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General Philatelic/Supplies, Literature & Software : Several Acid Paper Questions

 

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GeoStamper
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Steve

12 May 2014
12:15:21pm
After returning to the hobby after 30+ years, I now see the term "acid-free paper" quite a bit. I know that paper that contains acid is bad, but need to know how worried I should be.

1. When did major album publishers start printing on acid-free paper? (Assuming they have, that is...) Is my Harris Liberty album from 1973 safe?

2. What about Scott Internationals? I inherited my father's cloth-bound Vol I and post bound Vol II, both published in the 1940's. I assume their pages contain acid and are damaging the stamps. Same with the Vol III I recently bought, and the Vol IV I am looking for?

3. Is there a way to tell if the paper contains acid? I've seen "pH testing pens" - are they reliable? Most of my older albums have yellowing, browning, or spotting on the pages. Does that by itself indicate acid paper?

Probably too many questions for a single thread, but I basically need to make a decision about replacing pages in albums that I am actively collecting, namely Scott International Vol I, II, III and IV. All hinges; no mounts in my WW collection...

Many thanks!
Steve

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"What are you waiting for? Those stamps aren't going to collect themselves."
michael78651

13 May 2014
02:03:10am
re: Several Acid Paper Questions

Old paper that is not acid free will yellow over time. It will also become brittle and smell "musty" like old newspapers.

Stamp album pages from the better album lines are usually acid free. Of course mishandling and poor storage will cause other problems for paper over time.

If you create your own album pages, such as printing Steiner pages, make sure you use acid free paper. It doesn't cost that much more than other paper. If you place stamps on paper that is not acid free, the acid in the paper will leech onto the stamps, eventually ruining the stamps.

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HungaryForStamps
Members Picture


14 May 2014
05:56:13pm
re: Several Acid Paper Questions

You can buy a PH pencil and test your paper yourself. For example:

http://www.carolina.com/ph-test-papers/hydrion-ph-pencil-ph-00-to-130/896000.pr

However, its possible these pencils could be finicky.

There is a difference between "acid free" and archival quality paper. The latter has undergone lab testing to insure it is archival quality. Also, your paper should be lignin-free as well otherwise the lignins will turn the paper acidic over time.

You also have to worry about the hinges. A study by the Arthur Salm Foundation (I think after 1991) found most stamp hinges to be acidic.

Image Not Found

They also did a study of stamp album paper but I was confused by the strange variety of things they tested (rather than testing standard albums, they may have tested supplements etc. Generally though, not very happy results. Link:
http://www.collectorsclubchicago.org/album-paper.php

I would imagine that any paper prior to the mid 1980's when standards were adopted for archival paper would be suspect. But even today, the mere statement by a manufacturer that they are "acid free" is supposedly not reliable. For example, this blog raises questions I'm not qualified to answer.

http://practicalarchivist.blogspot.com/2007/12/when-acid-free-isnt-actually-acid-free.html

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HungaryForStamps
Members Picture


14 May 2014
06:00:02pm
re: Several Acid Paper Questions

Oh and if that wasn't depressing enough, its almost certain the ink used on these old albums is not safe.

The stamps themselves and covers if you display them are even worse, but not much you can do about that. You could use alkaline buffered paper as some have argued is the direction to go if you're serious as it will absorb some of the acids from the stamps themselves and from natural paper deterioration.

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michael78651

15 May 2014
02:43:39am
re: Several Acid Paper Questions

Well that does it. I'm just going to stick with model railroading.

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BobbyBarnhart
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They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin

15 May 2014
06:45:01am
re: Several Acid Paper Questions

The aesthetic value and integrity of album pages is certainly a concern, but I have yet to see a stamp damaged by acidic paper.

I have been buying old mounted collections for over 40 years and have had my share of damaged and ruined stamps: cellophane tape, crystal mounts, paper hinges, glue, etc. I have many old albums from the early 20th century (and a couple from the 1890s) with pages literally falling apart due to the poor quality of the paper. Yet among the tens of thousands of stamps removed from those pages, I have yet to find a single stamp damaged by the paper upon which it was mounted.

So while I understand the need for quality paper upon which to display our collections, I fail to see any real concern for stamps solely due to the paper upon which they are mounted.

-Bobby

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"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. -Edmund Burke"

www.bobbybarnhart.net
michael78651

15 May 2014
11:43:36am
re: Several Acid Paper Questions

I have seen stamps in albums that were kept for years in poor condition, like in a hot garage, attic, etc. Some stamps become so brittle that they simply crumbled due to the acid in the paper that they were mounted on. These were home-made pages using whatever paper was available.

