The bright side of cleaning and pressing

[fantastic_four]

After a year or two of being on the fence about cleaning and pressing, I'm actually starting to think it will benefit me as a high grade collector! Here's why:

 

• The population of 9.4 and up books will increase, thereby increasing the number of people who can own them.
• Due to higher supply, prices on 9.6/9.8 books will come down a bit.
• People with a complete distaste for restoration will either stop collecting high grade altogether, or simply buy less, thereby decreasing the competitive demand for primo books.

My collection will eventually become even better than it otherwise would have...thanks go out to all the greedy cleaners and pressers out there driving up supply and decreasing demand!

[joe_collector]

You've got it all figured out, except....

 

• Moan and groan once my CGC 9.6 Clean and Pressed Beauties start reverting to their oblong warped appearance, and I can no longer display them without fear of ridicule.

[fantastic_four]

Moan and groan once my CGC 9.6 Clean and Pressed Beauties start reverting to their oblong warped appearance, and I can no longer display them without fear of ridicule.

 

What type of pressing leads to this phenomenon?

[Timely]

Moan and groan once my CGC 9.6 Clean and Pressed Beauties start reverting to their oblong warped appearance, and I can no longer display them without fear of ridicule.

 

What type of pressing leads to this phenomenon?

 

It's called the home-hacker job. Basically a newbie who will try...and fail, royally F'ing up his book as he attempts to duplicate the success of others. Keep clean/pressing to the pros guys!

 

Timely

[fantastic_four]

It's called the home-hacker job. Basically a newbie who will try...and fail, royally F'ing up his book as he attempts to duplicate the success of others. Keep clean/pressing to the pros guys!

 

I am convinced it's not the brain surgery some people are making it out to be, but I also suspect it takes a great deal of care, a moderate amount of skill, and the right equipment. I'll know whether I'm right or not in a year or two.

[blowout]

After a year or two of being on the fence about cleaning and pressing, I'm actually starting to think it will benefit me as a high grade collector!

 

There IS no bright side.

[PovertyRow]

It's called the home-hacker job. Basically a newbie who will try...and fail, royally F'ing up his book as he attempts to duplicate the success of others. Keep clean/pressing to the pros guys!

 

I am convinced it's not the brain surgery some people are making it out to be, but I also suspect it takes a great deal of care, a moderate amount of skill, and the right equipment. I'll know whether I'm right or not in a year or two.

 

To do it right a good amount of skill is really needed because, and this is not the first time I have said it, pressing (including spine roll removal which is really just a form of pressing as well) is probably the only restoration that impacts the entire book - every page and the covers and the staples. Can it be done with practice and the right equipment? You bet! But be sure to hit those 25 cent boxes for lots of practice material too!

[blowout]

But be sure to hit those 25 cent boxes for lots of practice material too!

 

Don't encourage them.

[fantastic_four]

Do you have a dry mount press? If so, what type?

[PovertyRow]

Do you have a dry mount press? If so, what type?

 

Not any more (I actually already revealed that too but was in my first couple of months) - but for the record it was a Seal Jumbo 160. One of their smaller models but absolutely the ideal size for comics - easily took a two-page spread with extra room. I got it used at a photo shop for $250 around 1987 or so.

 

And if you are gonna try a dry mount or any type of heat press release paper is an absolute MUST.

[fantastic_four]

Not any more (I actually already revealed that too but was in my first couple of months) - but for the record it was a Seal Jumbo 160. One of their smaller models but absolutely the ideal size for comics - easily took a two-page spread with extra room. I got it used at a photo shop for $250 around 1987 or so.

 

And if you are gonna try a dry mount or any type of heat press release paper is an absolute MUST.

 

Did you use that for everything, or do you use simple pressure without heat for anything? Do those dry mount presses apply humidity, or just heat? And finally, do you have any idea whether pressure without heat always leads to the wrinkles coming back as Joe was alluding to?

[PovertyRow]

Not any more (I actually already revealed that too but was in my first couple of months) - but for the record it was a Seal Jumbo 160. One of their smaller models but absolutely the ideal size for comics - easily took a two-page spread with extra room. I got it used at a photo shop for $250 around 1987 or so.

