How to select the right screen printing squeegee/rubber durometer

Durometer measures the hardness of the squeegee rubber, which defines how much pressure will be used to pass ink through the mesh screen. The greater the durometer, the less the rubber blade bends, therefore the lower the durometer of the rubber the more the squeegee blade will flex.

• 50-60 durometer squeegees commonly  used  in  situations  where  a  higher  volume  of  ink  is  desired.  Softer  squeegees  will generally print more ink than harder ones. This enables the printer to print more ink for higher opacity and coverage. Use this durometer for printing white on black tee shirts or printing any high opacity color ink on dark garments.

• 60 durometer squeegees are the softest available, and are used for more delicate printing. A softer blade flexes more than a hard blade, and works best with thinner inks. 60 durometer squeegees also are great for high density printing since they allow a larger amount of ink to roll through the stencil.
• 70/75 durometer squeegees are a medium hardness, and are the most commonly used. A 70 durometer squeegee blade works well with almost any screen printing application, and it is a great starter option for the beginning screen printer.
• 80 durometer squeegees are very stiff and are great for more intricate print jobs. 80 durometer screen printing squeegees are great for printing with thicker screen printing inks such as whites and other opaque plastisols.