S.O.S. - Save or Soak?

No dilemmas for me Jeff !!
I do not soak envelopes - I keep those I like, (ex: the nice stuff I receive from members) or special orders I buy (ex: Royal Mail).
One day I will start using these in the Postmark Calendar !!

René

One envelope in April 2018 from blaamand (Jon) from Norway.....fully decorated - a keeper !!

I think you are the only one to answer, because the answer is in what is it that you collect.
I see nothing special to me in that envelope.
But there is definitely someone else that would.
I would have soaked.
Nothing special with the envelope, better to put those stamps into my album.
Although the cancelation is neat.
Kostia

I also look at them on a case by case basis.

One of my criteria is that they should be cancelled within the appropriate period. ie. I wouldn't save a cover loaded with 1950s 3 cents stamps that are cancelled this year.

I think it greatly depends on the usage and the cover in question. As to the one shown, I think I'd soak that one, but I'd have to look into it further.

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. Lots of fun.

For me it is a soaker. The Kinder sheet is from 2003, terribly out of period.

I feel the decision depends on a few points:

Is the owner a stamp collector, cover collector or postal history fan? Is it a personal souvenir?

. . . . .

Anyone else have a cover to post?

Same question, but from a different angle. On the envelope that Beryllium Guy used to send me the COGH triangle (which I won't soak because it features one of his signature COGH triangle cinderellas on the back, fear not!), he used some of these modern Machins with the safety tear-off ovals (what's the technical name, again?). So my question, to people that handle UK mail, are such stamps soakable without damaging them or it is always better to leave them on piece?

I "soak" them by organic solvent. I use isopropanol. When the glue is too strong - heptane.
Others use pure citrus and stuff like that.
Just pull it gently, and clean gently.
Kostia

Regarding soaking secuurity Machins. I keep them on the envelope or save them on pieces,depending on the size of the envelope.I have never been able to soak them off,they usually disintegrate.

Anglobob

I’m with JeffS and use Ronsonol lighter fluid .......I know about the fumes ........careful teasing especially round the two die cut ovals , then you still have the sticky back which precludes putting them in albums !

I have never attempted to soak the security Machins. As they are self adhesive I am reluctant to attempt.  Others have replied how they deal with them, so I will one day get brave.

My collection is mostly mint so I have not had to soak any.

David 

PLEASE LEAVE UNSOAKABLE STAMPS ON PIECE! 

I have NEVER seen an unsoakable stamp that was removed using chemicals that looked as good as one left alone - they always look worse. Really! I challenge anyone here to do a side by side comparison! Some MAY look oK, but the paper feels slightly oily or slick from the chemicals saturating the paper. While you may manage to do a nice job of protecting the fronts of the stamps, er, well, the backs are not so great. The stamps come out wrinkly, the surface is often covered with microfractures, colors are faded, they stink of chemicals etc. etc. Sometimes the chemicals strip the cancels - red USPS cancels are notorious for fading.  It is almost impossible to remove every bit of goo, so they end up sticking together which ruins the stamp underneath it in the glassine. Some people try to put powder on them which makes an awful mess on my black stock cards, not to mention that I'm allergic to the perfumes in most powders. And - there are no long term tests to see what those chemicals will do to the paper. Consider all those classic issues that were watermarked with strong chemicals that are now faded. Besides, why expose yourself to a bunch of chemicals? Not healthy! 

So I collect unsoakable self adhesives on paper. If you check out Scott's their prices for modern USA are for stamps left on piece. I don't mean to sound grumpy or picky, but those chemically treated stamps are damaged in my opinion. 

The good news is that it is a LOT less work to leave them on paper! For the countries that I collect, most can soak except for USA after 41c era, recent Sweden, some recent Denmark and a few Finland issues and Ireland starting with 55p issues. There may be others that I haven't encountered yet. I've recently run into a few Austria that don't soak either. What I do is test on a common stamp so I don't risk ruining a scarce commemorative.

I have actually considered setting a cutoff date for countries that start issuing unsoakable self adhesives. I don't accept any self adhesive Ireland now - I have too many for one thing and I get too many from people who try to take them off and damage them. Into the bin they go! What a shame. 

Summary - first DO NO HARM! Leave them on the cover or on the piece. 

I have actually been able to get all but the most stubborn US stamps off.  I used hotter than normal soaking temperature to get them off.  and a small trick, after soaking them for about 7 minutes, I place my forefinger on the back of what is stuck to, and my thumb on the stamp itself, then gently (while in the hotter water) it will move is you make it move. I have done it to about 94% of them, the rest are just "cemented" I swear.  but again, hot water, and it will mainly do the trick....

 Modern self-adhesive stamps of all nations are problematic to wash / peel off. Personally I leave them on the envelope if they have clear postmarks, otherwise I cut them out and leave the stamp on a paper fragment.
Soak this kind of stamps is a messy job, plus the stamps aren't as fresh and beautiful as before. I humbly don't suggest chemicals, leaving everything as it is is best.

This is a very interesting post. And the discussion shows different opinions to the question "save or soak".

I would like to add another opinion to the discussion, the opinion of a German stamp collector about German stamps.

The question for me is not "save or soak", the question is "save or throw away". Let me justify my opinion:

Firstly, the question is whether somebody is collecting only stamps or stamps and covers. Let us assume that someone collects stamps and covers.

Secondly, we want to agree that these are not stamps of special value.

Based on that what is the result of soaking:
- one has a Michel # 2360 sheetlet Kinder without gum and without cancellation. Already the value of a nice cancelled # 2360 is almost zero, the value of a stamp without gum and without cancellation is ...?
- in addition you have a Michel # 2900. Not to be confused with Michel # 2908 (same stamp but self adhesive). # 2900 is more rare than # 2908, nevertheless the value is almost zero. If you soak it you loose the cancellation and you have only the wavy lines on the stamp. For such a common German stamp not worth to collect.

If you save it, you have:
- A neat and tidy cover
- Correct 1.10 postage to the USA
- Michel # 2900 with full cancellation on an edge piece

If you do not want to save the whole cover you can preserve the # 2900 "on piece" with its complete postmark ant throw away the rest (proposed by Beryllium Guy). 

So I would save it (because I'am primarily a cover-collector). I'am sure other German collectors would throw it away. But I do not think that many German collectors will soak it. But of course there is no "wrong" or "right" here.

Cara