I do agree with Bobby that finding stamps mounted on good quality album pages that were damaged by the pages is rare. Some older albums (pre-WWII) that were cheaply made (beginner albums) used acidic paper and will have damaged stamps in them.

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HungaryForStamps
Members Picture


15 May 2014
04:38:48pm
re: Several Acid Paper Questions

Yeah I think climate is a key factor. I've seen my fair share of pages from collections that are clearly destroying the stamps. However, more often its the hinges that are causing the most yellowing to the stamps, either due to the adhesive or acids in the hinge. Just browse collections on Ebay and you'll see them every now and then.

When my father passed away back in 2001, I received his stamp collection and mine (as I had ceded my collection to him when I lost interest as a youth). His Minkus album was in good shape and My Harris album as well. These are two albums that had low acid pages, Minkus being better. However, he had also hinged some stamps to loose leaf paper. These pages were yellowing and had started to affect the stamps.

In addition, some of the old glassine envelopes and PVC mounts were causing problems as well.

I immediately rescued all the material.

So this is a real problem, but depends on time period, materials used, and other factors like climate. I take it very seriously now and will never hinge an item I care about.


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GeoStamper
Members Picture


Steve

16 May 2014
10:38:55am
re: Several Acid Paper Questions

Just picked up one of those inexpensive (under $10) acid-testing pens, and found that the Scott International Volumes I, II, and III that I have all test positive for acid.

To help mitigate the problem until I figure out a better solution, I am making heavy use of glassine interleaves. That will prevent contact between the front of the stamps and the opposite acidic page. But I don't know if it is direct contact with the paper or just proximity to them that leads to decay. In any case, I like the look and feel that the glassine interleaves give to the double sided Scott International pages.

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"What are you waiting for? Those stamps aren't going to collect themselves."
Mtrabz

16 May 2014
04:45:33pm
re: Several Acid Paper Questions

From where we can buy acid free papers? Staples?
I couldn't find on ebay, etc..

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michael78651

16 May 2014
05:54:03pm
re: Several Acid Paper Questions

I buy mine at Office Dept. and Office Max. The brand names that I have found are Xerox Pastel Paper, and Boise Fireworx. Both come in multiple colors and paper weight. I use the Ivory color as it is closest to the color of the Scott pages. I also use 24 lb. weight as it is about what the Scott paper is. Most people that I know who print their own pages for special albums use heavier weight paper. I integrate the pages I print into the Scott pages. I haven't had any problems with that.

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Poodle_Mum
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A Service Dog gives a person with a disability independence. Never approach, distract or pet a working dog, especially when (s)he is in harness. Never be afraid to ask questions to the handler (parent).

16 May 2014
08:01:35pm
re: Several Acid Paper Questions

I buy mine at Staples.

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"Let's find a cure for Still's Disease, Breast Cancer and Canine Addison's Disease. We CAN find a cure and save lives!!"

drkellyfleming.ca
nightowl

16 May 2014
08:47:01pm
re: Several Acid Paper Questions

I suggest going to a mail-order company that deals with archival storage materials, such as "Hollinger Metal Edge" or "Light Impressions."

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none
HungaryForStamps
Members Picture


19 May 2014
01:59:02am
re: Several Acid Paper Questions

I use the papermillstore.com, from which I purchase Neenah paper. Smooth 100 lb text in Natural "color" just like Scott National. (Edit: okay close to Scott National paper, but not exact).

(Modified by Moderator on 2014-05-19 06:52:58)

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bgilbertsound
Members Picture


24 Jun 2014
07:01:54pm
re: Several Acid Paper Questions

Another option is to use buffered tissue for interleaving rather than glassine. I've done this before, though it's a bit of a pain because the tissue is so thin & fragile. But it does seem to work, and it gives me a bit of confidence that the stamps are properly protected.

Buffered tissue is available on ebay and is commonly used by quilters to store vintage fabrics, if I understand correctly.

What I did was to cut the sheets down to size, since they typically come oversize. I folded over about an inch and glued these together before punching them with a 3-hole punch, but you could also use a strip of acid-free paper.

Best
BG

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cocollectibles

25 Jun 2014
06:35:26am
re: Several Acid Paper Questions

I use PrintFile for my photographic archival needs and only now noticed they have a "mount for stamps and art." Don't know if these are safe or not for stamps, but their negative transparency holders and albums are top notch.

PrintFile.com stamp/art mount

Peter


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"TO ERR IS HUMAN; TO FORGIVE, CANINE."
        

