Archival Glue Remover Recommendation
Michael Reich
I'm in the process of trying to salvage an old scrapbook about our
school district. The oldest items in it date back to the early
1950s and it includes photos, newspaper clippings, and mimeograph
programs and letters. All these things were glued into an oversize
scrapbook which is not archival paper, so I want to remove them and
mount them on acid-free paper in acid-free clear page protectors.
Some of the items were stapled in, so they're easy to remove. The
items that are glued are proving to be much more difficult.
I tried some glue releaser (called "Un-Du") that I bought from a
local Archiver's store, but it doesn't work on whatever glue was
used in this book. Un-Du is supposed to release the bond and then
evaporate without damaging the item, but it's label says it's not
"effective" on water-based glues. I don't know what was used in
this book, but it could very well have been water-based like school
glues from 20-30 years ago.
Does anyone have a source they can recommend for a product that
would soften or otherwise release this glue?
Michael Reich <mare...@yahoo.com>
PopUl...@hotmail.com
I had the same problem with a photo album from my mother's estate.
I couldn't get the glue to release with whatever it was I was using
-- so -- I cut one photo out of the page, dropped it into a dish of
water and let it soak. In an hour or so, the old glue released. I
put the photo between two towels to dry it and the process worked
fine.
After that test, I put whole album pages in a tub of water and
photos started floating free.
Of course, if you're working with material that is NOT photos, this
won't work.
Wes Groleau
Michael Reich wrote:
> Does anyone have a source they can recommend for a product that
> would soften or otherwise release this glue?
Try putting a page in a high-humidity environment (not high enough
to damage the items) for a day, just to see whether it helps.
--
Wes Groleau
Some schools are cutting back on homework =E2=80=A6
http://Ideas.Lang-Learn.us/russell?itemid=3D1508
Wes Groleau <Grolea...@FreeShell.org>
Ian Goddard
If it's water-based why not try simply moistening a sample area?
--
Ian
The Hotmail address is my spam-bin. Real mail address is iang
at austonley org uk
Ian Goddard <godd...@hotmail.co.uk>
Wes Groleau
> I had the same problem with a photo album from my mother's estate.
> I couldn't get the glue to release with whatever it was I was using
> -- so -- I cut one photo out of the page, dropped it into a dish of
> water and let it soak. In an hour or so, the old glue released. I
> put the photo between two towels to dry it and the process worked
> fine.
>
Caution: I have had photos damaged by water. Apparently some
processes put some kind of water-based sealant on the print,
--
Wes Groleau
Methods meddling by amateurs
http://Ideas.Lang-Learn.us/WWW?itemid=889
Wes Groleau <Grolea...@FreeShell.org>
Wes Groleau
> I'm in the process of trying to salvage an old scrapbook about our
> school district. The oldest items in it date back to the early
> 1950s and it includes photos, newspaper clippings, and mimeograph
> programs and letters. All these things were glued into an oversize
> scrapbook which is not archival paper, so I want to remove them and
> mount them on acid-free paper in acid-free clear page protectors.
> Some of the items were stapled in, so they're easy to remove. The
> items that are glued are proving to be much more difficult.
>
Digitize everything at high-resolution. Store that.
Then have an expert tackle the physical issues while you try image
enhancement techniques as appropriate on a copy.
Michael Reich
> I couldn't get the glue to release with whatever it was I was using
> -- so -- I cut one photo out of the page, dropped it into a dish of
> water and let it soak. In an hour or so, the old glue released. I
> put the photo between two towels to dry it and the process worked
> fine.
>
> photos started floating free.
>
> Of course, if you're working with material that is NOT photos, this
> won't work.
>
> PopUl...@hotmail.com
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I'm going to try the water
bath method on some photos to see if that will work. A lot of the
material is newspaper clippings, so I'm still stumped on how to get
them free of the pages. BTW, the pages are very large and many
have items glued on both sides (so I can't cut the pages), so I
don't see a good way to fit it into a freezer to see if that would
"break" the glue bond.
Michael Reich <mare...@yahoo.com>
Michael Reich
>
Hello Ian:
I guess I assumed that getting old newsprint wet wasn't a good idea.
Has anyone any experience with wetting newsprint without wrecking
it?
Michael Reich <mare...@yahoo.com>
Mary K. Mannix
If you are not a conservator, it is sometimes worse to remove items
like this. You do more damage in the removal. If you are not a
conservator, and you can not reverse what you are doing, it is often
best just to leave it be. Make some type of service copy and put
the original in a nice acid free box in a controlled environment,
before doing anything else call NEDCC.
Mary M.
