Making Sense of Trimming

[Davenport]

The moment a comic book is given a production trim its permanent edges are considered sacred. To do a re-trim, however slight, is considered destruction. Undisclosed, it's considered the worst kind of fraud and unethical cheating. The obvious reason, the one most given, is trimming "removes a part of the book".

 

In today's hobby it can't be that simple and still make sense. Factory staples are a book-part too, yet they can be removed. As long as they're expertly replaced with vintage counterparts it's no big deal. Ditto for entire book assemblies, the very essence of comic "book". They can be completely unmade and vintage paper parts re-flattened, realigned, and refolded. It's no big deal, not even note worthy, if expertly reassembled back into a book form.

 

So what's unique about a “factory” trim that it has remained sacred, while virtually all other "as published" components have not?

 

(It's a serious question with hopes of some serious responses, so please don't derail it into another endless 'pressing' thread. thanx. )

[Count]

I think the most collectors perceive the act of trimming to have been the result of Greed. Staples are replaced to in an attempt to preserve the book (i.e. rusty staple migration).

 

 

[Count]

Anyone care to touch on pressing?

[Davenport]

Anyone care to touch on pressing?

No you didn't.

 

[alecholland]

To me it's just not a Thanksgiving dinner without all the trimmings.

[MR.COMICBOOK]

Sad that a lot of good comics were ruined by trimming. I wonder when this practice began? mid-1970`s?

[cd4ever]

Once it becomes apparent that undetectable trimming leads to higher grades and mo' money, then trimming will become accepted, and even celebrated. Trim everything you have right now, I say!!!

 

[Jeffro.]

To me it's just not a Thanksgiving dinner without all the trimmings.

 

I'm thankful for trim.

[VintageComics]

I don't believe they are ruined. That is a majority stance taken by the hobby but I disagree with that stance (go figure). I would rather have a book with a slight trim than a book with chunks added. The book is nearly 99 percent original even after a trim. That's how I look at it.

 

I do dislike a poor trim job where the book looks miscut just like a dislike a poor factory miscut though. If it's trimmed it needs to look factory original.

 

 

R.

 

 

 

[VintageComics]

Once it becomes apparent that undetectable trimming leads to higher grades and mo' money, then trimming will become accepted, and even celebrated. Trim everything you have right now, I say!!!

 

TRIMMED = THE NEW PRESSED

[DrWatson]

Once it becomes apparent that undetectable trimming leads to higher grades and mo' money, then trimming will become accepted, and even celebrated. Trim everything you have right now, I say!!!

I don't care if it is undetectable. It isn't right.

[Davenport]

Sad that a lot of good comics were ruined by trimming. I wonder when this practice began? mid-1970`s?

Trimming was considered Restoration before common sense kicked in and a re-thinking as "Destruction" took hold.

 

That's why my question. In all the recent resto re-thinking Trimming seemed to go one direction, while respect for most other vintage aspects seemed to move in the opposite direction. Must be a sensical reason.

 

[djpinkpanther67]

Oh boy...

[DrWatson]

Sad that a lot of good comics were ruined by trimming. I wonder when this practice began? mid-1970`s?

Trimming was considered Restoration before common sense kicked in and a re-thinking as "Distruction" took hold.

 

That's why my question. In all the recent resto re-thinking Trimming seemed to go one direction, while respect for most other vintage aspects seemed to move in the opposite direction. Must be a sensical reason.

 

That's an excellent post to not include pressing in the topic at hand.

[Davenport]

That's an excellent post to not include pressing in the topic at hand.

E. Gerber created their ad. Just ignore that "P" word. Push it out of you mind.

Focus on...x-acto knives.

[DrWatson]

 

Trimming has no redeeming value whatsoever. The only motivation for trimming is greed. It isn't restorative. It isn't conservative. I would rather have a book with extensive restoration work than a book that has only had edges trimmed.

 

I could expand this post to comment on pressing, but that is not the focus of this thread. So, don't any wiseasses bash me over the head with a pressing jab.

[Davenport]

 

Trimming has no redeeming value whatsoever. The only motivation for trimming is greed. It isn't restorative. It isn't conservative. I would rather have a book with extensive restoration work than a book that has only had edges trimmed.

 

I could expand this post to comment on pressing, but that is not the focus of this thread. So, don't any wiseasses bash me over the head with a pressing jab.

Thank you for restraint.

 

Going form his actions Ewert might say trimming has redeeming value...a grade bump and price hike. If expertly done.

What are the odds he was alone in his thinking?

 

 

 

 

[VintageComics]

Watson, trimming can be used simply for aesthetics as anything else can.I own restored books that also include trimming in the work done.

 

R.

 

 

[Dick Pontoon]

I have high expectations for this thread, coming at the start of a 4-day weekend for many. What will the body count come Monday be?

[alecholland]

 

Trimming has no redeeming value whatsoever. The only motivation for trimming is greed. It isn't restorative. It isn't conservative. I would rather have a book with extensive restoration work than a book that has only had edges trimmed.

 

I could expand this post to comment on pressing, but that is not the focus of this thread. So, don't any wiseasses bash me over the head with a pressing jab.

 

I'm truly not bashing you over the head here, but obviously, some people would make that exact arguement about pressing. Especially your second sentence when it comes to trying to sqeeze out an extra couple tenths of a grade. I will say no more.

 

I absolutely agree with you about trimming comic books. (thumbs u It's unscrupulous or at least in Ewert's case it was. Just my and probably not even worth that.