 

Author/Postings
Members Picture
GeoStamper

Steve
12 May 2014
12:15:21pm

After returning to the hobby after 30+ years, I now see the term "acid-free paper" quite a bit. I know that paper that contains acid is bad, but need to know how worried I should be.

1. When did major album publishers start printing on acid-free paper? (Assuming they have, that is...) Is my Harris Liberty album from 1973 safe?

2. What about Scott Internationals? I inherited my father's cloth-bound Vol I and post bound Vol II, both published in the 1940's. I assume their pages contain acid and are damaging the stamps. Same with the Vol III I recently bought, and the Vol IV I am looking for?

3. Is there a way to tell if the paper contains acid? I've seen "pH testing pens" - are they reliable? Most of my older albums have yellowing, browning, or spotting on the pages. Does that by itself indicate acid paper?

Probably too many questions for a single thread, but I basically need to make a decision about replacing pages in albums that I am actively collecting, namely Scott International Vol I, II, III and IV. All hinges; no mounts in my WW collection...

Many thanks!
Steve

Like
Login to Like
this post

"What are you waiting for? Those stamps aren't going to collect themselves."
michael78651

13 May 2014
02:03:10am

re: Several Acid Paper Questions

Old paper that is not acid free will yellow over time. It will also become brittle and smell "musty" like old newspapers.

Stamp album pages from the better album lines are usually acid free. Of course mishandling and poor storage will cause other problems for paper over time.

If you create your own album pages, such as printing Steiner pages, make sure you use acid free paper. It doesn't cost that much more than other paper. If you place stamps on paper that is not acid free, the acid in the paper will leech onto the stamps, eventually ruining the stamps.

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
HungaryForStamps

14 May 2014
05:56:13pm

re: Several Acid Paper Questions

You can buy a PH pencil and test your paper yourself. For example:

http://www.carolina.com/ph-test-papers/hydrion-ph-pencil-ph-00-to-130/896000.pr

However, its possible these pencils could be finicky.

There is a difference between "acid free" and archival quality paper. The latter has undergone lab testing to insure it is archival quality. Also, your paper should be lignin-free as well otherwise the lignins will turn the paper acidic over time.

You also have to worry about the hinges. A study by the Arthur Salm Foundation (I think after 1991) found most stamp hinges to be acidic.

Image Not Found

They also did a study of stamp album paper but I was confused by the strange variety of things they tested (rather than testing standard albums, they may have tested supplements etc. Generally though, not very happy results. Link:
http://www.collectorsclubchicago.org/album-paper.php

I would imagine that any paper prior to the mid 1980's when standards were adopted for archival paper would be suspect. But even today, the mere statement by a manufacturer that they are "acid free" is supposedly not reliable. For example, this blog raises questions I'm not qualified to answer.

http://practicalarchivist.blogspot.com/2007/12/when-acid-free-isnt-actually-acid-free.html

Like 
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Members Picture
HungaryForStamps

14 May 2014
06:00:02pm

re: Several Acid Paper Questions

Oh and if that wasn't depressing enough, its almost certain the ink used on these old albums is not safe.

The stamps themselves and covers if you display them are even worse, but not much you can do about that. You could use alkaline buffered paper as some have argued is the direction to go if you're serious as it will absorb some of the acids from the stamps themselves and from natural paper deterioration.

Like
Login to Like
this post
michael78651

15 May 2014
02:43:39am

re: Several Acid Paper Questions

Well that does it. I'm just going to stick with model railroading.

Like 
3 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.

They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin
15 May 2014
06:45:01am

re: Several Acid Paper Questions

The aesthetic value and integrity of album pages is certainly a concern, but I have yet to see a stamp damaged by acidic paper.

I have been buying old mounted collections for over 40 years and have had my share of damaged and ruined stamps: cellophane tape, crystal mounts, paper hinges, glue, etc. I have many old albums from the early 20th century (and a couple from the 1890s) with pages literally falling apart due to the poor quality of the paper. Yet among the tens of thousands of stamps removed from those pages, I have yet to find a single stamp damaged by the paper upon which it was mounted.

So while I understand the need for quality paper upon which to display our collections, I fail to see any real concern for stamps solely due to the paper upon which they are mounted.

-Bobby

Like 
4 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. -Edmund Burke"

www.bobbybarnhart.ne ...
michael78651

15 May 2014
11:43:36am

re: Several Acid Paper Questions

I have seen stamps in albums that were kept for years in poor condition, like in a hot garage, attic, etc. Some stamps become so brittle that they simply crumbled due to the acid in the paper that they were mounted on. These were home-made pages using whatever paper was available.

