Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
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02:39:18pm
Here is a discussion on watermark detecting: http://stamporama.com/discboard/disc_main.php?action=20&id=5766#34445
You can find watermark trays and fluid through Subway Stamps, Amazon.com, and many other places.
But you can probably use something found around your house. For example, I use a black, ceramic ashtray. Further, I use Ronsonol lighter fluid instead of commercial watermark fluid.
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Any flat, black surface will work, even a black piece of cardboard. The slipcase for my perforation gauge has a black rectangle printed on the back just for that purpose. I place the stamp upside down on it, drip a little Ronsonol on it (near the fan over the stove, for ventilation), and presto, the watermark appears. Or doesn't. Some watermarks are very hard to see, and some stamps have only partial watermarks. No one has ever come up with a technology that's 100% effective. There's this, too: some watermarks are so obvious that they are clearly visible from the back of the stamp. German pre-war and wartime stamps are good examples of this.
Bob
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Save some money and use Ronsonol and a black ashtray without the ashes of course
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If you use the lighter fluid, do so in a very well ventilated area. We don't want to read about any explosions! 
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Once you figure that your watermark detecting skills are pretty good, you can graduate to the dreaded
1918-41 Brazil Série Vovo 
17 issues, over 40 colour groups, 11 different watermarks, varieties. Due to location many that have watermarks don't show up.
Luckily there is one group with no watermarks - so I have lots of these.
I think I have about 80% "for sure" after some 30 years & a several empty watermark fluid bottles.
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Thanks guys for the help, I have the lighter fluid , tongs and a tray made from a section of a t.v dinner my next question is what do you guys use to dry your stamp after looking at watermark .Again thanks for any info
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Thanks guys for the help, I have the lighter fluid , tongs and a tray made from a section of a t.v dinner my next question is
"what do you guys use to dry your stamp "
Hold with tongs and blow or place on a clean sheet of paper and wait, blowing is quicker
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12:00:17pm
be careful when you use plastic for your tray. Some plastics dissolve in lighter fluid. If it dissolves, it will ruin the stamp. Test it first - pour a little lighter fluid in the tray (enough so it doesn't evaporate right away) and let it set for a little.
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Hi devildog;
Place stamps on a piece of blotter. Do not use newspaper or anything with print on it, as the lighter fluid
may allow the stamp to pick up some of the ink. Most newspapers use a soy based ink which is probably
soluble in lighter fluid.
Also make sure your TV dinner tray has not absorbed grease from the food. Plastic has a habit of doing
that. And the lighter fluid may draw the grease back out of the plastic. Better to use a regular watermark
tray. They are usually available for a buck or so.
Just Chillin'....
TuskenRaider
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This is a great board with alot of great help . I am very glad I have joined . Thanks for the help
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Hi develdog;
We are also glad to have you as a new member. Never think that your questions are too dumb to be asked
on here.
I was once were you are many years ago. I was lucky to have an older gentleman collector, as a mentor. He
was an officer in the Muskegon Stamp Club, back in the day.
I used to live in Illinois. Lived in Northside of Chicago, Ridgeway and Diversey, near Logan Square. Then
moved to Des Plaines, and later to Fox Lake. I really miss all the culture there. Free Summer concerts at Grant
Park, and at Woodfield Mall. All the ethnic restrauants etc.
Sorry for getting off topic.
You may be able to avoid smelly lighter fluid by placing stamps upside down, on black craft paper and you
may be able to see the watermark. Or holding up to light sometimes works too.
There is also a thread on here about using a scanner and tweaking the contrast to bring out the watermark,
but I can't remember where it is.
Just Chillin'....
TuskenRaider
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I got a sample 3x3x0.5 inch piece of black granite from a local store (I was remodeling the kitchen). It is great for watermarking!
I also have a Morley-Bright Roll-A-Tector that I could never get used to using. Anyone find this to be a helpful device?
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Not since they reduced the amount of ink in the sachets; if you can even find a replacement in the first place!
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Thanks for all the great info. Tusken I was from Elston and Lawrence area now I live in woodstock
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01:30:44pm
" .... Hello everyone I have a dumb question. ..."
Someone expressed the same idea in the Machin Forum and in response I posted the following;
" .... There is the interesting point about that thought, that should be understood.
In college and in later schooling I was always the person who asked questions of the instructors, often discovering later that the rest of the class was equally puzzled, but too shy to pursue a polite inquiry.
An old Bosun's Mate teaching a Seamanship class once noted that, and he told me that when asked a question, especially one for which he did not have a quick patented answer, he learned something either about the question/answer or about a weakness in his presentation.
Years later when teaching, I found that I also learned details in a subject I thought I was quite expert in, from the research I did to make sure I could provide a good answer, and just as important, I could explain the answer well to a class.
Also, questions are a sign or respect. After all, you would not ask a question of someone you thought would neither treat the question seriously nor be able to provide a decent answer.
And mysteriously, respect begets respect, just as disrespect is the mother of antipathy.
So, in short, ask away.
There is an aphorism that I cite frequently;
The only dumb question is the unasked question.
If I can't help, this forum is full of members who can either provide an answer or will do their damdest to find an answer for you.
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02:31:24pm
Hello everyone I have a dumb question. I want to check my stamps for water marks but I dont know were to buy a water mark dectctor.I checked ebay and had no luck , does anybody know were I may buy it and how to use it ? Thanks for any help !!!!!!
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They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
24 Aug 2015
02:39:18pm
re: water mark kits
Here is a discussion on watermark detecting: http://stamporama.com/discboard/disc_main.php?action=20&id=5766#34445
You can find watermark trays and fluid through Subway Stamps, Amazon.com, and many other places.
