Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
I am most comfortable putting the South African stamp in the water and least comfortable with the Italian stamps.
But it is possible that all 5 are a no-go.
I can also treat them like I treat US and UK stamps with rubbing alcohol on the backs, but some stamps like the Irish post and go labels cannot be removed this way and get damaged.
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In general, self-adhesive stamps can be lifted off the paper with hydrocarbon-based solvents (such lighter fuel, cleansing petrol, citrus oil, turpentine substitute ...). Alcohol makes some printing inks run. More so than petrol in my - admittedly limited - experience, I gave up on it after ruining two cheap stamps ... still, two too many. Petrol is better for the stamps, if not for the fingers and the nose.
You may be able to soak the New Zealand stamps in warm water, but I found that it can be difficult, in particular if they are on ordinary envelope paper.
The Italian self-adhesives cannot be soaked in water.
No idea about the South African one.
At any rate, petroleum-based solvents should work for all of them. The usual warnings regarding ventilation and fire hazards apply.
This should really be a FAQ topic ...
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11:45:01am
The trick with Rubbing alcohol is to just put the stamps
in the solution for a few minutes an then try to tease
the stamp from the paper. Maximum is five minutes in most cases.
I've been doing it for years, first for watermark detection
and then recently for most self adhesives.
But some such as the Irish post and Go are almost hopeless.
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Charlie, do you soak the whole stamp in alcohol?
I use Q-tips to apply alcohol on the back of the paper the stamp is stuck on but am careful not to get any on the face of the stamp. Reasoning is I am afraid the cancellation ink will run on the face of the stamp or even the color of some stamps might change.
If paper remnants remain, I can reapply alcohol on them to remove / scrape them off, but again I am careful to keep the face of the stamp dry.
The most frustrating stamps I have come across so far are the Italian ones, stuck on postcards or the Irish post and go as mentioned earlier. But I have come across some very difficult South African ones and I wouldn't touch any modern day Australian self adhesive with their intricate cross shaped cuts in them.
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It has been a long time since I have soaked anything that involved modern self-adhesives, but I found that "Citrus Magic" air freshener to be the best, across the board. No issues with discoloration, paper layers separating, flaking or anything else.
About 30 seconds and the paper and the goo comes right off. I'd usually soak the stamps in water after the treatment to reduce the orange scent.
However, I say that with the caveat that I haven't done this in probably 3-4 years, so new solutions may have come along since.
Also, it's a bit of a pain in the butt if you're working with hundreds of stamps.
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05:04:31pm
I'm lucky I guess - my cut offs for my areas are all before they started producing these foolish things. But I'll give a suggestion anyway, if it were me I'd just cut around the stamp neatly and mount it on piece! Less work, no damage, and the stamp is worth more that way. I was going to say "a good piece is worth more anyway", but that could be taken the wrong way!!!
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Harvey, if those stamps came on envelopes addressed to me, I would have trimmed them properly and kept them on piece.
They came from a kiloware lot and whoever harvested them, did that most likely by biting them off the envelope (as evident from the scan) rather than using proper scissors.
One stamp was on thick postcard material, which I have mental trouble accepting.
All stamps above were removed. The New Zealand and South African ones can be soaked. They are as tricky as the Australian self adhesives from the past 15 years, but easier than the most recent ones.
The Italian ones I removed using alcohol.
I agree these stamps are less attractive. I am too not inclined to collect them and they probably serve one good purpose only - giving us a good collection cut off date.
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rubber cement thinner .... https://www.walmart.com/ip/Best-Test-Bestine-Rubber-Cement-Thinner-Pint/26382674
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Phos, Not available in Canada, only ships to USA. Canadian government banned import because labelling is only in English not dual, English /French.
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Maybe this thread can be of use to others too....anyways, I have these 5 stamps and I wonder if anyone has had experience with removing any of them from a cover or postcard.
I am most comfortable putting the South African stamp in the water and least comfortable with the Italian stamps.
But it is possible that all 5 are a no-go.
