Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
09:47:07am
The other problem concerning the ageing of stamps is that some of them start to turn more or less to a blackish color (still on the back of the stamp). Is there also a trick to improve the quality of the stamp?
If you all have your little secrets concerning those subjects please share them with us!
Thanks a lot,
Daniel.
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10:11:26am
used stamps - soak 'em off
unused with gum - I use a pair of spade tongs and very gently try to insert one of the tips between the stamp and the hinge, very slowly working it back and forth until the hinge lifts off. However, be careful not to force things; this works many times when you think the hinge is hopelessly stuck down, but not every time - you have to know (from practice) when to abandon this method. Warning: do not use anything with an edge smaller than a spade tong (such as a knife blade) as it will cut the stamp quite easily.
I am sure someone will chip in with directions on using a "sweat box" or "stamp lift" fluids. I have never used these methods, but am told by those who have that they work fine.
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If it is a valuable stamp, it is better to leave the hinge on the stamp rather than risk damaging the stamp (and its value).
For unused stamps, soaking or removing the hinges with any liquid or using a sweat box will disturb/damage the gum, or even remove it entirely. That will diminish the stamp's value. You will have to decide if the stamp is worth it to remove the hinge or leave it on.
If the stamp paper has toned out, then acids in the stamp paper, inks or whatever the stamp was stored in have caused irreparable damage to the stamp. It is best to dispose of such stamps, or risk acidic damage to other stamps or album pages.
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Hi Kiwi;
The blackening you describe sounds more like just plain mold, than acid toning. Even tho this is probably mold, as Michael pointed out, if left in a collection it can spread, will cause the whole collection to take on a musty (moldy) smell. This happens when humidity gets over 80% and reactivates dormant mold spores. Ever try to sell a musty smelling collection? Even if sold on eBay to some unsuspecting buyer, as soon as he smells it he will demand his PayPal funds back. Those guys almost always favor buyers over sellers.
If I wouldn't buy it for my collection, then I won't sell it to anyone else either. I would just destroy it. A fundamental rule of good business practice.
Addressing hinge (hinge residue) problems on mint stamps, here is what I do. I take a small sheet of flat glass, and place the stamp on the glass face down.
Before ever trying to get anything under the stamp, I first burnish it very gently. I use a well worn pair of spade style tongs. I slowly drag the smoothly rounded edge across the hinge. I try to avoid ever touching the stamp where there is no hinge residue. If the hinge is torn, then avoid the fuzzy thinned torn area and concentrate instead on the corner and along a factory cut edge of the hinge.
You should soon be able to see a loosening of the bond to the stamp. It is caused by the burnishing, crumbling the brittle adhesive on the hinge itself. If possible try several cheaper stamps, to get the technique mastered. As soon as a corner or some part of hinge looks loose, place tong spades under and very slowly lift. When you feel resistance as tho it wants to tear, stop and burnish just where the resistance is. I have removed many hinges this way. The glass underneath allows you to exert a good deal of pressure without embossing the paper or tearing the delicate stamp paper.
Some stamp papers are just too brittle for this to work, and only experience can teach you....young grasshopper. 
Well I have some stormtroopers to capture, so may the force be with you.
Happy Collecting
Ken Tall Pines
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Although I always try to obtain never-hinged mint stamps, it's often not possible, not at least in my time frame, so I accept hinged stamps, including ones with hinge remnants if the remnant doesn't visibly distort the paper. If a stamp won't lie flat because of a hinge, I don't want it. I've tried various methods to remove hinge remnants, usually with poor results. I think I'm not as patient as Kentallpines.
Bob
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Unfortunately, removing hinges from mint stamps won't make them more valuable. So I leave them.
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Daniel, That's the best advice yet and you are absolutely right in your assessment. So I also leave them alone and save some time for other endeavors.
Mike
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The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. Mahatma Gandhi.
20 Jul 2014
09:47:07am
I'm at the moment trying to put my stamp albums into order. Some of my stamps, like many of us, have hinges on their back. I don't know if there is a way to take them off without damaging the stamps? If you do have a trick, I would appreciate.
The other problem concerning the ageing of stamps is that some of them start to turn more or less to a blackish color (still on the back of the stamp). Is there also a trick to improve the quality of the stamp?
