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General Philatelic/Gen. Discussion : Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

 

Author
Postings
michael78651

18 Apr 2015
11:19:56pm
All right, all of you who absolutely must soak unsoakable stamps. I have found a way to soak unsoakable stamps without the use of harmful chemicals like bestine, orange citrus cleaner and lighter fluid. And best of all, it is almost like the process of soaking stamps from the "good old days".

Think I'm crazy. Well, the answer is, "yes", but that is besides the point.

All right, down to brass tacks.

In the March 2013 issue of "The American Philatelist", APS member Michael Borelli wrote a letter outlining how to do this. If you have that issue, the letter begins on page 205, and is titled "Safe Soaking".

I'm not going to type in the entire letter. I'll just give you the logistics.

1 - fill a microwave-proof container with 3 cups of cold water
2 - heat the water in a microwave for 1.5 minutes
3 - add 1.5 teaspoons of Softsoap hand cleaner (1/2 teaspoon per cup of water)
4 - add stamp(s)
5 - let soak for 5 to 10 minutes
6 - remove each stamp and gently pull off the paper
7 - put the stamp(s) in a container of cold water
8 - soak for 10 minutes
9 - remove the stamp(s) and dry using whatever process you use to dry stamps

There may be some adhesive lingering on the back of the stamp(s) after it is dry. You may have to apply talcom powder to mijnimize the adhesive as is currently done.

The letter was written in 2013. I tried the above steps using a Janis Joplin stamp (issued in 2014). Borelli nailed it.

I used the Target version of Softsoap hand cleaner. Borelli said that it doesn't matter what flavor the Softsoap is, but I had a bottle of the clear soap and used that to keep perfumes and other additives off the stamp.

Try it, and see if you get similar results. If so, you won't have to buy those chemicals, and Softsoap costs alot less too.


NOTE: I edited the original post to add more time to step 5, and to advise on the probability of there being gum residue on the stamp after it is dry. The changes are in red. To me, the most important aspect of this process is the elimination of using potentially harmful chemicals.


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michael78651

18 Apr 2015
11:34:53pm
re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

Here's a scan of the soap bottle.

Image Not Found

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pastorleon
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I am used, hinged multiple times, OG but not teeth.

19 Apr 2015
03:14:37pm
re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

Michael,

Thank-you most emphatically for posting this procedure. I have a bucket full of recent Canadian and US that simply have to come off cut-squares. I am going to try it with a twist though. I will attempt to zap a bratwurst at the same time. Wow! If it works is this heaven or what? 'Course it might leave an odor on the stamps. Oh well. I guess I will just do one at a time. Procedure I mean. Thanks again.

Leon

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purrfin2
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APS #222602 and Internet Philatelic Dealers Association #439

19 Apr 2015
03:52:02pm

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re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

Thanks for trying this out Michael, another page for my notebook!

I do have some stamps that need to be soaked, will report when they are done. Tomorrow when it's raining! Rolling On The Floor Laughing It was supposed to rain for the past two days and it hasn't!

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"Appreciate the beauty of nature. You never know when life will deal you an unplanned twist of fate. Enjoy things while you can, because you just never know."

www.hipstamp.com/store/dianealthea
purrfin2
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APS #222602 and Internet Philatelic Dealers Association #439

20 Apr 2015
03:03:05pm

Approvals
re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

Tried this method and I'm fairly happy with the results. The water was warm, not really screaming hot, but I stirred the soft soap with a spoon as opposed to my finger (I'm not really that much of a masochist!) Only one stamp still had the tacky back. Not too bad for about 10 stamps to begin with.

What I really have trouble with is the soaking of stamps on the padded Priority envelopes. No matter how long I soak, the stamps will not release. Those two I had to carefully trim. Didn't want to ruin them.

Now, why Soft Soap? Why not Dawn or bubble bath or another liquid soap?

