Cleaning covers, resto?

[Limited66]

If some kind of cleanser is used to remove dirt or stains from a book, is that restoration? Or rather is the kind of restoration that brings down the grade of a book and must be disclosed?

 

What kind of cleanser/solvent can be used to clean a comic cover without damaging the cover?

 

 

[Davenport]

My understanding is there are two types of cleaning: friction and solvent.

 

Friction methods would be considered "dry cleaning" and "not restoration" (wonder bread, soft brushes, document cleaning pads, Absorene, rubber sponges, fine ground eraser particles, vinyl erasers, etc.).

 

Solvent methods would be considered "wet cleaning" and "restoration" (water and/or various solvents.)

 

Maybe someone can speak to which solvents are used. acetone? naphtha? mek? toluene?

[Limited66]

I don't think I'll attempt to do any of this on my own books, but I was looking at a GA Adventure Comics with notations of "cover cleansed".

 

Would that typically bring the value down, or would it depend on the method as Davenport described?

[Ze-man]

Yeah a cleaned cover while asthetically more pleasing lowers the value of the book because it is restored.

 

The solvents Davenport mentioned are more used to remove tape and certain types of isolated stains or tanning. The most common method to clean a cover is water based where same as with solvents a variety of agents can be added to the water depending on what results are desired But even a simple water only wet wash will still remove sizing and other elements from a comic cover.

 

So as you can see the term "cover cleaned" can cover a wide variety of procedures and or materials used.

 

 

[FFB]

Maybe someone can speak to which solvents are used. acetone? naphtha? mek? toluene?

 

The short answer is, whatever solvent will dissolve whatever stain or foreign matter you're trying to remove (oil stains, tape/tape stains), and that won't dissolve the cover inks. There are many, many, many different solvents used in paper conservation. Most of the comic book restoration professionals I've spoken to seem to stick to a handful of them that they know will not dissolve cover inks, like water, isopropyl alcohol, naphtha, xylene, and toluene (like Kenny says, xylene and toluene are usually used to remove tape or tape stains, and naphtha will remove oil transfer stains). It's been a while and my memory is fuzzy, but I think acetone is problematic with a lot of cover inks.

 

If you're going to do any amateur experimentation, there are a few things to remember. First and foremost, with any solvent other than water, excellent ventilation and some kind of respiratory filter is extremely important. Don't mess around with solvents in a closed area like your garage or kitchen. Go outside if you have to and wear a mask that is made for use by conservators with solvents. Dust masks won't cut it.

 

Second, make sure you dry clean any surface grime before you wash a book or you'll set the surface grime into the paper fibers and it'll never come out.

[here to lern]

I realize this thread is stale, but seemed the best place to ask my question. Is dry cleaning considered resto? More importantly, does CGC consider it resto? One post here says it is not, only wet cleaning is resto. Not that I don't believe the poster, just would like some confirmation. I'm having a hard time believing that cleaning is not resto. Hopefully this isn't another case of "we don't consider it resto, because it is too difficult to detect."

[Ze-man]

To be honest with you I am not 100% sure but as I understand it CGC does not consider dry cleaning in itself resto. If done to the point there is ink loss they will downgrade for it but I am not sure if they will label it as dry cleaned specifically. I would call and ask if you have concerns.

 

It has been talked about that dry cleaning is or isn't resto because it can involve simply wiping dirt/dust off with a cloth or more invasive methods involving an eraser. Both yield results on the right book and even though wiping a books dust shadow clean with a paper towel is pretty minimal, in the end it was dry cleaned.

 

Personally I dont think dry cleaning is really resto, but should be passed along to the buyer because in some cases you can't tell for sure.

[here to lern]

To be honest with you I am not 100% sure but as I understand it CGC does not consider dry cleaning in itself resto. If done to the point there is ink loss they will downgrade for it but I am not sure if they will label it as dry cleaned specifically. I would call and ask if you have concerns.

 

It has been talked about that dry cleaning is or isn't resto because it can involve simply wiping dirt/dust off with a cloth or more invasive methods involving an eraser. Both yield results on the right book and even though wiping a books dust shadow clean with a paper towel is pretty minimal, in the end it was dry cleaned.

 

Personally I dont think dry cleaning is really resto, but should be passed along to the buyer because in some cases you can't tell for sure.

 

I can appreciate your position on disclosure. Unfortunately, if you are willing to accept dry cleaning as not being resto, then there are others who would, and not disclose. The crux is does CGC consider it resto, make an effort to detect it, and apply the PLOD! Your advice to contact CGC is spot on.

Personally, I wouldn't consider wiping the dust off with a soft cloth to be resto. Add a little Endust? How about a damp cloth? All a matter of degree. My opinion is irrelevant. How if effects the values of my books is. I saw several before/after pics on one site where books had been cracked out, cleaned/pressed and resubmitted. CGC, unaware of the work done, had bumped all with no mention of resto. As I looked at them, the question was would it have mattered if CGC had known?

While, ultimately, that answer does lie with CGC, the perception of dealers and collector's matters, too. Even ethical individuals will push the limits.

[rockman2008]

This might be a silly question, but is it too difficult (or tricky) to wash interior pages? The majority of solvent washings I've read seem to apply to covers. Do restorers avoid washing interior pages because of the high likelihood of shrinkage and damage to the newsprint paper fibers?

 

I have an early 'Tec that has a palm-sized stain (might be oil-based) soaked through half the pages. The page quality is otherwise white to off-white. It would be a real pity if this stain can't be removed. My concern is the stains will irreversibly embrittle and brown the paper. In conservation terms, say in a decade or so, the oil stain will make the paper browner and more brittle than exposed newsprint of the same age.

[Ze-man]

Not difficult at all to wash interiors compared to covers(just more time consuming, especially on a GA book), and they actually do not tend to shrink as much as a cover does.

 

And the benifits of washing out all that tanning(you should see the color of the water after you wash a heavily tanned interior) can be beneficial as long as the water is buffered, and some form of sizing added to the rinse water. But as with any paper when you wash it, it become less then it was before.

 

Now if you wash brittle pages(or ones with really worn/split spines/centerfolds) it wont do a darn bit of good, and could even ruin whats left of the interior just from the actual process of moving each wrap around, even carefully.

 

The oil based stain on your book sounds nasty, and might not totally come out. But getting even part of it out would help the paper in the long run , unless too much damage was done already and it is too late.

 

Got a photo of it?

 

 

Hope this kinda answers your questions.