Complete Restoration Experiments

[Comicdey]

I have an avengers 3 missing back cover beater that would be a lot more work.

 

I guess I might be able to find a similar back cover to the original...

 

the coverless copy is actually not too bad...Creme to OW pages

[Hero Restoration]

I am really on the fence when it comes to missing back covers. Not that excited about a marraige. Do I destroy another book with the right cover ? Do I try to leaf cast a whole half cover then recreate the ink? Then there is the recreate a cover which is the easiest but also my least liked option since it isn't real. If a low value donor book had the exact right back cover that would be my 1st choice.

[Mac Man]

Can't wait til you guys see the work he's done so far on my Avengers 1. It was a real POS and it's exciting to see where it is already.

[Ze-man]

Before

 

After

 

 

 

Regarding your work Mike, well my initial thought is obviously "too much!!" But I know once you start it's hard to stop. And since you went ahead and tried your hand at everything in the name of practice I view everything as a work in progress and hope you don't mind a few comments.

 

I think Scott was correct though, you probably should have just casted the book and left it as is. The cover was simply too far gone to expect anything but freaky looking results so I would not beat yourself up over all the things that went wrong along the way, it's how one learns what NOT to do the next time.

 

The casting looks great as far as I can tell, I know scans don't show much as far as paper thickness, flexibility, hand feel etc... But overall it's a BC again, with a spine!

 

The BC whites, as you now know it takes more then just plain white paint to try and mimic the appearance of worn, aged cover stock. What might have started out as white when it was first printed takes on a hue all it's own after decades of aging. So go out and buy as many different shades of white you can find. Practice mixing up variations until you get rid of that "bone white" look. This can even involve adding a myriad of colors depending on what shade of off white you are trying to match. It isn't rocket science, but it isn't easy either.

 

If anything be patient and do not settle on a color even if it looks close. You will find it all too easy to convince yourself that a color looks "good enough" simply because you are tired of mixing paint. Even if you have to scrap an entire batch, and start over. Do it. And always mix more then you need. Always.

 

I can see you have some over spray issues, rounded corners, as well as a too heavy black line but all that should tighten up with practice.

 

That said, some of CT on the interior advertisement of the BC looks pretty decent. But why did you leave the black dot on the h?

 

And you should look into wet washing interiors so they do not stand out so much. Nothing worse then badly tanned interior pages next to a white cover.

 

I will break down the FC later if you wanna hear it.

 

[Hero Restoration]

 

Regarding your work Mike, well my initial thought is obviously "too much!!" But I know once you start it's hard to stop. And since you went ahead and tried your hand at everything in the name of practice I view everything as a work in progress and hope you don't mind a few comments.

 

I think Scott was correct though, you probably should have just casted the book and left it as is. The cover was simply too far gone to expect anything but freaky looking results so I would not beat yourself up over all the things that went wrong along the way, it's how one learns what NOT to do the next time.

 

The casting looks great as far as I can tell, I know scans don't show much as far as paper thickness, flexibility, hand feel etc... But overall it's a BC again, with a spine!

 

The BC whites, as you now know it takes more then just plain white paint to try and mimic the appearance of worn, aged cover stock. What might have started out as white when it was first printed takes on a hue all it's own after decades of aging. So go out and buy as many different shades of white you can find. Practice mixing up variations until you get rid of that "bone white" look. This can even involve adding a myriad of colors depending on what shade of off white you are trying to match. It isn't rocket science, but it isn't easy either.

 

If anything be patient and do not settle on a color even if it looks close. You will find it all too easy to convince yourself that a color looks "good enough" simply because you are tired of mixing paint. Even if you have to scrap an entire batch, and start over. Do it. And always mix more then you need. Always.

 

I can see you have some over spray issues, rounded corners, as well as a too heavy black line but all that should tighten up with practice.

 

That said, some of CT on the interior advertisement of the BC looks pretty decent. But why did you leave the black dot on the h?

 

And you should look into wet washing interiors so they do not stand out so much. Nothing worse then badly tanned interior pages next to a white cover.

