Steve B's answers to "tough questions"

[DrWatson]

Well, the trimming was like nothing we had ever seen before.

 

Don't want to post more about how it was done, too many people (that would be even one person), would use it to do it to books.

 

Kinda of a contradiction, no?

 

Nothing "we had never seen before"

 

But

 

"Don't want to post more about how it was done."

 

So you never saw it before but when "busted" you now know how it was done?

 

Tough question?

 

I know how to spot it much, much better now. I don't know EXACTLY how it was done but have a few ideas.

 

 

Well, I'm 8 for 8 with blues far after the fact. I do prefer the term "waxed" above trimmed . I am sure how to spot i twas passed on?

I saw this post before i went to bed last night. Sure is going over a lot smoother than i had figured.

Considering it sounds like it's coming from a Dad&Son shill, I figure most people gave it little thought.

[sborock]

Mr. Borock -

 

How many habañero peppers can you eat?

 

 

 

-slym

 

I don't know. I do have a high tolerence for very hot food. I don't drink beer unless I have a really super hot meal.

[40sJohn]

Sborock,

 

Big fan of the Edgar Church books here, but not an owner of any so my questions are...

 

1. When you were grading, how easy was it to know you were handling a Church book?

 

2. What are the tell-tale signs of the Church books?

 

3. Feel free to elaborate on the joys of grading these books and any special memories of such.

 

Thanks in advance!

[sborock]

Sborock,

 

Big fan of the Edgar Church books here, but not an owner of any so my questions are...

 

1. When you were grading, how easy was it to know you were handling a Church book?

 

Sometimes it was very easy. Before CGC I had owned, graded, and seen so many of them, that I had a real "feel" for knowing them. The second hand copies, were a little more difficult, but still, once again by seeing so many, it did not take much to know it was a Church book.

 

I would not have got picked to do my job if I could not tell pedigree books.

 

Some of the books submitted as Church books, were not Church books at all. Some were close and we had to do research to determine if they were or not. Most of the time, they were not.

 

We also found that one respected major player in the Church market, who, BTW, is no longer around our hobby, was selling high grade books to people for years as Church copies which were not. After the book was sent back in a CGC holder without the Church notation, we would get calls saying, "But I bought this from #### ######! It has to be real!". All we could say is "Sorry". It really sucked having to tell collectors that.

 

Luckily, we would make phone calls and find the actual owner of said copy and, sometimes, even get a scan to prove it.

 

There are many books in our market place that are being sold as pedigrees, that are not. Happened to a friend of mine just last week!

 

2. What are the tell-tale signs of the Church books?

 

Page quality, cover gloss, code, dust shadow, the "snap" the book has when holding it in your hands and some other tells.

 

3. Feel free to elaborate on the joys of grading these books and any special memories of such.

 

Well, many were so high grade, they were easy to grade. As a high grade collector of GA and, before that, SA. it was always a joy to see such books. The Zip 7 was soooo nice, it got a 9.9!

 

Before CGC, Iwas was lucky enough to see and hold in my hands the Church copy of Action 1, what a book! I have never seen an Action 1 come anywhere close to it!

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Anytime!

[40sJohn]

Good stuff!

 

I should have realized that a big part of your job was to detect/verify (especially verify) pedigree. I guess I thought they came to you precertified...looks like I need to study up on pedigrees to really understand them...

 

(thumbs u

 

 

[sborock]

Good stuff!

 

I should have realized that a big part of your job was to detect/verify (especially verify) pedigree. I guess I thought they came to you precertified...looks like I need to study up on pedigrees to really understand them...

 

(thumbs u

 

 

It's lot's of fun to learn about them.

 

You can even get a Church copy at a reasonable price, if you really want to one one. PM me if ya have questions, always happy to help out (thumbs u

[DNAgent]

Hi,

My name is Ryan, we have never met, but I have followed these boards for years, your posts are a great wealth of information...you always seem honest and sincere...I have a pony tail and like rocknroll (Zep, Stones, Faces, Black Crowes, Jet), a little jazz, some blues and whatever type of music bands like MMW, Phish and Moe play...I've also enjoyed all the Dead I've heard...

 

I'm thinking about making some extra cash, and I am convinced pressing seems like a good way to do it, obvious and simple. I also kinda like comics, so not only do I want to make easy money, but I like comics too. I pretty much quit collecting b/c as a collector I didn't agree that pressing is not restoration, and I had a problem with what seemed like the fact that dealers/major players etc. had been restoring (pressing and other stuff that isn't considered restoration any longer) and making tons of cash on unsuspecting or ignorant collectors.

I see how it works well, collectors are very emotional and 'easy' prey, needing these pretty books. There was something 'not right' about people cracking out a 9.0 slab (for say 50$), pressing, getting a 9.4 and selling for $500...when most didn't know you could do that (meaning, this new pressing thing is not restoration, and I don't know what else is no longer restoration, I don't remember collectors knowing all this, it just wasn't known that you could restore books and get a blue label, because that manipulation is not considered restoration any more). I also wondered about what else we collectors don't know about...so I left the hobby (mid-high grade silver and bronze), except for new reading...

 

I am pretty good with my hands and have a science background, so I am confident that, like how I perform scientific experiments that take days/weeks in which any wrong move along the way can turn the experiment into junk, I will be pretty good at pressing. I also think I'll be good at pressing b/c money is a great motivator, I have a bit of a passion for money, unlike most . Results and data are pretty good at motivating me as well...

 

I just have a few thoughts and questions...

 

Which press machine is a good one to buy for pressing comics? Is there anyone out there teaching these skills? or the basics? I'm sure I could figure it all out, but I'd like to save time.