If you all have your little secrets concerning those subjects please share them with us!
Thanks a lot,
Daniel.
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
20 Jul 2014
10:11:26am
re: How to get rid of hinges on stamps and other deteriorations on stamps?
used stamps - soak 'em off
unused with gum - I use a pair of spade tongs and very gently try to insert one of the tips between the stamp and the hinge, very slowly working it back and forth until the hinge lifts off. However, be careful not to force things; this works many times when you think the hinge is hopelessly stuck down, but not every time - you have to know (from practice) when to abandon this method. Warning: do not use anything with an edge smaller than a spade tong (such as a knife blade) as it will cut the stamp quite easily.
I am sure someone will chip in with directions on using a "sweat box" or "stamp lift" fluids. I have never used these methods, but am told by those who have that they work fine.
Login to Like
this post
12:08:35pm
re: How to get rid of hinges on stamps and other deteriorations on stamps?
If it is a valuable stamp, it is better to leave the hinge on the stamp rather than risk damaging the stamp (and its value).
For unused stamps, soaking or removing the hinges with any liquid or using a sweat box will disturb/damage the gum, or even remove it entirely. That will diminish the stamp's value. You will have to decide if the stamp is worth it to remove the hinge or leave it on.
If the stamp paper has toned out, then acids in the stamp paper, inks or whatever the stamp was stored in have caused irreparable damage to the stamp. It is best to dispose of such stamps, or risk acidic damage to other stamps or album pages.
Login to Like
this post
re: How to get rid of hinges on stamps and other deteriorations on stamps?
Hi Kiwi;
The blackening you describe sounds more like just plain mold, than acid toning. Even tho this is probably mold, as Michael pointed out, if left in a collection it can spread, will cause the whole collection to take on a musty (moldy) smell. This happens when humidity gets over 80% and reactivates dormant mold spores. Ever try to sell a musty smelling collection? Even if sold on eBay to some unsuspecting buyer, as soon as he smells it he will demand his PayPal funds back. Those guys almost always favor buyers over sellers.
If I wouldn't buy it for my collection, then I won't sell it to anyone else either. I would just destroy it. A fundamental rule of good business practice.
Addressing hinge (hinge residue) problems on mint stamps, here is what I do. I take a small sheet of flat glass, and place the stamp on the glass face down.
Before ever trying to get anything under the stamp, I first burnish it very gently. I use a well worn pair of spade style tongs. I slowly drag the smoothly rounded edge across the hinge. I try to avoid ever touching the stamp where there is no hinge residue. If the hinge is torn, then avoid the fuzzy thinned torn area and concentrate instead on the corner and along a factory cut edge of the hinge.
You should soon be able to see a loosening of the bond to the stamp. It is caused by the burnishing, crumbling the brittle adhesive on the hinge itself. If possible try several cheaper stamps, to get the technique mastered. As soon as a corner or some part of hinge looks loose, place tong spades under and very slowly lift. When you feel resistance as tho it wants to tear, stop and burnish just where the resistance is. I have removed many hinges this way. The glass underneath allows you to exert a good deal of pressure without embossing the paper or tearing the delicate stamp paper.
Some stamp papers are just too brittle for this to work, and only experience can teach you....young grasshopper.
Well I have some stormtroopers to capture, so may the force be with you.
Happy Collecting
Ken Tall Pines
Login to Like
this post
re: How to get rid of hinges on stamps and other deteriorations on stamps?
Although I always try to obtain never-hinged mint stamps, it's often not possible, not at least in my time frame, so I accept hinged stamps, including ones with hinge remnants if the remnant doesn't visibly distort the paper. If a stamp won't lie flat because of a hinge, I don't want it. I've tried various methods to remove hinge remnants, usually with poor results. I think I'm not as patient as Kentallpines.
Bob
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this post
re: How to get rid of hinges on stamps and other deteriorations on stamps?
Unfortunately, removing hinges from mint stamps won't make them more valuable. So I leave them.
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this post
re: How to get rid of hinges on stamps and other deteriorations on stamps?
Daniel, That's the best advice yet and you are absolutely right in your assessment. So I also leave them alone and save some time for other endeavors.
Mike
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