Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCwmbS2GkjQ
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When I want to add a used self-adhesive stamp to my albums, I cut the stamp from the envelope, leaving a little bit of the envelope surrounding the stamp for protection, and I place it in the album page. That takes 30 seconds. No need to mess with any chemicals and risk damaging the stamp while trying to remove it from the paper.
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adhesives are best on-paper ... until imaging is complete. stamps must lay flat to photograph, and avoid parallex.
selected album items, then are removed from paper and placed on album page. these can later be replaced by heptane application.
no mounts, no hinges needed. very neat !
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12:49:55pm
I watched the video. The reason given for not leaving the stamp on the paper was that due to the paper quality, acid in the paper might eventually damage the stamp. As much emphasis (expressed on this board) as has been placed on the use of acid free paper for album pages, it would seem there might be collectors who care about such.
However, the health enthusiasts among us always jump on the health risks of chemicals such as Heptane-n (not to mention its flammability).
As for myself, I do not have enough years left on this good 'ol planet to concern myself with acid damage in my lifetime (and I am not a good enough steward of my stamps to really care what happens after I'm gone). Same with health risks - I am going to pass on long before I suffer any ill effects from minor exposure to heptane-n.
And then there is the fact that my collection cuts off long before the advent of self-adhesives, and soaking works just fine for the stamps I choose to remove from their paper backing.
Any controversy here is a tempest in a teapot as far as I am concerned. 
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My 2c for what it's worth...
If you must remove self stick stamps from paper then I think you will find that lighter fluid (Ronsonol or similar) works better than heptane. The advantage of lighter fluid is that it does not dry as rapidly as heptane and allows more time to fully wipe the adhesive off the stamp. Heptane dries so rapidly that you must keep adding more as you are wiping the adhesive off. Also, lighter fluid is much cheaper too!
Jim
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Using heptane (Bestine which I use) or lighter fluid - ONLY in well ventilated areas - Make sure the fan is pointed at the other guy
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Bobby, I think the argument about acid from the paper that a stamp is on tends to be a mute point in a large percentage of cases. People have been collecting stamps on cover since 1840. If the problem with acid migration from envelopes to stamps were a major concern, then we wouldn't have very many covers with stamps that didn't have acidic damage.
I think the experiment of self-adhesive stamps has been around long enough now to draw a good conclusion that the acid-panic, so use whatever caustic chemical that can be found to get those self-adhesive stamps off whatever they are on, is over-blown.
Unused self-adhesive stamps are on backing paper, and there is no outcry about any of these falling victim to acid from the backing paper.
Most of today's paper is acid free. I think many collectors are unwilling to adapt to the change in how stamps are manufactured. The old school instructions say to soak the paper off the stamps before putting the stamps in an album. Now we have stamps that don't soak. So, don't soak them.
Of course, the other argument is that the used stamps with paper add thickness to the albums. Well, mint stamps with the backing paper add thickness to the albums. I don't hear collectors of mint stamps complaining.
Adapt.
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Michael, I have (sadly) come to that conclusion for used self adhesive stamps. I m tired of seeing attempts to soak a stamp that leave part of the paper still on, or tear off the backing.
At least the stamp with the paper backing will look better in my album than the other alternative, in my opinion.
BOB
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New member as of today, but I have had a lot of experience with Bestine & Ronson lighter fluid. I prefer Ronson because it can be purchased inexpensively in small containers at a smoke shop or hardware. The container has a very tiny application tip that allows you to squeeze out just what you need to remove any old stuck item from paper. (Ronson is an old book-mans trick, and being an old book man I tried it on the self adhesive stamps & found it quite up to the task). Ronson lighter fluid is 100% pure Naptha which is available in quarts at your local hardware store. This would be for soaking larger portions off of envelopes or packages. Naptha is carcinogenic, however, and must be used with good ventilation & I prefer to use Nitrile gloves as well. I'm an old coot, but cancer causing elements might just push my years of eating the wrong food into some more serious complaint. Lets face it, no one gets out alive, but the younger collector should take note to protect themselves from Naptha fumes & the liquid. When using gallon or quart cans of Naptha I dip a pen or pencil into the can & allow the fluid on the instrument to dribble off on the surrounding envelope paper. You can see when the stamp begins to dampen by a greyish color to the edges of the stamp. I use a dull pocket knife to lift the edge of the stamp to begin to peel it away. On envelopes it's easier, merely dampen the envelope behind the stamp, give it a few moments & then lift. Naptha dries very quickly & seldom have I had anything damaged by it. This stamp, if left alone gum side up, will have the adhesive reform & will allow the stamp to be re-affixed to another surface such as an acid free page, card, or other collecting surface of your choice.
Hope this helps.
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Relax... the stamps will fall off the paper when the gum dries out, in about twenty years.
The AFDCS (American First Day Cover Society) reports that some self-adhesive stamps are popping off FDCs, from about twenty years ago.
I just keep them on the paper, trim neatly, anf hinge into my album.
David Giles
Ottawa, Canada
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I cane across this Youtube video regarding the safe removal of postally used self-adhesive stamps from envelopes. These would be stamps of little monetary value. This method preserves the adhesive. I think this is a pretty useful video. What do you guys think?
Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCwmbS2GkjQ
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12:19:52pm
re: Use of Heptane -N to Remove Self-Adhesive stamps
When I want to add a used self-adhesive stamp to my albums, I cut the stamp from the envelope, leaving a little bit of the envelope surrounding the stamp for protection, and I place it in the album page. That takes 30 seconds. No need to mess with any chemicals and risk damaging the stamp while trying to remove it from the paper.