I can also treat them like I treat US and UK stamps with rubbing alcohol on the backs, but some stamps like the Irish post and go labels cannot be removed this way and get damaged.
Login to Like
this post
re: Can I soak these stamps?
In general, self-adhesive stamps can be lifted off the paper with hydrocarbon-based solvents (such lighter fuel, cleansing petrol, citrus oil, turpentine substitute ...). Alcohol makes some printing inks run. More so than petrol in my - admittedly limited - experience, I gave up on it after ruining two cheap stamps ... still, two too many. Petrol is better for the stamps, if not for the fingers and the nose.
You may be able to soak the New Zealand stamps in warm water, but I found that it can be difficult, in particular if they are on ordinary envelope paper.
The Italian self-adhesives cannot be soaked in water.
No idea about the South African one.
At any rate, petroleum-based solvents should work for all of them. The usual warnings regarding ventilation and fire hazards apply.
This should really be a FAQ topic ...
Login to Like
this post
Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
01 Sep 2020
11:45:01am
re: Can I soak these stamps?
The trick with Rubbing alcohol is to just put the stamps
in the solution for a few minutes an then try to tease
the stamp from the paper. Maximum is five minutes in most cases.
I've been doing it for years, first for watermark detection
and then recently for most self adhesives.
But some such as the Irish post and Go are almost hopeless.
Login to Like
this post
re: Can I soak these stamps?
Charlie, do you soak the whole stamp in alcohol?
I use Q-tips to apply alcohol on the back of the paper the stamp is stuck on but am careful not to get any on the face of the stamp. Reasoning is I am afraid the cancellation ink will run on the face of the stamp or even the color of some stamps might change.
If paper remnants remain, I can reapply alcohol on them to remove / scrape them off, but again I am careful to keep the face of the stamp dry.
The most frustrating stamps I have come across so far are the Italian ones, stuck on postcards or the Irish post and go as mentioned earlier. But I have come across some very difficult South African ones and I wouldn't touch any modern day Australian self adhesive with their intricate cross shaped cuts in them.
Login to Like
this post
re: Can I soak these stamps?
It has been a long time since I have soaked anything that involved modern self-adhesives, but I found that "Citrus Magic" air freshener to be the best, across the board. No issues with discoloration, paper layers separating, flaking or anything else.
About 30 seconds and the paper and the goo comes right off. I'd usually soak the stamps in water after the treatment to reduce the orange scent.
However, I say that with the caveat that I haven't done this in probably 3-4 years, so new solutions may have come along since.
Also, it's a bit of a pain in the butt if you're working with hundreds of stamps.
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this post
This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
08 Sep 2020
05:04:31pm
re: Can I soak these stamps?
I'm lucky I guess - my cut offs for my areas are all before they started producing these foolish things. But I'll give a suggestion anyway, if it were me I'd just cut around the stamp neatly and mount it on piece! Less work, no damage, and the stamp is worth more that way. I was going to say "a good piece is worth more anyway", but that could be taken the wrong way!!!
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Can I soak these stamps?
Harvey, if those stamps came on envelopes addressed to me, I would have trimmed them properly and kept them on piece.
They came from a kiloware lot and whoever harvested them, did that most likely by biting them off the envelope (as evident from the scan) rather than using proper scissors.
One stamp was on thick postcard material, which I have mental trouble accepting.
All stamps above were removed. The New Zealand and South African ones can be soaked. They are as tricky as the Australian self adhesives from the past 15 years, but easier than the most recent ones.
The Italian ones I removed using alcohol.
I agree these stamps are less attractive. I am too not inclined to collect them and they probably serve one good purpose only - giving us a good collection cut off date.
Login to Like
this post
re: Can I soak these stamps?
rubber cement thinner .... https://www.walmart.com/ip/Best-Test-Bestine-Rubber-Cement-Thinner-Pint/26382674
Login to Like
this post
re: Can I soak these stamps?
Phos, Not available in Canada, only ships to USA. Canadian government banned import because labelling is only in English not dual, English /French.
Login to Like
this post