 

I will break down the FC later if you wanna hear it.

 

Sure, bring it on Kenny. That’s funny what you said about mixing paint because I am so there. You spend an hour mixing paint for 10 min of painting. This was a book of allot of 1st and I was so involved in just prepping for air brushing that off-white wasn't a priority. Probably for the best since my off-white at the time was missing a 3rd color in the mixture. Rest assured I am planning on closing that gap.

 

Overspray.... I am getting better but still lack the perfect stencil substrate.

 

 

Too much I know but I use the excuse it's a practice book so I can get in as much CT practice possible and as you know I need allot. I do have a problem finding a stopping point in an effort to improve eye appeal. I am almost as bad as a crack addict. How does that song go? I use to do a little until a little wouldn't do it so a little became more and more ?

 

I am glad you like the casting because that is what I am most proud of. Taking to separate pieces with allot the spine and allot of the edge’s missing and making it whole and complete again was super fun for me. (minus the will never make that mistake again “N” mishap )

 

Thanks for your insight, painful or not.

 

[Hero Restoration]

[font:Comic Sans MS] [/font] Book#14 Restored or un-restored, That is the question

 

Hi all, I am still a wreck from having to move but I am slowly getting my systems back in place and I was able to get my organic solvent cleaning setup again. This system consisted of my suction table, a device which allows me to pull solvent through the paper and my fume hood which allows me to work with solvent tubs without poisoning myself.

 

This book as far as jobs goes was relatively straight forward with not to much different work to do on it and I thought I would do it first even though I have much bigger projects waiting. Don’t get me wrong, removing tape of this size without damaging the comic takes a while. Pulling tape stain out of a cover on the suction table is slow tidiest work. I spent about a hour and a half just removing the tape and adhesive. I spent about 3 hours working on the stain.

 

There are 2 things I want to point out with this particular book. 1st and most important is that I wanted to show you all I can say when it’s time to stop and do no more. There are allot of conserve only books I don’t show because well, there isn’t much to wow you with. I do try to look at each book and try to decide how much work would be best for it but I am still working that thinking out.

 

2nd is I wonder if this book would be considered restored and get a purple label or un-restored and get a blue label. I only did 3 things to this book. 1st I dry cleaned it, then I removed the tape, and finally a pressing. I did have to disassemble the book to do the tape but I have included photos that show before and after of the staple placement.

 

I was able to pull most of the tape stain out but not all. The spine is somewhat fragile where there is what I can only describe as a hinge crease all the way down that has thinned the paper so I didn't want to beat on it too hard. I managed to remove the tape with very minimal damage which was a relief because I didn’t want to have to add repairs the list of work done. Comic book restoration is a for the most part a stress reliever for me except when I am removing tape. Every little 1/16 of an inch of pull I remove worries me that at any minute ink or paper could start to pull off and force more repairs to be done.

 

Sorry I didn’t take a bunch of photos during the tape process. I will do that on the next on.

 

 

BEFORE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFTER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BEFORE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFTER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BEFORE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFTER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BEFORE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFTER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you have enjoyed my presentation.

[faster friends]

[Warlord]

That's a lot of tape, great tape removal!

 

BTW, very cool book too!

[JEFF.ZEMKE]

Great tape removal.

 

I know each type of tape is different, but what is your favorite tape removal fluid?

[Hero Restoration]

Thank you all for the positive feedback. I really do feel I am doing comic books with tape on them a great service by removing it.

 

JZrarities, I don't have a favorite solvent yet. I haven't been removing tape that long and I am still experimenting. Each era responds differently and I general use more than one solvent on every book. It also depends on the tape and where the tape is on the book. I am experimenting mostly with raw solvents, not the ones you buy under names like UNDO. In fact, I tried UNDO and while the tape came of it left scars to the inks underneath the tape. Allot of times your hands are tied since Comic cover paper and ink are very sensitive and won't tolorate aggresive proceedures.

