soaking / removing stamps from covers

It is listed on amazon.ca but you will pay 3 or more times the cost of that Zep.

Thanks I will have a look when I am next out.
David

Hi Peter,

Let us know if ZEP works on USA stamps
I will like to try it tp.

Thanks

I used Bestine for years. It was readily available in art stores in the Toronto area. Eventually it was pulled from the shelves and never reappeared because of the lack of French labelling. I was able to zip across the the border to Buffalo every year to pick up a few cans. Bestine works wonderfully. But then with the Pandemic, I could not cross and started to explore other products. Bestine is basically the chemical compound Heptane. So I tried to purchase that, but found the quantities I wanted it in was too small.

I read somewhere the Xylene works. It is similar to Toluene. It is used as a solvent, among various other applications. I picked up a litre of it for only $12.00 at Princess Auto. I was wondering if anyone had tried this product to remove US, British, Australian, or New Zealand self adhesive stamps from covers? I have not yet had a chance to try using this yet, perhaps tonight, if I can find the time.

Here is a tip......If you have a Princess Auto nearby (Canada Only), they also have a full litre of Acetone for $15.00.  Acetone is the best form of "nail polish remover".  It is an 8-10 times savings buying it this way than if you buy it from the makeup counter at some store.

uppercanadian, how bad does the acetone smell? And how did it compare to Bestine as an adhesive remover?

I haven't had - or made - the time to do much experimentation lately. Bestine actually worked well except that the stamps were slightly curled and I could never flatten them out all the way. I've had fairly good luck with Pure Citrus, a bit less so with GooGone, which is otherwise my favorite solvent for normal householdy types of chores.

My wife has a flock of respiratory and immunodeficiency disorders and didn't like it when I used Bestine. Neither did I, for that matter; it spaced me out if I used too much of it in one night. I guess you didn't have a problem with it. I had to do all of this in the basement, where the air circulation was OK at best, but we got a new air handler and a better air purifier since I did most of my solvent trials, so I'm ready to start it up again. After all, I only have 175,000,000 water-soluble stamps left to deal with.

I frequently use acetone on coins with no problem. It evaporates quite quickly. But, sure, care should be taken. I've never had reason to try it on stamps.

Wow I used pure Xylene back in my lab manager days. We called it monkey puke and you could tell when some had broken in a shipment. I don't know if your using pure Xylene but be careful. Yes everyone in the house will know you are using it.


Here is a link to the CDC on it:

www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/xylene/default.html 

Try searching for D-Limonene - it's 100% pure citrus oil. I've used it successfully to remove self-adhesive stamps from paper and remove grease from the kitchen walls.

Well, leaving the gum on may be risky as well.  I bring you attention to the USA 1974 "Peace on Earth" Christmas stamp.  The self-adhesive gum started to discolour the paper in the early 1990's.  Soaking it in water destroys the stamp.  I remove the gum from both used and mint, keeping the stamp pristine.  It is pretty hard to find good copies now days.

It is not as if the post offices or manufacturers of the stamps really care what will happen to them in 10 or more years.  

My main collection is Canada, and I am now noticing changes to some of the complete booklets I have from the 1990's.  Subtle changes, but it is the self-adhesive gum breaking down over 20 and 30 years.

For Aussie stamps I use hot water and a bit of dishwashing detergent - not boiling just extremely warm and with a little care they come off paper most of the time. You have to make sure the film of glue on the back comes off too. Fiddly I know but I just do a few at a time. The very recent values now have security slits in them so I am trimming them close as they are impossible to remove from paper without damage.