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this post

"Appreciate the beauty of nature. You never know when life will deal you an unplanned twist of fate. Enjoy things while you can, because you just never know."

www.hipstamp.com/store/dianealthea
michael78651

20 Apr 2015
03:25:43pm
re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

Why Softsoap and not another kind of soap? Don't know. Maybe there's a chemical in there that dissolves the gum better than the other soaps??

I don't have a thermometer to check the temperature of the water. I did put my hand into the water and can say that it is somewhere between body temperature and "hot". It was not uncomfortable to have my hand in the water. It was sort of like taking a hot, but comfortable, bath. If you bought a cup of coffee or a tea and got the cup with that temperature water, you would send it back as being not hot enough. Water boils at 220F / 100C. I would say that the temperature of the 3 cups of water after 1.5 minutes in the microwave is around 110F to 120F / 44C to 49C. Of course if you use more or less water, the temperature would be colder or hotter accordingly using the same amount of time to heat the water.


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copy55555
Members Picture


22 Apr 2015
10:38:15pm
re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

So.... I decided to try this method of soaking US self-adhesives. I used imperf copies of the 2013 Medal of Honor Medals (one each of each design) and 3 copies of the Althea Gibson issue for a total of 5 stamps.

I followed steps 1 through 5 as written. Step 6 requires very slow removal of the paper, otherwise the paper may thin and some remain on the stamps making it harder to get all of it off. Step seven worked - though the Medal stamps rolled almost into a tight tube. Soaked for 10 minutes and removed and placed on a towel face down to dry - had to work with the Medal stamps a bit to get them unrolled enough.

I think if one were to use a stamp drying book, one would have a large problem. All 5 stamps had a huge amount of adhesive left on them. I don't know how much talcum would be needed to get rid of the stickiness. And you need to eliminate ALL of the stickiness, not just minimize it, if you are planning to place the stamps in a stockbook. Even a small amount will cause them to stick to the pages.

I ended up using Pure Citrus to remove the gum, which kind of defeated the purpose of using this method, at least for me. I was hoping that the adhesive would dissolve somehow but it only becomes soft - just like using the Pure Citrus method.

Of course, I may be doing something wrong.

Tad

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purrfin2
Members Picture


APS #222602 and Internet Philatelic Dealers Association #439

23 Apr 2015
06:50:23am

Approvals
re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

Tad,

For the stamps that didn't come off right away, I ended up leaving them to the end so they could soak a bit longer. Played with the ones that came off well. They went into the cold water bath and then on drying paper face down to dry. Then went back to the tough guys and they finally came off. I only had one thin on a flag stamp, but it turned out okay after drying. All the stamp were curling so they are now being flattened under two volumes of catalogs until I can get back to them. They should be okay.

As far as the talc. Well I dredge the stamp in the powder and then carefully wipe off the excess on my arm or the back of my hand. I was using cloth, but change back to my arm. I have more control over the stamp.

Like
Login to Like
this post

"Appreciate the beauty of nature. You never know when life will deal you an unplanned twist of fate. Enjoy things while you can, because you just never know."

www.hipstamp.com/store/dianealthea
seanpashby
Members Picture


23 Apr 2015
12:59:31pm
re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

It may be counter-productive, but instead of using talc, if you got some ultra thin tissue paper to place over the adhesive, that might solve the sticky problem.

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this post
ren437
Members Picture


05 Jul 2022
03:13:30pm
re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

This post from 7 years ago mentions using talcum powder for the problem of sticky residue after soaking self-adhesive stamps. I've also seen it mentioned in many other places. But since then, it's been found that some talc contains asbestos, a carcinogen. So is anybody using something besides talc when confronted with this problem?

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Jansimon
Members Picture


collector, seller, MT member

05 Jul 2022
03:28:27pm

Approvals
re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

I used baking soda and had good results

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www.etsy.com/nl/shop/itsallmadeofpaper/
grampadennis
Members Picture


05 Jul 2022
04:43:18pm

Approvals
re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

I use baking soda as well with good results.

