99% isopropyl rubbing alcohol and watermarks

[Frank Emanuel]

Hey all,

This is really an extension of the GB Watermark problems thread. J. A. Mc.
posted that common rubbing alcohol is 30% water. I asked my wife (a
pharmacist) if there was a water free rubbing alcohol and she tells me there
is a 99% version and it is pretty cheap! Has anyone tried this? I think it
would be worth the experiment. I think the 1% is still water, so how would
MNH stamps deal with that?

Curious,
Frank

[Bob Ingraham]

I have conducted a scientific experiment with my bottle of 70% rubbing
alcohol. I can report that it makes a lousy watermark fluid, and that it is
a good replacement for saliva, at least as far as moistening stamps goes.

Bob

[Dave Kent]

Back in the dark ages when I thought I might be a chemistry major, my college
professor said that alcohol is hygroscopic, which means it naturally absorbs
water from the air. He said that it was extremely difficult to refine alcohol
to any less than 10 per cent water because of this. The bottle of rubbing
alcohol in my medicine cabinet is 30 per cent water. It works fine for cleaning
the rolling ball on my computer mouse. I wouldn't put it anywhere near a mint
stamp.

[Arlene Sullivan]

My chemist husband (is there something about chemist spouses and stamp
collecting?!?!) has just pointed out that many types of stamp gum, like
polyvinyl alcohol, will be slightly soluble in even 99% ethanol or in
isopropanol - soluble enough that you probably don't want to be using
alcohols for watermarking unless you are very, very sure of what the gum
composition of your stamp is.

Drugstore brands of "rubbing alcohol" can also contain small amounts of
camphor and other adulterants that you want to stay away from, too.

I myself am a big fan of mixed hexanes for watermarking.

Arlene Sullivan

[Frank Emanuel]

"Arlene Sullivan" <amsul...@telus.net> wrote in message
news:3F38598F...@telus.net...

Thanks for the responses people. I thought it was worth asking. Mixed
hexanes - sound halucinagenic! Maybe that is where all the inverts come from
;-). I don't usually collect MNH anyway - but the odd one has crept into my
collection.

Frank

[TC]

Frank:

There is 50%, 70% and 99% isopropyl alcohol available.
Water in the compound will affect the GUM on mint stamps.
Also, some inks are fugitive in water or other solvents.

50% is about $1.50 CAD per 450ml.
70% is about $2.00 CAD per 450ml.
99% is about $3.00 CAD per 450ml.

Personally I sprang for a bottle of watermark fluid
at Ian Kimmerly's Stamp Shop on the Sparks St. mall.
I believe it cost $5.95 CAD. As I only use a few drops
at a time, it has lasted over 3 years and still going.
(an extraa $1 per year for peace of mind is worth it.)

Blair

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[Phil Diamond]

For those of you with a second hobby, such as gardening or orchids,
all that useless isopropyl alcohol that you bought for watermarks is
a good, nontoxic pesticide for aphids, scale and mealy bug. Dilute
the 30% by half with tapwater in a 450ml handspray and add a drop or
two of detergent. It smothers the beasts (but not their eggs or any
grubs, spidermite, etc) and is harmless unless you have a penchant for
petrol sniffing and spray it down your throat.

Cordially, Phil

#####################################################################
Dr Phil Diamond p...@maths.uq.edu.au
Department of Mathematics, University of Queensland, Brisbane,AUSTRALIA
4072.

TC <T...@Litterbox.com> writes:

>Frank:

>There is 50%, 70% and 99% isopropyl alcohol available.
>Water in the compound will affect the GUM on mint stamps.
>Also, some inks are fugitive in water or other solvents.

>50% is about $1.50 CAD per 450ml.
>70% is about $2.00 CAD per 450ml.
>99% is about $3.00 CAD per 450ml.

>Personally I sprang for a bottle of watermark fluid
>at Ian Kimmerly's Stamp Shop on the Sparks St. mall.
>I believe it cost $5.95 CAD. As I only use a few drops
>at a time, it has lasted over 3 years and still going.
>(an extraa $1 per year for peace of mind is worth it.)

>Blair

>-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
>http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
>-----== Over 80,000 Newsgroups - 16 Different Servers! =-----

--
###############################################################################
Dr Phil Diamond p...@maths.uq.edu.au
Department of Mathematics, University of Queensland, Brisbane,AUSTRALIA 4072.
Tel +61 7 3365 3253 Fax +61 7 3365 1477

[Frank Emanuel]

"TC" <T...@Litterbox.com> wrote in message
news:lq2jjv02s9su22p4a...@4ax.com...

> There is 50%, 70% and 99% isopropyl alcohol available.
> Water in the compound will affect the GUM on mint stamps.
> Also, some inks are fugitive in water or other solvents.
>
> 50% is about $1.50 CAD per 450ml.
> 70% is about $2.00 CAD per 450ml.
> 99% is about $3.00 CAD per 450ml.
>
> Personally I sprang for a bottle of watermark fluid
> at Ian Kimmerly's Stamp Shop on the Sparks St. mall.
> I believe it cost $5.95 CAD. As I only use a few drops
> at a time, it has lasted over 3 years and still going.
> (an extraa $1 per year for peace of mind is worth it.)

Blair,

I am on my second bottle from Ashbrook Collectables. I think it was priced
the same as Kimmerly's - I go there whenever I am downtown. It was about $11
for a small bottle. It works great and I always pour back into the bottle
what I don't use. I think with the other comments that I've gotten here that
I will stick with the unisafe fluid - but in reality the isopropyl alcohol
is really a fraction of the cost (my wife gets it at cost prices).

Frank

[Post]

As a small aside on the $11.00 watermark fluid........do not keep the fluid
in the bottle it comes in. Keep the fluid in a glass bottle. The fluid is a
chlorine based substance and has the ability to evaporate through the
plastic bottle. At $11.00 a crack one would want to preserve the fluid for
watermarking not evaporating.

[R. I. Mateles]

Watermark fluid needs to have several properties, but the most important one
is a high index of refraction. Also, it shouldn't disturb gum (if you're
into mint stamps).

Ronsonol fulfills the bill very well, provided you don't play with matches
and you have reasonable ventilation. It is not chlorinated, being a mixture
of low molecular weight hydrocarbons, and is rather non-toxic. It's cheap
and leaves no residue on the stamp and evaporates slowly enough that you
have a chance to look carefully at the watermark.

I'vbe used it for years with no problems.

Rich Mateles

"Post" <pos...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:9ns_a.746057$Vi5.17...@news1.calgary.shaw.ca...