his game, but unaware that he has inadvertently stepped out of bounds, and into another game playing by different rules.

 

How, then, would you wise readers recommend that I go about reducing the likelihood that my stamps are taken from their boxes? I already include information within the box declaring that it is a letterbox and not a geocache. I usually try to relocate my boxes when I discover that I have placed one near an existing geocache. But I wonder if there is anything else I can do to keep from losing my stamps.

 

Thank you for any ideas!

 

I found a letterbox near one of my geocaches. I paced a laminated note inside in large letters stating that "This is a letterbox, not the geocache you are looking for, keep looking and please don't remove the stamp" and added a link to the Letterboxing NA site. Placing something like that in your LBs might help if they are anywhere near a geocache.

[+DragonsWest]

While squirreling away some adopted caches during a park clean-up I checked in on a letterbox hybrid in the same park, it had been muggled and left to the elements - fortunately the stamp was still present and a few log sheets were in the vicinity.

 

I contacted the CO and offered to repair it (there's so few of these and I'd hate to see it go) so I camo painted a new container, supplied new note book and ink pad. It's back and in business.

 

I'd like to create my own, if I could only think of something worthwhile... Our local art store (just across the street from where I live) has everything I need to create a stamp, so it could happen and I think it would be fun to create one.