But you can probably use something found around your house. For example, I use a black, ceramic ashtray. Further, I use Ronsonol lighter fluid instead of commercial watermark fluid.
Login to Like
this post
re: water mark kits
Any flat, black surface will work, even a black piece of cardboard. The slipcase for my perforation gauge has a black rectangle printed on the back just for that purpose. I place the stamp upside down on it, drip a little Ronsonol on it (near the fan over the stove, for ventilation), and presto, the watermark appears. Or doesn't. Some watermarks are very hard to see, and some stamps have only partial watermarks. No one has ever come up with a technology that's 100% effective. There's this, too: some watermarks are so obvious that they are clearly visible from the back of the stamp. German pre-war and wartime stamps are good examples of this.
Bob
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this post
re: water mark kits
Save some money and use Ronsonol and a black ashtray without the ashes of course
Login to Like
this post
04:29:12pm
re: water mark kits
If you use the lighter fluid, do so in a very well ventilated area. We don't want to read about any explosions!
Login to Like
this post
10:56:15am
re: water mark kits
Once you figure that your watermark detecting skills are pretty good, you can graduate to the dreaded
1918-41 Brazil Série Vovo
17 issues, over 40 colour groups, 11 different watermarks, varieties. Due to location many that have watermarks don't show up.
Luckily there is one group with no watermarks - so I have lots of these.
I think I have about 80% "for sure" after some 30 years & a several empty watermark fluid bottles.
Login to Like
this post
11:41:26am
re: water mark kits
Thanks guys for the help, I have the lighter fluid , tongs and a tray made from a section of a t.v dinner my next question is what do you guys use to dry your stamp after looking at watermark .Again thanks for any info
Login to Like
this post
re: water mark kits
Thanks guys for the help, I have the lighter fluid , tongs and a tray made from a section of a t.v dinner my next question is
"what do you guys use to dry your stamp "
Hold with tongs and blow or place on a clean sheet of paper and wait, blowing is quicker
Login to Like
this post
They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
25 Aug 2015
12:00:17pm
re: water mark kits
be careful when you use plastic for your tray. Some plastics dissolve in lighter fluid. If it dissolves, it will ruin the stamp. Test it first - pour a little lighter fluid in the tray (enough so it doesn't evaporate right away) and let it set for a little.
Login to Like
this post
re: water mark kits
Hi devildog;
Place stamps on a piece of blotter. Do not use newspaper or anything with print on it, as the lighter fluid
may allow the stamp to pick up some of the ink. Most newspapers use a soy based ink which is probably
soluble in lighter fluid.
Also make sure your TV dinner tray has not absorbed grease from the food. Plastic has a habit of doing
that. And the lighter fluid may draw the grease back out of the plastic. Better to use a regular watermark
tray. They are usually available for a buck or so.
Just Chillin'....
TuskenRaider
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this post
12:13:09pm
re: water mark kits
This is a great board with alot of great help . I am very glad I have joined . Thanks for the help
Login to Like
this post
re: water mark kits
Hi develdog;
We are also glad to have you as a new member. Never think that your questions are too dumb to be asked
on here.
I was once were you are many years ago. I was lucky to have an older gentleman collector, as a mentor. He
was an officer in the Muskegon Stamp Club, back in the day.
I used to live in Illinois. Lived in Northside of Chicago, Ridgeway and Diversey, near Logan Square. Then
moved to Des Plaines, and later to Fox Lake. I really miss all the culture there. Free Summer concerts at Grant
Park, and at Woodfield Mall. All the ethnic restrauants etc.
Sorry for getting off topic.
You may be able to avoid smelly lighter fluid by placing stamps upside down, on black craft paper and you
may be able to see the watermark. Or holding up to light sometimes works too.
There is also a thread on here about using a scanner and tweaking the contrast to bring out the watermark,
but I can't remember where it is.
Just Chillin'....
TuskenRaider
Login to Like
this post
02:56:57pm
re: water mark kits
I got a sample 3x3x0.5 inch piece of black granite from a local store (I was remodeling the kitchen). It is great for watermarking!
I also have a Morley-Bright Roll-A-Tector that I could never get used to using. Anyone find this to be a helpful device?
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: water mark kits
Not since they reduced the amount of ink in the sachets; if you can even find a replacement in the first place!
Login to Like
this post
12:55:45pm
re: water mark kits
Thanks for all the great info. Tusken I was from Elston and Lawrence area now I live in woodstock
Login to Like
this post
Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
26 Aug 2015
01:30:44pm
re: water mark kits
" .... Hello everyone I have a dumb question. ..."
Someone expressed the same idea in the Machin Forum and in response I posted the following;
" .... There is the interesting point about that thought, that should be understood.
In college and in later schooling I was always the person who asked questions of the instructors, often discovering later that the rest of the class was equally puzzled, but too shy to pursue a polite inquiry.
An old Bosun's Mate teaching a Seamanship class once noted that, and he told me that when asked a question, especially one for which he did not have a quick patented answer, he learned something either about the question/answer or about a weakness in his presentation.
Years later when teaching, I found that I also learned details in a subject I thought I was quite expert in, from the research I did to make sure I could provide a good answer, and just as important, I could explain the answer well to a class.
Also, questions are a sign or respect. After all, you would not ask a question of someone you thought would neither treat the question seriously nor be able to provide a decent answer.
And mysteriously, respect begets respect, just as disrespect is the mother of antipathy.
So, in short, ask away.
There is an aphorism that I cite frequently;
The only dumb question is the unasked question.
If I can't help, this forum is full of members who can either provide an answer or will do their damdest to find an answer for you.
Login to Like
this post