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Jansimon
Members Picture


collector, seller, MT member

06 Jul 2022
04:14:20am

Approvals
re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

This is another example to show how much we need some kind of archive of valuable contributions to the board. This subject comes up every now and then, but this is a new approach (at least for me), all I read is Pure Citrus (which is unavailable over here in the Netherlands) or chemicals like lighter fluid, sticker remover etc. This sounds a bit more friendly, because although I have achieved good results with sticker remover fluid, it is not something one wants to do for a long time. After 15 minutes the whole place smells like an oil refinery... I will try this hand soap method soon, plenty of these round international USA stamps to try it with!
The baking soda instead of talcum powder was a suggestion from my wife when I was experimenting and asked where we kept the talcum powder. Turned out we didn't have any and she asked why I didn't try baking soda and it worked very well.

Like
Login to Like
this post

www.etsy.com/nl/shop/itsallmadeofpaper/
cdj1122
Members Picture


Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..

06 Jul 2022
07:41:12am
re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

According to the American Cancer Society webpage;

" ..... It is not clear if consumer products containing talcum powder increase cancer risk. Studies of personal use of talcum powder have had mixed results, although there is some suggestion of a possible increase in ovarian cancer risk. There is very little evidence at this time that any other forms of cancer are linked with consumer use of talcum powder......"


The ACS also indicates that test results are quite mixed and the "danger" is to individuals who have managed to allow talcom powder to somehow become internal. Since I have no intention of taking the tiny amount of powder used on the icky, sticky, back of a few modern stamps internally, I'll stick to talcom powder, and likely die of cancer anyway.
I understand that an excessive amount of Hydrogen-monoxide can cause a painfil death. Excessive exposure to Sunshine also can cause cancers and death.
https://www.cancer.org/healthy/cancer-ca ...

Like
Login to Like
this post

".... You may think you understood what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you think you heard is not what I thought I meant. .... "
        

 

Author/Postings
michael78651

18 Apr 2015
11:19:56pm

All right, all of you who absolutely must soak unsoakable stamps. I have found a way to soak unsoakable stamps without the use of harmful chemicals like bestine, orange citrus cleaner and lighter fluid. And best of all, it is almost like the process of soaking stamps from the "good old days".

Think I'm crazy. Well, the answer is, "yes", but that is besides the point.

All right, down to brass tacks.

In the March 2013 issue of "The American Philatelist", APS member Michael Borelli wrote a letter outlining how to do this. If you have that issue, the letter begins on page 205, and is titled "Safe Soaking".

I'm not going to type in the entire letter. I'll just give you the logistics.

1 - fill a microwave-proof container with 3 cups of cold water
2 - heat the water in a microwave for 1.5 minutes
3 - add 1.5 teaspoons of Softsoap hand cleaner (1/2 teaspoon per cup of water)
4 - add stamp(s)
5 - let soak for 5 to 10 minutes
6 - remove each stamp and gently pull off the paper
7 - put the stamp(s) in a container of cold water
8 - soak for 10 minutes
9 - remove the stamp(s) and dry using whatever process you use to dry stamps

There may be some adhesive lingering on the back of the stamp(s) after it is dry. You may have to apply talcom powder to mijnimize the adhesive as is currently done.

The letter was written in 2013. I tried the above steps using a Janis Joplin stamp (issued in 2014). Borelli nailed it.

I used the Target version of Softsoap hand cleaner. Borelli said that it doesn't matter what flavor the Softsoap is, but I had a bottle of the clear soap and used that to keep perfumes and other additives off the stamp.

Try it, and see if you get similar results. If so, you won't have to buy those chemicals, and Softsoap costs alot less too.


NOTE: I edited the original post to add more time to step 5, and to advise on the probability of there being gum residue on the stamp after it is dry. The changes are in red. To me, the most important aspect of this process is the elimination of using potentially harmful chemicals.


