Nothing technically 'wrong' with it - it works fine;
it's the COST....in comparison to lighter fluid, it is VERY expensive.
And (in my opinion), lighter fluid works just as well.
Randy
Randy,
Thanks for the response. I appreciate it. I have been reading up on all the discussions here going back to '09 and I realized there have been MANY discussions about "soaking" and lighter fluid, but nothing ever said about "Lift Liquid," so I just assumed there was a reason no one here ever mentioned it...
Thanks, Clayton
Stamp Lift fluid is basically distilled water with a drop of dish detergent. Try a mix of 16 ounces distilled water to 1 drop of dish detergent (it will be alot cheaper than buying Stamp Lift). Mix well, but don't shake it, because you'll wind up with a bunch of bubbles. The water will act as a catalyst to help the detergent permeate the stamp/envelope/hinge paper to break down the gum and free the stamp from whatever was sticking to it.
Note, if you use Stamp Lift or the home-made version on an unused stamp, you will damage the gum on the stamp. The extent of the damage (could even be total removal of the gum) depends on how long and how much of the stamp is soaked.
Michael makes a good point;
If you are using EITHER fluid for mint/unused stamps, you will harm the adhesive on the back.
And by the way, lighter fluid works well for seeing watermarks, too!
Randy
Isopropenol (Rubbing Alcohol ) works just as well, is cheaper than lighter fluid, slightly less volatile and available in drugstores and supermarkets. I have been using it successfully for almost fifty years.
It should be used i a well ventilated room.
Randy,
if you use Ether, you'll pass out
David
I'm with Charlie Jensen on this.
Rubbing alcohol is inexpensive and, unlike "Vaseline", really has 1,001 other uses.
John
I started using it for the Four Kings and Wildings to sort the different watermarks and find the inverts and sideways watermarks. So it was simple to try it with the US stickys and to loosen the death grip of the UK adhesives used on the Machins.
With care it works fine on the stamps with security cuts if you soak for a few minutes and then slip a #908 "Lethal" Stamp tongs tip in the center of the security cut and work slowly up and down, first on one side and then on the other.
To David;
....you lost an 'eye', I believe....
Charlie,
...cheaper than lighter fluid? Really?! That must be really cheap; a can of lighter fluid is under 2 bucks!
Randy
Eva just bought me a 16 fluid ounce bottle from the supermarket that cost $0.89.
I use quite a bit especially as I have a new bunch of Machins to work on.
Randy, that stuff's even more dangerous than I thought
Ceyeclops
...and I'm told, David, it can become addictive as well.....**sniff**
Randy
Don´t **sniff** too much of it, your brain will turn liquid and run out of your nose and ears
Hmm, and I always thought that was allergies....
Other then the stamp lift product being more expensive and not any more effective then other products there is nothing wrong with using it.
I found a great way to loosen stamps that are even glued to the paper. I found a bottle of a product laying around the house called Basic H. It was given to me by a freind that sold Shaklee products a few years back. A couple drops in my soaking tray with some warm water and the stamps floated right off.
I am not sure if the product is any different then a drop or two of dish soap but I was impressed. It sure beats cooking the glued stamps to get them off the paper.
I am going to try it out of some self adhesives and will post the results.
...I do know that Basic H is PH-neutral....
So... for the new guy, what is wrong With "Stamp Lift Fluid?"
I am ready for a flood of opinions...
Thanks, Clayton
re: Stamp Lift Fluid
Nothing technically 'wrong' with it - it works fine;
it's the COST....in comparison to lighter fluid, it is VERY expensive.
And (in my opinion), lighter fluid works just as well.
Randy
re: Stamp Lift Fluid
Randy,
Thanks for the response. I appreciate it. I have been reading up on all the discussions here going back to '09 and I realized there have been MANY discussions about "soaking" and lighter fluid, but nothing ever said about "Lift Liquid," so I just assumed there was a reason no one here ever mentioned it...
Thanks, Clayton
re: Stamp Lift Fluid
Stamp Lift fluid is basically distilled water with a drop of dish detergent. Try a mix of 16 ounces distilled water to 1 drop of dish detergent (it will be alot cheaper than buying Stamp Lift). Mix well, but don't shake it, because you'll wind up with a bunch of bubbles. The water will act as a catalyst to help the detergent permeate the stamp/envelope/hinge paper to break down the gum and free the stamp from whatever was sticking to it.
Note, if you use Stamp Lift or the home-made version on an unused stamp, you will damage the gum on the stamp. The extent of the damage (could even be total removal of the gum) depends on how long and how much of the stamp is soaked.
re: Stamp Lift Fluid
Michael makes a good point;
If you are using EITHER fluid for mint/unused stamps, you will harm the adhesive on the back.
And by the way, lighter fluid works well for seeing watermarks, too!
Randy
re: Stamp Lift Fluid
Isopropenol (Rubbing Alcohol ) works just as well, is cheaper than lighter fluid, slightly less volatile and available in drugstores and supermarkets. I have been using it successfully for almost fifty years.
It should be used i a well ventilated room.
re: Stamp Lift Fluid
Randy,
if you use Ether, you'll pass out
David
re: Stamp Lift Fluid
I'm with Charlie Jensen on this.
Rubbing alcohol is inexpensive and, unlike "Vaseline", really has 1,001 other uses.
John
re: Stamp Lift Fluid
I started using it for the Four Kings and Wildings to sort the different watermarks and find the inverts and sideways watermarks. So it was simple to try it with the US stickys and to loosen the death grip of the UK adhesives used on the Machins.
With care it works fine on the stamps with security cuts if you soak for a few minutes and then slip a #908 "Lethal" Stamp tongs tip in the center of the security cut and work slowly up and down, first on one side and then on the other.
re: Stamp Lift Fluid
To David;
....you lost an 'eye', I believe....
Charlie,
...cheaper than lighter fluid? Really?! That must be really cheap; a can of lighter fluid is under 2 bucks!
Randy
re: Stamp Lift Fluid
Eva just bought me a 16 fluid ounce bottle from the supermarket that cost $0.89.
I use quite a bit especially as I have a new bunch of Machins to work on.
re: Stamp Lift Fluid
Randy, that stuff's even more dangerous than I thought
Ceyeclops
re: Stamp Lift Fluid
...and I'm told, David, it can become addictive as well.....**sniff**
Randy
re: Stamp Lift Fluid
Don´t **sniff** too much of it, your brain will turn liquid and run out of your nose and ears
re: Stamp Lift Fluid
Hmm, and I always thought that was allergies....
re: Stamp Lift Fluid
Other then the stamp lift product being more expensive and not any more effective then other products there is nothing wrong with using it.
I found a great way to loosen stamps that are even glued to the paper. I found a bottle of a product laying around the house called Basic H. It was given to me by a freind that sold Shaklee products a few years back. A couple drops in my soaking tray with some warm water and the stamps floated right off.
I am not sure if the product is any different then a drop or two of dish soap but I was impressed. It sure beats cooking the glued stamps to get them off the paper.
I am going to try it out of some self adhesives and will post the results.
re: Stamp Lift Fluid
...I do know that Basic H is PH-neutral....