Soaking stamps

Hi I have soaked stamps, put them between paper towels, and put books on top. They always come out wrinkled. I have two questions. Can I still save the wrinkled stamps, by re-soaking them.

Also should I buy a drying book? And if so what is the best drying book in terms of how many pages and size relative to price. I know I'm cheap, but I appreciate a good value. Anyway, I looked at the showgard dessert magic drying books.

Does anyone have experience with these. I am sure they are great because showgard is a highly trusted company.

Also if I were to purchase the drying book how would my routine go? Would I first soak hinges off ect, then wait for them to dry on paper towel until they are just damp, then put them in the drying books and apply pressure with heavy books on top? Can someone please help me my wrinkled stamps are really frustrating me! Also I am really nervous to soak some of my higher value stamps, any tips? Thanks so much.

 

I normally allow them to dry without anything on top and once dry I place them in small plastic packets (keeps them flattish) then place books on top


Ps yes some will curl but you gently uncurl them and place in the bag

 

I let them dry on newspaper facedown. After they are completely dry, I place them in between wax paper and put a ton of books on top of them to flatten them. Works great for me.

 

Hi I have soaked stamps, put them between paper towels, and put books on top. They always come out wrinkled. I have two questions. Can I still save the wrinkled stamps, by re-soaking them.

Try soaking again, put them flat upside down in a Telephone book. Remove if possible before they are completely dry, this would take a bit longer to dry out but when completely dry may stick the page - wash again.​

Pressing stamps is good to get them nice and flat, dry them completely when flat on paper . Some slight bending may occur but if dry will sort itself out in an album or stamp page. ​

Neve put moist stamps in a album or stocksheet.​

Some wrinkled stamps can be a bother but do not let it bother you.​

Replace them if you can.​

Plain water, luke warm in the wash longer than other stamp get the paper to relax. Some may even curl causing possible disasters especially with older stamps.​

What happens is the paper expands more than the printed surface and then some gum typs cause the opposite curling.​

For expensive stamps you need confidence - practise​

 

Personaly i would'nt bother with a drying book. A waste of money. I get the same results form using kitchen towel and a phone book i get very few wrinkles. Although if i have'nt removed all the gum it does tend stick to the towel and i have had a few causulties when removeing. But if they do stick rather than trying to get them off i just resoak them and that does the trick

 

Oh dear. Why are you gents wetting stamps all the time?
Please remember, there is no such thing as a daft question.......

 

We like everything wet....lol

 

I don't get it (doh)?

 

I soaked a few off envelopes today

 

I think they curl up if you dry the too quickly, mine dried reasonably flat but took a couple of hours

 

i hate soaking stamps, i have never yet had a good one from it i have 1000's here still on paper i am just waiting for the soaking fairy to pay me a visit and do them all for me lol

 

If you do soak stamps, its really important to dry them pressed between two flat heavy objects. or else they could cockle. Cockling is the wavy, rippling effect that happens when paper gets wet, then dries (think of the shell)....ever drop a book into a bathtub? If so, you know what I mean ;-)

You can buy drying books, or you can use two paper towels.

It doesn't take much to cause paper to cockle Even if you use steam or brush on some stamp remover, I'd suggest the same. That could be enough dampness cause this effect.

 

I guess trimming the piece and leaving them would be favourite with most?

 

Just buying stamps off paper is the best for me

 

Curling, going wavy are both risks of stamps (or any paper object) when they dry. I dont know i there's an advantage is buying blotting books, Hochstrasee, over paper towels. Another good blotting material, if you can get it, is the paper used for newspapers. Make sure its unprinted though, you don't want ink from the newspaper staining your stamps!

Buying them off paper is definitely easiest. But when you can't, just be cautious and patient.

 

I have not tried soaking stamps since I worry that it would damaged stamps.
I do have some cut out stamps and just leave it as it is.

 

That's a good practice, Zararina I have an envelope of stamps that need to be taken off paper, and have yet to do that. Like you, and the rest of us, I am worried about damage. Sometimes, as Tu7 has mentioned, the best way to to simply crop as close to the stamp as possible, leaving the paper on.

I know stamp removers claim to be safe, but I am hesitant to believe that as entirely true. I don't think its a deliberate deception or misleading claim. I just am wary about possibly unknown long-term effects. Some kinds of damage don't show up for years.

 

I think those who trade stamps or selling stamps are expert on removing stamps on paper.