Like 
5 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
michael78651

18 Apr 2015
11:34:53pm

re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

Here's a scan of the soap bottle.

Image Not Found

Like 
1 Member
likes this post.
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Members Picture
pastorleon

I am used, hinged multiple times, OG but not teeth.
19 Apr 2015
03:14:37pm

re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

Michael,

Thank-you most emphatically for posting this procedure. I have a bucket full of recent Canadian and US that simply have to come off cut-squares. I am going to try it with a twist though. I will attempt to zap a bratwurst at the same time. Wow! If it works is this heaven or what? 'Course it might leave an odor on the stamps. Oh well. I guess I will just do one at a time. Procedure I mean. Thanks again.

Leon

Like
Login to Like
this post

APS #222602 and Internet Philatelic Dealers Association #439
19 Apr 2015
03:52:02pm
Approvals

re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

Thanks for trying this out Michael, another page for my notebook!

I do have some stamps that need to be soaked, will report when they are done. Tomorrow when it's raining! Rolling On The Floor Laughing It was supposed to rain for the past two days and it hasn't!

Like
Login to Like
this post

"Appreciate the beauty of nature. You never know when life will deal you an unplanned twist of fate. Enjoy things while you can, because you just never know."

www.hipstamp.com/sto ...

APS #222602 and Internet Philatelic Dealers Association #439
20 Apr 2015
03:03:05pm
Approvals

re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

Tried this method and I'm fairly happy with the results. The water was warm, not really screaming hot, but I stirred the soft soap with a spoon as opposed to my finger (I'm not really that much of a masochist!) Only one stamp still had the tacky back. Not too bad for about 10 stamps to begin with.

What I really have trouble with is the soaking of stamps on the padded Priority envelopes. No matter how long I soak, the stamps will not release. Those two I had to carefully trim. Didn't want to ruin them.

Now, why Soft Soap? Why not Dawn or bubble bath or another liquid soap?

Like
Login to Like
this post

"Appreciate the beauty of nature. You never know when life will deal you an unplanned twist of fate. Enjoy things while you can, because you just never know."

www.hipstamp.com/sto ...
michael78651

20 Apr 2015
03:25:43pm

re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

Why Softsoap and not another kind of soap? Don't know. Maybe there's a chemical in there that dissolves the gum better than the other soaps??

I don't have a thermometer to check the temperature of the water. I did put my hand into the water and can say that it is somewhere between body temperature and "hot". It was not uncomfortable to have my hand in the water. It was sort of like taking a hot, but comfortable, bath. If you bought a cup of coffee or a tea and got the cup with that temperature water, you would send it back as being not hot enough. Water boils at 220F / 100C. I would say that the temperature of the 3 cups of water after 1.5 minutes in the microwave is around 110F to 120F / 44C to 49C. Of course if you use more or less water, the temperature would be colder or hotter accordingly using the same amount of time to heat the water.


Like 
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Members Picture
copy55555

22 Apr 2015
10:38:15pm

re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

So.... I decided to try this method of soaking US self-adhesives. I used imperf copies of the 2013 Medal of Honor Medals (one each of each design) and 3 copies of the Althea Gibson issue for a total of 5 stamps.

I followed steps 1 through 5 as written. Step 6 requires very slow removal of the paper, otherwise the paper may thin and some remain on the stamps making it harder to get all of it off. Step seven worked - though the Medal stamps rolled almost into a tight tube. Soaked for 10 minutes and removed and placed on a towel face down to dry - had to work with the Medal stamps a bit to get them unrolled enough.

I think if one were to use a stamp drying book, one would have a large problem. All 5 stamps had a huge amount of adhesive left on them. I don't know how much talcum would be needed to get rid of the stickiness. And you need to eliminate ALL of the stickiness, not just minimize it, if you are planning to place the stamps in a stockbook. Even a small amount will cause them to stick to the pages.