[JEFF.ZEMKE]

Mike, I'm just looking for a place to start...I have a couple of low grade books with tape that I would like to remove. They are no big deal if I damage them, and I will take my time, but just don't know what to start with. They are 1970s books with take from the same era...

 

I remember my stamp collecting days, and 'stamp lift' for breaking down the gum, but I don't have any, and that probably wouldn't work anyway.

 

Should I start with acetone? Can you give me some 'start here' solvents and work up?

 

Much appreciated.

[Hero Restoration]

Mike, I'm just looking for a place to start...I have a couple of low grade books with tape that I would like to remove. They are no big deal if I damage them, and I will take my time, but just don't know what to start with. They are 1970s books with take from the same era...

 

I remember my stamp collecting days, and 'stamp lift' for breaking down the gum, but I don't have any, and that probably wouldn't work anyway.

 

Should I start with acetone? Can you give me some 'start here' solvents and work up?

 

Much appreciated.

 

You don't want to use Acetone. Acetone will fade and bleed the colors. Sometimes the change is subtle but take a before and after scan and you will see it. Xylene and Toluene are the most common and can be bought at your local hardware store. Please us a charcoal respirator while working with these solvents to avoid neurological damage.

[JEFF.ZEMKE]

Thanks Mike. I will definitely use a respirator.

Don't know if that will reverse my current dain bramage...

[the blob]

interesting thread. i have some massively spine rolled dells I'd love to flatten out. they were dollar box books and I owuld like to make them $2 box books. i feel like i'd probably need to take them apart to do this, but it would be an interesting project. is there a link for us to see how one could do this? i see someone suggested heating up ceramic tiles, but that sounds tricky....

[Hero Restoration]

interesting thread. i have some massively spine rolled dells I'd love to flatten out. they were dollar box books and I owuld like to make them $2 box books. i feel like i'd probably need to take them apart to do this, but it would be an interesting project. is there a link for us to see how one could do this? i see someone suggested heating up ceramic tiles, but that sounds tricky....

 

Boy that would be nice if there were a spine roll how to out there but I don't believe there is. I have been working on spine rolls quite a bit recently and I can tell you it is the hardest pressing task IMO. Getting it back to near where the spine should be isn't too hard but making it look like it never was from the bottom or top angle is. It is easy to make a spine roll disappear if you are just looking at a front scan. Also, when you roll it back aligning it straight isn't so easy plus it may have never been straight from the printer’s which makes things harder. Then the back half of the book as been bent so long it's hard to get it from not having some wave or not lay flat. The bigger the roll, the harder it is erasing it 100%. I have been waiting till I get the perfect one an then I will be ready to post my progression from the start as I took before and after pictures of every spine. It is a two step process to remove a spine roll. You have to work it by hand first with a tack iron and then in the press. And no, clay tiles is not going to work, or at least anywhere near a real press.

 

Tune in soon as I unveil my next extensive restore experiment on a very low grade detached and split cover Avengers #1 owned by Forrest (Mac Man).

 

[Hero Restoration]

Book #15

 

Another can’t find a stopping point extensive restore.

 

So I was talking with MacMan (Forrest) about restoration and he asked me if I would work on this book here.

 

 

And this is how I replied.

 

 

He asked if that meant I wouldn’t work on it. Well I was hesitant that’s for sure. It is in really bad shape and the inks were a wreck. I warned him that it needed allot of work and I was not sure if the end result would be that great considering my current experience but he decided to go ahead and see what I could do for it. I decided that I was going to try my best to give it the highest eye appeal I could give it.

 

After the book came in I opened it up, inspected it and made some notes.

 

 

 

 

As you can see from this photo the cover is completely detached and almost completely split spine with just the spine above the top staple holding it together so I got this book just in time I think. At first glance the inside of the cover doesn’t look too bad but the paper is pretty dark with oils and acid and the missing paper caused edge’s to show up more later after the leaf casting. I will get back to those issues later in this post.