Login to Like
this post
re: Use of Heptane -N to Remove Self-Adhesive stamps
adhesives are best on-paper ... until imaging is complete. stamps must lay flat to photograph, and avoid parallex.
selected album items, then are removed from paper and placed on album page. these can later be replaced by heptane application.
no mounts, no hinges needed. very neat !
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this post
They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
22 Jan 2015
12:49:55pm
re: Use of Heptane -N to Remove Self-Adhesive stamps
I watched the video. The reason given for not leaving the stamp on the paper was that due to the paper quality, acid in the paper might eventually damage the stamp. As much emphasis (expressed on this board) as has been placed on the use of acid free paper for album pages, it would seem there might be collectors who care about such.
However, the health enthusiasts among us always jump on the health risks of chemicals such as Heptane-n (not to mention its flammability).
As for myself, I do not have enough years left on this good 'ol planet to concern myself with acid damage in my lifetime (and I am not a good enough steward of my stamps to really care what happens after I'm gone). Same with health risks - I am going to pass on long before I suffer any ill effects from minor exposure to heptane-n.
And then there is the fact that my collection cuts off long before the advent of self-adhesives, and soaking works just fine for the stamps I choose to remove from their paper backing.
Any controversy here is a tempest in a teapot as far as I am concerned.
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01:00:27pm
re: Use of Heptane -N to Remove Self-Adhesive stamps
My 2c for what it's worth...
If you must remove self stick stamps from paper then I think you will find that lighter fluid (Ronsonol or similar) works better than heptane. The advantage of lighter fluid is that it does not dry as rapidly as heptane and allows more time to fully wipe the adhesive off the stamp. Heptane dries so rapidly that you must keep adding more as you are wiping the adhesive off. Also, lighter fluid is much cheaper too!
Jim
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this post
re: Use of Heptane -N to Remove Self-Adhesive stamps
Using heptane (Bestine which I use) or lighter fluid - ONLY in well ventilated areas - Make sure the fan is pointed at the other guy
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this post
04:49:36pm
re: Use of Heptane -N to Remove Self-Adhesive stamps
Bobby, I think the argument about acid from the paper that a stamp is on tends to be a mute point in a large percentage of cases. People have been collecting stamps on cover since 1840. If the problem with acid migration from envelopes to stamps were a major concern, then we wouldn't have very many covers with stamps that didn't have acidic damage.
I think the experiment of self-adhesive stamps has been around long enough now to draw a good conclusion that the acid-panic, so use whatever caustic chemical that can be found to get those self-adhesive stamps off whatever they are on, is over-blown.
Unused self-adhesive stamps are on backing paper, and there is no outcry about any of these falling victim to acid from the backing paper.
Most of today's paper is acid free. I think many collectors are unwilling to adapt to the change in how stamps are manufactured. The old school instructions say to soak the paper off the stamps before putting the stamps in an album. Now we have stamps that don't soak. So, don't soak them.
Of course, the other argument is that the used stamps with paper add thickness to the albums. Well, mint stamps with the backing paper add thickness to the albums. I don't hear collectors of mint stamps complaining.
Adapt.
1 Member
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re: Use of Heptane -N to Remove Self-Adhesive stamps
Michael, I have (sadly) come to that conclusion for used self adhesive stamps. I m tired of seeing attempts to soak a stamp that leave part of the paper still on, or tear off the backing.
At least the stamp with the paper backing will look better in my album than the other alternative, in my opinion.
BOB
Login to Like
this post
04:06:00pm
re: Use of Heptane -N to Remove Self-Adhesive stamps
New member as of today, but I have had a lot of experience with Bestine & Ronson lighter fluid. I prefer Ronson because it can be purchased inexpensively in small containers at a smoke shop or hardware. The container has a very tiny application tip that allows you to squeeze out just what you need to remove any old stuck item from paper. (Ronson is an old book-mans trick, and being an old book man I tried it on the self adhesive stamps & found it quite up to the task). Ronson lighter fluid is 100% pure Naptha which is available in quarts at your local hardware store. This would be for soaking larger portions off of envelopes or packages. Naptha is carcinogenic, however, and must be used with good ventilation & I prefer to use Nitrile gloves as well. I'm an old coot, but cancer causing elements might just push my years of eating the wrong food into some more serious complaint. Lets face it, no one gets out alive, but the younger collector should take note to protect themselves from Naptha fumes & the liquid. When using gallon or quart cans of Naptha I dip a pen or pencil into the can & allow the fluid on the instrument to dribble off on the surrounding envelope paper. You can see when the stamp begins to dampen by a greyish color to the edges of the stamp. I use a dull pocket knife to lift the edge of the stamp to begin to peel it away. On envelopes it's easier, merely dampen the envelope behind the stamp, give it a few moments & then lift. Naptha dries very quickly & seldom have I had anything damaged by it. This stamp, if left alone gum side up, will have the adhesive reform & will allow the stamp to be re-affixed to another surface such as an acid free page, card, or other collecting surface of your choice.
Hope this helps.
Login to Like
this post
re: Use of Heptane -N to Remove Self-Adhesive stamps
Relax... the stamps will fall off the paper when the gum dries out, in about twenty years.
The AFDCS (American First Day Cover Society) reports that some self-adhesive stamps are popping off FDCs, from about twenty years ago.
I just keep them on the paper, trim neatly, anf hinge into my album.
David Giles
Ottawa, Canada
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.