Rust inhibitor chips for protecting staples

[Brian48]

The other post about keeping comic books in gun safes got me thinking. I've used rust inhibitor chips in the past for storage of misc small parts. It occurred to me the other night while I was shuffling things around in my safe that I could also use these for my books. I think most of us keep our slabs in poly bags to guard against surface scratches. This is perfect for keeping in rust inhibiting vapor.

 

Anyway, if some of you keep your slabs in a heavy safe like me, this is cheap, added protection in addition to any dehumidifiers you might be using. They last a long time too, especially if kept in a poly bags with a minimal seal.

 

 

I got mine from midwayusa, but you can get these from almost any online boating or sporting goods store.

[whisp]

I don't understand how these would work thru a slab plus the inner well. Wouldn't they need to be touching the metal staples themselves to work?

[Brian48]

No. It does not need to touch the stables. It's not the cardboard chip itself that provides the protection, but rather the vapor that it emits. The slab and inner seal is not air tight. It's this vapor that inhibits the corrosion. When kept in a bag, the vapor essentially replaces the air.

 

You can Google "Tipton Rust Inhibitor Chips" for more details.

[Dr. Balls]

Nice tip!

[whisp]

Alright I tried to get some more info on this and what I am wondering now is what are the chemicals.

 

Reason I ask is:

 

1) States on the website where you got them from "1 chip protects 20 cubic inches of volume for 1 year in an airtight container".

2) Comics need to off gas so you can't put them in an airtight container so what effect would the chemicals have on a) the off gassing effect and b) the comic paper itself?

 

Not trying to give you a hard time and just curious.

[Brian48]

1) States on the website where you got them from "1 chip protects 20 cubic inches of volume for 1 year in an airtight container".

2) Comics need to off gas so you can't put them in an airtight container so what effect would the chemicals have on a) the off gassing effect and b) the comic paper itself?

 

That's what I meant by minimal seal. Do NOT seal up your books at all. Just drop them in the same bag that you have the slab in. It will obviously not last a full year as per the advertisement, but they're cheap enough that you can just replace them every few months or so. In the mean time, it should still offer some protection while allowing the paper to gas naturally. The paper should be fine as there is no chemical bond between it and the vapor.

[InvstmntComcSuply]

1) States on the website where you got them from "1 chip protects 20 cubic inches of volume for 1 year in an airtight container".

2) Comics need to off gas so you can't put them in an airtight container so what effect would the chemicals have on a) the off gassing effect and b) the comic paper itself?

 

That's what I meant by minimal seal. Do NOT seal up your books at all. Just drop them in the same bag that you have the slab in. It will obviously not last a full year as per the advertisement, but they're cheap enough that you can just replace them every few months or so. In the mean time, it should still offer some protection while allowing the paper to gas naturally. The paper should be fine as there is no chemical bond between it and the vapor.

 

I would not assume that whatever the chip is offgassing would be perfectly safe for delicately aged, fairly acidic, newsprint that we expect to maintain the full vibrancy of color, smell and tactile characteristics that it had the day we aquired it. Keep in mind that advertisers who say "No noticeable effect" have never met comic collectors.

 

Before I used this on any high value collectible I would test it on a cheap facsimile. For comics I would place a chip inside the cover where it will contact both the newsprint and the cover stock. Let it sit for a year and see if there is any discoloration to the paper or staples.

 

 

[ForlornOutcast]

What chemical do these offgas?

[Brian48]

 

I would not assume that whatever the chip is offgassing would be perfectly safe for delicately aged, fairly acidic, newsprint that we expect to maintain the full vibrancy of color, smell and tactile characteristics that it had the day we aquired it. Keep in mind that advertisers who say "No noticeable effect" have never met comic collectors.

 

 

 

True. I don't disagree that there has ever been any conclusive testing done whether newsprint is negatively affected by Volatile Corrosion Inhibitors (VCI). I'm not sure there has ever been a need too. What I can say is that the use of VCIs in rust prevention is a proven, clean, and effective approach for decades. You are probably using one form of VCI or another right now and don't even know it. We use and see it every day in the form of packaging wrap, drawer liners, some corrugated boxes, etc..

 

Speaking for myself, I've been using a much stronger form of emitter in my gunsafe for years (this product ), which houses only a few firearms and mostly packed with vintage sports cards and newspapers/sports sections of major sporting events. I haven't noticed any affect on paper at all, and I assume newspaper stock is just as fragile as vintage comics. In fact, even the paper that the VCI is emitting from looks incredibly preserved after years (I keep the brown VCI wrapping paper that comes packed with my gun's original cardboard box to preserve the originality in case of resale).

 

In any case, if you're keeping the slabs in a gun or fire safe like some of us are (a topic of another discussion), I think the threat of humidity to the staples is probably the more immediate concern. This is only a suggestion.

 

 

Before I used this on any high value collectible I would test it on a cheap facsimile. For comics I would place a chip inside the cover where it will contact both the newsprint and the cover stock. Let it sit for a year and see if there is any discoloration to the paper or staples.

 

 

I'm not sure what this fascimile test would prove other than preventing the vapor from doing what it's suppose to do. In the application I've described, the treated paper chip would never even come close to contacting with the book. Main reason for me trying this in the first place is that I've started using plastic bags keep the slabs from getting scratched and feel not enough of the vapor from the other product is getting through.

 

 

[InvstmntComcSuply]

 

I would not assume that whatever the chip is offgassing would be perfectly safe for delicately aged, fairly acidic, newsprint that we expect to maintain the full vibrancy of color, smell and tactile characteristics that it had the day we aquired it. Keep in mind that advertisers who say "No noticeable effect" have never met comic collectors.