 

And if you are gonna try a dry mount or any type of heat press release paper is an absolute MUST.

 

Did you use that for everything, or do you use simple pressure without heat for anything? Do those dry mount presses apply humidity, or just heat? And finally, do you have any idea whether pressure without heat always leads to the wrinkles coming back as Joe was alluding to?

 

No, they lend no humidity at all - just dry heat from an upper metal platen - the base is kind of a cloth - think billiard table. Hunidification helps the paper fibers "relax", so to speak, and lends itself to the dry mount press. I would not humidify paper that is going into a screw-type book press (think Moe cruching Curly's head in a giant screw-type press). I would fear a mold environment being formed, mainly because the book press takes some time to complete properly.

 

Simple pressure without heat is fine to "flatten" a book. I used to have a book press as well. Used it a lot less than the Seal, though.

[lou_fine]

Moan and groan once my CGC 9.6 Clean and Pressed Beauties start reverting to their oblong warped appearance, and I can no longer display them without fear of ridicule.

 

What type of pressing leads to this phenomenon?

 

I beleive the phenomenon is call TIME. In time, everything reverts back to its normal state. If it is not done properly, the time frame is substantially shorter.

 

Buyer beware when it comes to blue label books now.

[fantastic_four]

Do you work on many books anymore? If not why--what made you sell your mount press? What's your primary interest in restoration--to improve the appearance of your own books?

[fantastic_four]

I beleive the phenomenon is call TIME. In time, everything reverts back to its normal state. If it is not done properly, the time frame is substantially shorter.

 

I can understand a poorly executed press reverting, but you seem to be inferring that ALL pressing eventually reverts. What's your basis for this opinion? I would think that it wouldn't be a tool in a professional conservationist's arsenal if it couldn't be done in a way that didn't reverse itself over time.

[PovertyRow]

Do you work on many books anymore? If not why--what made you sell your mount press? What's your primary interest in restoration--to improve the appearance of your own books?

 

I haven't done anything on books for many years. I sold my restoration equipment when I moved from Boston to San Francisco. Also sold my then collection. Bascially I was much more into 30's-50's horror/sci-fi movie posters and lobby cards then and used tghe proceeds to further that collection. Also used it for the framing materials. I frame all of my pieces myself and they are as archival and look as good as a pro framer but at literally 15-20% of the cost a pro framer would charge. (My studies in comic resto helped tremendously in my being able to archivally frame these pieces).

 

As far as my primary interest in restoration even back then except for a clean/press or removal of ink transfer stains (aka "oil stains" - that green stain appearing usually on the inside front cover) or a staple reinforcement - all of my restoration work was done for the knowledge of it. To learn how to detect, to see the various effects of various processes etc. Probably 90% simple research. Man, though, it was fun to do. I would have dozens of junk books from different ages and just try anything and everything on them to see the effect. I remember once trying to "make" filler paper by using a food blender and blending varfious combinations of distilled water, methyl cellulose, archival glue and chopped up pieces of comic book interior pages - well it didnlt work but I remember talking to one old time restrorer who started laughing and said they tried the exact same thing and got the exact same results. But it was fun!

[uclapeterg]

EXACTLY.

 

After a year or two of being on the fence about cleaning and pressing, I'm actually starting to think it will benefit me as a high grade collector!

 

There IS no bright side.

[fantastic_four]

EXACTLY.

 

Does that mean you and Blowout will be amongst the high grade guys who bail out due to a total distaste for restoration? If not, how will you manage to live with the fact that any book you buy could have been cleaned and/or pressed?

[THE_BEYONDER]

EXACTLY.

 

Does that mean you and Blowout will be amongst the high grade guys who bail out due to a total distaste for restoration? If not, how will you manage to live with the fact that any book you buy could have been cleaned and/or pressed?

 

I've already stopped buying slabs .....

[fantastic_four]

I've already stopped buying slabs .....

 

Not an option for me--the risk of restoration types other than cleaning and pressing is too great on the books I buy. I can't remember what you collect, but if it's non-key Bronze or Modern, then restoration of any kind is a tiny risk on those books, raw or slabbed.