I ended up using Pure Citrus to remove the gum, which kind of defeated the purpose of using this method, at least for me. I was hoping that the adhesive would dissolve somehow but it only becomes soft - just like using the Pure Citrus method.

Of course, I may be doing something wrong.

Tad

Like
Login to Like
this post

APS #222602 and Internet Philatelic Dealers Association #439
23 Apr 2015
06:50:23am
Approvals

re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

Tad,

For the stamps that didn't come off right away, I ended up leaving them to the end so they could soak a bit longer. Played with the ones that came off well. They went into the cold water bath and then on drying paper face down to dry. Then went back to the tough guys and they finally came off. I only had one thin on a flag stamp, but it turned out okay after drying. All the stamp were curling so they are now being flattened under two volumes of catalogs until I can get back to them. They should be okay.

As far as the talc. Well I dredge the stamp in the powder and then carefully wipe off the excess on my arm or the back of my hand. I was using cloth, but change back to my arm. I have more control over the stamp.

Like
Login to Like
this post

"Appreciate the beauty of nature. You never know when life will deal you an unplanned twist of fate. Enjoy things while you can, because you just never know."

www.hipstamp.com/sto ...
Members Picture
seanpashby

23 Apr 2015
12:59:31pm

re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

It may be counter-productive, but instead of using talc, if you got some ultra thin tissue paper to place over the adhesive, that might solve the sticky problem.

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
ren437

05 Jul 2022
03:13:30pm

re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

This post from 7 years ago mentions using talcum powder for the problem of sticky residue after soaking self-adhesive stamps. I've also seen it mentioned in many other places. But since then, it's been found that some talc contains asbestos, a carcinogen. So is anybody using something besides talc when confronted with this problem?

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
Jansimon

collector, seller, MT member
05 Jul 2022
03:28:27pm

Approvals

re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

I used baking soda and had good results

Like
Login to Like
this post

www.etsy.com/nl/shop ...
Members Picture
grampadennis

05 Jul 2022
04:43:18pm

Approvals

re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

I use baking soda as well with good results.

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
Jansimon

collector, seller, MT member
06 Jul 2022
04:14:20am

Approvals

re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

This is another example to show how much we need some kind of archive of valuable contributions to the board. This subject comes up every now and then, but this is a new approach (at least for me), all I read is Pure Citrus (which is unavailable over here in the Netherlands) or chemicals like lighter fluid, sticker remover etc. This sounds a bit more friendly, because although I have achieved good results with sticker remover fluid, it is not something one wants to do for a long time. After 15 minutes the whole place smells like an oil refinery... I will try this hand soap method soon, plenty of these round international USA stamps to try it with!
The baking soda instead of talcum powder was a suggestion from my wife when I was experimenting and asked where we kept the talcum powder. Turned out we didn't have any and she asked why I didn't try baking soda and it worked very well.

Like
Login to Like
this post

www.etsy.com/nl/shop ...

Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
06 Jul 2022
07:41:12am

re: Truly Safe Soaking of Unsoakable Stamps

According to the American Cancer Society webpage;

" ..... It is not clear if consumer products containing talcum powder increase cancer risk. Studies of personal use of talcum powder have had mixed results, although there is some suggestion of a possible increase in ovarian cancer risk. There is very little evidence at this time that any other forms of cancer are linked with consumer use of talcum powder......"


The ACS also indicates that test results are quite mixed and the "danger" is to individuals who have managed to allow talcom powder to somehow become internal. Since I have no intention of taking the tiny amount of powder used on the icky, sticky, back of a few modern stamps internally, I'll stick to talcom powder, and likely die of cancer anyway.
I understand that an excessive amount of Hydrogen-monoxide can cause a painfil death. Excessive exposure to Sunshine also can cause cancers and death.
https://www.cancer.org/healthy/cancer-ca ...

Like
Login to Like
this post

".... You may think you understood what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you think you heard is not what I thought I meant. .... "
        

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