 

The first order of business is usually a dry cleaning but this cover didn’t really need it and was really too frail to endure to stress dry cleaning puts on a cover. Yes, the cover is very frail with brittleness and the coating cracking and chipping off.

Next this for me to do is organic solvent cleaning and here is a half before half after to show the results of that.

 

 

Organic solvents are like Xylene, Toluene and Acetone but Acetone is not a good one to use for whole cover cleaning. I did some experiments with Acetone when I first started restoration but although the cleaning power was awesome the inks didn’t fair so well. Acetone will bleach the colors so bad that blue’s look like green and reds will look pink or really faded. What specific solvent I used for the results I get now I can’t specify but it is not over the counter stuff and not cheap. Now it may have the appearance of lightening the colors but it is really just removing age and can be verified by the red inks staying virtual the same afterwards. Like any process though, if I soak it to long it could become a problem and so there is still a limit to the exposure it gets from the solvent.

 

Now that the cover is much cleaner we can take a closer look at the inside of the cover.

 

 

Oh my, that is some really bad cracking going on there isn’t it? I thought to myself, what can I do about that and why was it like that. Unlike the main publishers in the Golden Age, Silver Age covers were made out of really thin paper and then to give it a nice shine and some rigidity they added a kaolin clay coating to both side of the paper. There are to big downsides to the clay I have noticed so far. First is it seemed to be more prone to tanning than Golden Age paper. The other is the clay can crack or flake off leaving some very ugly paper. I noticed this a while back and have been thinking of a way to recreate how the paper was originally made and reintroduce clay back onto the paper. I will get into that subject deeper further in the post. For now, it’s time to wash the cover in water to prep it for leaf casting.

 

 

 

When I first started to experiment with washing I used tap water and the water quality as far as turbidity is concerned was pretty good. I knew though sooner or later I would have to go to distilled water if I wanted professional results and when I moved and saw the quality of the water at my new house I knew it was time. The problem with distilled water is it is very acidic and so that meant I would have to prep the water first before I could use it on the paper. Calcium Carbonate is the most common way I know to raise the PH of the water to around 8-9. Fun stuff, well not really but if that’s what I have to do than so be it.

 

 

 

Ok, so as you can see I decided to leaf cast the cover from the front. My logic was that if I could match the paper color on the back cover right and the paper blends in on the side it is casted then I wouldn’t have to worry about CT’ing the paper to match. I am not comfortable CT’ing the white on a back cover that has text with no border to separate it. The downside to my plan was the casted paper on the front bottom edge. The new paper covered inks that were in ok condition and that now meant I was going to have to try and CT a area that has difficult dot halftone patterns. I’m sorry but it is hard for me to stop here and leave it just conserved but still looking like . I so desire to make the book look the best it can and hope this book is the one where I will succeed.

Now for the idea I had for the clay. Here is what the paper looked like after the casting.

 

 

You can see how bad it looks. You can also see a test spot I did with pure white clay. I did a little experimenting with color on some donor paper and soon discovered the color was much different wet then when it was dry which is going to make matching the paper color even more difficult.

 

 

 

 

What you see here is a before, during and after scan. In the middle of the picture you can see how the wet top and bottom are much darker than the dry middle. After it was completely dry it was apparent to me I did not have the color matched right. It wasn’t so much too dark or too light but it just seemed like the tint was off. I did some research and found out that instead of mixing two colors I had to mix three! Ugggg, as if it wasn’t hard enough but rather than get discouraged I trying some more along the edge’s to see if I could get it closer.

 

 

Truth is I don’t know how the clay will hold up over time especially if the book is going to get used some. I know what you car buffs are thinking. When auto paint is cracked you need to strip the paint off or sooner or later cracks will start to come back. Since I can’t or wouldn’t want to strip the old clay off maybe this book wasn’t the best candidate for such things but it looks like it might at least be better off for the experience considering what it looked like before. I can’t apply it like the original was applied simple because the paper is already made and there is ink on it. I am working on trying to simulate it as closely as possible and expect it to be useful in some case’s but not for a overall disaster like this cover. I talked to a few people who say no one else is doing this type of restoration right now but I can’t tell if that’s a good or bad thing yet. Since Golden Age is more popular for restoration apparently the subject just hasn’t come up enough for it to become an integrated process of restoring a cover. So far testing shows me that it is flexible but when creased will crack and old tears along the cover are easier to crease when you bend the cover back. I will say this though; I feel the new clay really helped strengthen the paper especially along the spine.