I do agree with Bobby that finding stamps mounted on good quality album pages that were damaged by the pages is rare. Some older albums (pre-WWII) that were cheaply made (beginner albums) used acidic paper and will have damaged stamps in them.

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
HungaryForStamps

15 May 2014
04:38:48pm

re: Several Acid Paper Questions

Yeah I think climate is a key factor. I've seen my fair share of pages from collections that are clearly destroying the stamps. However, more often its the hinges that are causing the most yellowing to the stamps, either due to the adhesive or acids in the hinge. Just browse collections on Ebay and you'll see them every now and then.

When my father passed away back in 2001, I received his stamp collection and mine (as I had ceded my collection to him when I lost interest as a youth). His Minkus album was in good shape and My Harris album as well. These are two albums that had low acid pages, Minkus being better. However, he had also hinged some stamps to loose leaf paper. These pages were yellowing and had started to affect the stamps.

In addition, some of the old glassine envelopes and PVC mounts were causing problems as well.

I immediately rescued all the material.

So this is a real problem, but depends on time period, materials used, and other factors like climate. I take it very seriously now and will never hinge an item I care about.


Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
GeoStamper

Steve
16 May 2014
10:38:55am

re: Several Acid Paper Questions

Just picked up one of those inexpensive (under $10) acid-testing pens, and found that the Scott International Volumes I, II, and III that I have all test positive for acid.

To help mitigate the problem until I figure out a better solution, I am making heavy use of glassine interleaves. That will prevent contact between the front of the stamps and the opposite acidic page. But I don't know if it is direct contact with the paper or just proximity to them that leads to decay. In any case, I like the look and feel that the glassine interleaves give to the double sided Scott International pages.

Like
Login to Like
this post

"What are you waiting for? Those stamps aren't going to collect themselves."
Mtrabz

16 May 2014
04:45:33pm

re: Several Acid Paper Questions

From where we can buy acid free papers? Staples?
I couldn't find on ebay, etc..

Like
Login to Like
this post
michael78651

16 May 2014
05:54:03pm

re: Several Acid Paper Questions

I buy mine at Office Dept. and Office Max. The brand names that I have found are Xerox Pastel Paper, and Boise Fireworx. Both come in multiple colors and paper weight. I use the Ivory color as it is closest to the color of the Scott pages. I also use 24 lb. weight as it is about what the Scott paper is. Most people that I know who print their own pages for special albums use heavier weight paper. I integrate the pages I print into the Scott pages. I haven't had any problems with that.

Like
Login to Like
this post

A Service Dog gives a person with a disability independence. Never approach, distract or pet a working dog, especially when (s)he is in harness. Never be afraid to ask questions to the handler (parent).
16 May 2014
08:01:35pm

re: Several Acid Paper Questions

I buy mine at Staples.

Like
Login to Like
this post

"Let's find a cure for Still's Disease, Breast Cancer and Canine Addison's Disease. We CAN find a cure and save lives!!"

drkellyfleming.ca
nightowl

16 May 2014
08:47:01pm

re: Several Acid Paper Questions

I suggest going to a mail-order company that deals with archival storage materials, such as "Hollinger Metal Edge" or "Light Impressions."

Like
Login to Like
this post

none
Members Picture
HungaryForStamps

19 May 2014
01:59:02am

re: Several Acid Paper Questions

I use the papermillstore.com, from which I purchase Neenah paper. Smooth 100 lb text in Natural "color" just like Scott National. (Edit: okay close to Scott National paper, but not exact).

(Modified by Moderator on 2014-05-19 06:52:58)

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
bgilbertsound

24 Jun 2014
07:01:54pm

re: Several Acid Paper Questions

Another option is to use buffered tissue for interleaving rather than glassine. I've done this before, though it's a bit of a pain because the tissue is so thin & fragile. But it does seem to work, and it gives me a bit of confidence that the stamps are properly protected.

Buffered tissue is available on ebay and is commonly used by quilters to store vintage fabrics, if I understand correctly.

What I did was to cut the sheets down to size, since they typically come oversize. I folded over about an inch and glued these together before punching them with a 3-hole punch, but you could also use a strip of acid-free paper.

Best
BG

Like
Login to Like
this post
cocollectibles

25 Jun 2014
06:35:26am

re: Several Acid Paper Questions

I use PrintFile for my photographic archival needs and only now noticed they have a "mount for stamps and art." Don't know if these are safe or not for stamps, but their negative transparency holders and albums are top notch.

PrintFile.com stamp/art mount

Peter


Like
Login to Like
this post

"TO ERR IS HUMAN; TO FORGIVE, CANINE."
        

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