--
Mary K. Mannix
Maryland Room Manager
C. Burr Artz Public Library
Frederick County Public Libraries
Frederick, MD
"Mary K. Mannix" <mkma...@gmail.com>
Wes Groleau
> Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I'm going to try the water
> bath method on some photos to see if that will work. A lot of the
>
> Michael Reich
First, put a drop of water on the corner of the photo (image-side)
and see whether the coating turns to slime.
--
Wes Groleau
Promote multi-use trails in northeast Indiana!
http://www.NorthwestAllenTrails.org/
Wes Groleau <Grolea...@FreeShell.org>
singhals
Michael Reich wrote:
> > I had the same problem with a photo album from my mother's estate.
> > I couldn't get the glue to release with whatever it was I was using
> > -- so -- I cut one photo out of the page, dropped it into a dish of
> > water and let it soak. In an hour or so, the old glue released. I
> > put the photo between two towels to dry it and the process worked
> > fine.
> >
> > After that test, I put whole album pages in a tub of water and
> > photos started floating free.
> >
> > Of course, if you're working with material that is NOT photos, this
> > won't work.
> >
> > PopUl...@hotmail.com
>
> Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I'm going to try the water
> bath method on some photos to see if that will work. A lot of the
> material is newspaper clippings, so I'm still stumped on how to get
> them free of the pages. BTW, the pages are very large and many
> have items glued on both sides (so I can't cut the pages), so I
> don't see a good way to fit it into a freezer to see if that would
> "break" the glue bond.
Large pages -- Assuming you're talking LARGE as in, will have a
margin around all four sides of the New York Times ...
what kind of paper are we talking about? The sort known as "art
paper" or "construction paper" both of which are a textured surface,
or something else with a slick surface?
Is it onion-skin thin?
If it's art paper and not thin, it can be pulled (ever so carefully
--CAREFULLY, I said!) apart, leaving you with a half-thickness paper
on each side. Try the technique on something you don't give a hoot
about first, though, as I'm told not everyone can do this.
If you decide not to risk that, cut one of the large sheets from the
album from the album, and starting at a narrow end roll it up; tie
together gently -- knitting yarn is nice and soft and give-y. These
go kitty-corner into most deep freezers over 18 cf...especially if
the door tray is also empty.
If the newspaper is older than 1950 ... you might risk a tiny tiny
drop of water on an item you don't care passionately about. Most
pre-1950 papers will be printed with real ink, which won't dissolve
when damp. This makes the use of a steam iron possible. I wouldn't
immerse the pages, because newsprint is extremely porous (as anyone
who has ever picked a wet one out of the gutter knows) and it may
well dissolve before the ink does.
HTH
Cheryl
singhals <sing...@erols.com>
Ian Goddard
>>> I'm in the process of trying to salvage an old scrapbook about our
>>> school district. The oldest items in it date back to the early
>>> 1950s and it includes photos, newspaper clippings, and mimeograph
>>> programs and letters. All these things were glued into an oversize
>>> scrapbook which is not archival paper, so I want to remove them and
>>> mount them on acid-free paper in acid-free clear page protectors.
>>> Some of the items were stapled in, so they're easy to remove. The
>>> items that are glued are proving to be much more difficult.
>>>
>>> I tried some glue releaser (called "Un-Du") that I bought from a
>>> local Archiver's store, but it doesn't work on whatever glue was
>>> used in this book. Un-Du is supposed to release the bond and then
>>> evaporate without damaging the item, but it's label says it's not
>>> "effective" on water-based glues. I don't know what was used in
>>> this book, but it could very well have been water-based like school
>>> glues from 20-30 years ago.
>>>
>>> Does anyone have a source they can recommend for a product that
>>> would soften or otherwise release this glue?
>>>
>>> Michael Reich
>> If it's water-based why not try simply moistening a sample area?
>>
>> Ian Goddard
>
> Has anyone any experience with wetting newsprint without wrecking
> it?
>
> Michael Reich
According to your OP only some of the material is newsprint. For
the newsprint you could try a bit of lateral thinking - such as
advertising in your community to see if anyone else has copies of
those particular articles which they'd be willing to give you.
singhals
> > Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I'm going to try the water
> > bath method on some photos to see if that will work. A lot of the
> >
> > Michael Reich
>
> First, put a drop of water on the corner of the photo (image-side)
> and see whether the coating turns to slime.
>
Now, Wes, give him Step 2 and 3:
2. If it turns to slime, leave the page open until it dries up
again.
3. If it doesn't turn to slime, test whatever's on the other side
of the page before you soak this side of the page.
Be surprised how often someone manages to glue water-soluble on the
same page as acetone-soluble so you can ruin two bits turn by turn!
:(
Cheryl
singhals <sing...@erols.com>