 

Before we get the Color touch (you probably peeked already) I wanted to let you know about the staples. Here is what the originals looked like.

 

 

 

As you can see they are completely rusted so I did my best to remove the rust using an acid based solvent. T they are still in bad shape and pitted from the corrosion.

 

 

It was decided after I got some advice on the issue to go ahead and replace them with vintage ones in better condition. These below were found from a book just 2 years newer.

 

 

Ok, so for the grand finally. Here is the front after CT.

 

 

I tried my best to fix all the areas that looked wore and allot of it went well I think. Definitely an improvement over the X-men #4 but a long way still from looking high grade and unrestored.

The main disappointment which I knew was going to happen was the bottom edge and if I could do it over I would have casted the paper from the inside on the front cover to avoid having to CT that bottom edge in the first place.

 

 

On the back I tried to hold back some on the CT and had hoped the casted papers natural color would blend in and it does somewhat but is still obvious where the new paper is casted and I will most likely have to focus more on CT’ing the paper rather than looking for the right shade/aged paper to match.

 

 

I can’t tell for sure but I might have taken this picture before the staples were put in.

 

 

I took this angle shot just so you could see how it lays.

 

I tried to make a bigger effort on this book to explain to you in more detail about the work and hope you found the information interesting. I am always open to input positive and negative as I am still trying to match peoples expectations of the results desired. I spent approximately 18 hours doing this book including most of the prep/cleanup over a 3 month period.

 

[comicdonna]

Great job, Mike!

[Hero Restoration]

Book 16

 

Saving a price variant.

 

Rawhide #140 35 cent price variant owned by SheildAgent (Harry)

 

 

So the obvious problem with this book is the missing UPC. I never asked why he wanted this fixed as opposed to replacing the book because I am always all to happy to do it for him regardless. He had another copy with the 30 cent copy and wanted the UPC from the 30 cent put onto the 35 cent copy. I checked Comics.org and looked up both books to make sure the numbers on the UPC were an exact match and sure enough they were.

I figured since we were going to replace the UPC we might as well deal with it’s other issue’s.

It has a decent spine roll going on and some good size spine tears at the staples.

You can see inside had some tanning going on and I thought it would be a good idea to wash it as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This shows a missing piece on the back cover that was filled in with leaf casting.

 

 

 

This is how it came out after washing, leaf casting that small spot on back cover, gluing the UPC on, repairing the staple tears, some minor color touch and pressing out the spine roll.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not as much detail covered as the book before this one but not much new to really elaborate on.

Thanks for checking it out, I can't believe this thread has hit over 16,000 views.

 

[Warlord]

 

Organic solvents are like Xylene, Toluene and Acetone but Acetone is not a good one to use for whole cover cleaning. I did some experiments with Acetone when I first started restoration but although the cleaning power was awesome the inks didn’t fair so well. Acetone will bleach the colors so bad that blue’s look like green and reds will look pink or really faded. What specific solvent I used for the results I get now I can’t specify but it is not over the counter stuff and not cheap. Now it may have the appearance of lightening the colors but it is really just removing age and can be verified by the red inks staying virtual the same afterwards. Like any process though, if I soak it to long it could become a problem and so there is still a limit to the exposure it gets from the solvent.

 

 

Nice! Looking at your side-by-side shots I have to say that the solvents you are using don't appear to be making any lightening of the red colors. Just saying I agree with your conclusion.

[Warlord]

Not as much detail covered as the book before this one but not much new to really elaborate on.

 

 

Could you share some closeup pics of the piece replacement area???