 

 

 

True. I don't disagree that there has ever been any conclusive testing done whether newsprint is negatively affected by Volatile Corrosion Inhibitors (VCI). I'm not sure there has ever been a need too. What I can say is that the use of VCIs in rust prevention is a proven, clean, and effective approach for decades. You are probably using one form of VCI or another right now and don't even know it. We use and see it every day in the form of packaging wrap, drawer liners, some corrugated boxes, etc..

 

Speaking for myself, I've been using a much stronger form of emitter in my gunsafe for years (this product ), which houses only a few firearms and mostly packed with vintage sports cards and newspapers/sports sections of major sporting events. I haven't noticed any affect on paper at all, and I assume newspaper stock is just as fragile as vintage comics. In fact, even the paper that the VCI is emitting from looks incredibly preserved after years (I keep the brown VCI wrapping paper that comes packed with my gun's original cardboard box to preserve the originality in case of resale).

 

In any case, if you're keeping the slabs in a gun or fire safe like some of us are (a topic of another discussion), I think the threat of humidity to the staples is probably the more immediate concern. This is only a suggestion.

 

 

Before I used this on any high value collectible I would test it on a cheap facsimile. For comics I would place a chip inside the cover where it will contact both the newsprint and the cover stock. Let it sit for a year and see if there is any discoloration to the paper or staples.

 

 

I'm not sure what this fascimile test would prove other than preventing the vapor from doing what it's suppose to do. In the application I've described, the treated paper chip would never even come close to contacting with the book. Main reason for me trying this in the first place is that I've started using plastic bags keep the slabs from getting scratched and feel not enough of the vapor from the other product is getting through.

 

 

Newsprint = vintage comics

 

From the sound of it, the product appears to be the standard for rust prevention. But I would like to know how the same offgassing/vapor emmission that fills/saturates the confined space and thereby protects guns, tools, fishing lures and other metal objects; affects comics.

 

The test with a reader book is primarily to determine if whatever is in the chips discolors or otherwise damages the paper. I understand that the chip is not supposed to contact paper directly, but you may not notice a significant change if you tested a reader in storage for a year with the chips alongside. A minute difference in shading/color of the entire book, simply won't be noticed. By placing the chip directly on the newsprint, you will have a concentrated area that you can check weekly/monthly for deviation from the rest of the paper. If it damages the local area (where the chip is sitting) it will also likely be damaging the rest of the paper, just at a far slower rate, since the whole design of the chip is to offgass whatever is concentrated in the chip.

 

I would also test all different paper stocks I was interested in storing with the chips, if it were my books.

 

Barring the chips themselves, as you mentioned, humidity is likely the most important thing to monitor/control in this type of environment.

[Calamerica]

a possible next step for "preserving" printed matter is to "remove" all staples...

 

CAL doing some research...

[Whizzer]

Aren't silica gel sachets just as effective for this purpose?

[Calamerica]

Aren't silica gel sachets just as effective for this purpose?

 

Unsure.

 

What are they, and what do they look like???

 

Curious CAL...

[Whizzer]

They usually come in the box if you buy a camera or other electrical product. They look like sugar sachets and contain hard granules of silica which absorbs atmospheric moisture.

 

They are readily available from office supply shops and very cheap. I throw a small handful into each of my comic boxes as a precautionary measure. (thumbs u

[Gotham Kid]

Aren't silica gel sachets just as effective for this purpose?

 

Unsure.

 

What are they, and what do they look like???

 

Curious CAL...

 

this

[PulpCultureComics]

They usually come in the box if you buy a camera or other electrical product. They look like sugar sachets and contain hard granules of silica which absorbs atmospheric moisture.

 

They are readily available from office supply shops and very cheap. I throw a small handful into each of my comic boxes as a precautionary measure. (thumbs u

 

why have i never thought of that

[october]

They usually come in the box if you buy a camera or other electrical product. They look like sugar sachets and contain hard granules of silica which absorbs atmospheric moisture.

 

They are readily available from office supply shops and very cheap. I throw a small handful into each of my comic boxes as a precautionary measure. (thumbs u

 

I found some when I bought a new coat and threw them into my safe. I figure it can't hurt...

[Whizzer]

They usually come in the box if you buy a camera or other electrical product. They look like sugar sachets and contain hard granules of silica which absorbs atmospheric moisture.

 

They are readily available from office supply shops and very cheap. I throw a small handful into each of my comic boxes as a precautionary measure. (thumbs u

 

why have i never thought of that

 

Do you really want me to answer that?

[PulpCultureComics]

They usually come in the box if you buy a camera or other electrical product. They look like sugar sachets and contain hard granules of silica which absorbs atmospheric moisture.

 

They are readily available from office supply shops and very cheap. I throw a small handful into each of my comic boxes as a precautionary measure. (thumbs u

 

why have i never thought of that

 

Do you really want me to answer that?

 

Go on I deserve it

[mintcollector]

If you guys need silica gel packets I have a supplier I work with that gets them at a discount. These are a life saver.

 

As to the original question about rust inhibitors; coin collectors use a product called metal safe that acts in the same manner. It is a good product and it neutralizes the surrounding air. It doesn't matter that the comic book is in a 'slab', as collectors of certified coins use them all the time.

 

If you are wondering why I have knowledge in this area, it is because I helped in several museums conserve very expensive collections; everything from art to coins to other collectibles. I also have consulted on various estates as to how to store collectibles long term. I gained a lot of this knowledge while working in and around the auction business.

 

Sincerely,

 

'mint'