 

Can you take the staples out, take the cover off and press out defects , then put everything back and receive a blue label ? Do the professional pressers do this sort of thing?

 

Does anyone know which dealers press, I don't want to waste time when searching for books with dealers who press their books(?), time is money. Thinking about asking dealers at shows, but it seems like all the dealers and collector/dealers would ridicule someone. If you look at the boards, it sure seems like anyone asking about this gets slammed by... :whistle:pressers (they say things like no one cares, it's no big deal etc., they don't seem to be nice like you who conveys knowledge/info is upfront in general)...

 

How come collectors/the public were told that pressing was going on for years, it's not a big deal, but the information seemed to sparingly come out years after that CGC was allowing pressed (and maybe dis-assembly and other stuff, not sure) to be in blue labels? It seems that a bunch of people were pressing (and maybe other stuff) for a few years, but regular folks had no clue that the books were restored (but that pressing (and maybe other stuff) is not considered restoration any more and these books were in blue labels), until they were told that pressing (and maybe other stuff) is not restoration any more ?

It just seems that it was all kept hidden in order to, I don't know, get one by folks and make good money.

 

Thank you Steve, I look forward to your posts, and I'm sure you will correct my errors in information etc., sorry in advance for any poor english, talking is easier than typing ...

 

I promise not to trim if I start manipulating and pressing comics.

 

Kind regards,

Ryan

[goldust40]

Hi,

My name is Ryan, we have never met, but I have followed these boards for years, your posts are a great wealth of information...you always seem honest and sincere...I have a pony tail and like rocknroll (Zep, Stones, Faces, Black Crowes, Jet), a little jazz, some blues and whatever type of music bands like MMW, Phish and Moe play...I've also enjoyed all the Dead I've heard...

 

I'm thinking about making some extra cash, and I am convinced pressing seems like a good way to do it, obvious and simple. I also kinda like comics, so not only do I want to make easy money, but I like comics too. I pretty much quit collecting b/c as a collector I didn't agree that pressing is not restoration, and I had a problem with what seemed like the fact that dealers/major players etc. had been restoring (pressing and other stuff that isn't considered restoration any longer) and making tons of cash on unsuspecting or ignorant collectors.

I see how it works well, collectors are very emotional and 'easy' prey, needing these pretty books. There was something 'not right' about people cracking out a 9.0 slab (for say 50$), pressing, getting a 9.4 and selling for $500...when most didn't know you could do that (meaning, this new pressing thing is not restoration, and I don't know what else is no longer restoration, I don't remember collectors knowing all this, it just wasn't known that you could restore books and get a blue label, because that manipulation is not considered restoration any more). I also wondered about what else we collectors don't know about...so I left the hobby (mid-high grade silver and bronze), except for new reading...

 

I am pretty good with my hands and have a science background, so I am confident that, like how I perform scientific experiments that take days/weeks in which any wrong move along the way can turn the experiment into junk, I will be pretty good at pressing. I also think I'll be good at pressing b/c money is a great motivator, I have a bit of a passion for money, unlike most . Results and data are pretty good at motivating me as well...

 

I just have a few thoughts and questions...

 

Which press machine is a good one to buy for pressing comics? Is there anyone out there teaching these skills? or the basics? I'm sure I could figure it all out, but I'd like to save time.

 

Can you take the staples out, take the cover off and press out defects , then put everything back and receive a blue label ? Do the professional pressers do this sort of thing?

 

Does anyone know which dealers press, I don't want to waste time when searching for books with dealers who press their books(?), time is money. Thinking about asking dealers at shows, but it seems like all the dealers and collector/dealers would ridicule someone. If you look at the boards, it sure seems like anyone asking about this gets slammed by... :whistle:pressers (they say things like no one cares, it's no big deal etc., they don't seem to be nice like you who conveys knowledge/info is upfront in general)...

 

How come collectors/the public were told that pressing was going on for years, it's not a big deal, but the information seemed to sparingly come out years after that CGC was allowing pressed (and maybe dis-assembly and other stuff, not sure) to be in blue labels? It seems that a bunch of people were pressing (and maybe other stuff) for a few years, but regular folks had no clue that the books were restored (but that pressing (and maybe other stuff) is not considered restoration any more and these books were in blue labels), until they were told that pressing (and maybe other stuff) is not restoration any more ?

It just seems that it was all kept hidden in order to, I don't know, get one by folks and make good money.

 

Thank you Steve, I look forward to your posts, and I'm sure you will correct my errors in information etc., sorry in advance for any poor english, talking is easier than typing ...

 

I promise not to trim if I start manipulating and pressing comics.

 

Kind regards,

Ryan

 

I assume this is meant to be funny. If it isn't, I'm sure Steve B. will be only too happy to facilitate your new venture and answer all your questions. Especially the one about which dealers press their books.

[Bomber-Bob]

Ryan, so you have a pony tail and like rock-n-roll = you have a bond with Steve.

And you would like advice from Steve on pressing so you can make some quick cash.

Steve, it's going to be interesting to see how you respond to Ryan, this may be the toughest 'question for Steve' yet.

[thehumantorch]

I don't have a pony tail or a pony.

[DNAgent]

It just happens to seem like quick cash to me...I went to school/grad school for 6 years...so...anything under a couple years is quick to me...

 

Not meant to be funny, however as I read it, there is some kinda funny 'stuff'...like, to me the question came up...who else is thinking of doing this to comics ? (for profit, of course). I can't be the only former collector who blah blah...like in real estate over the past 10 years, everyone and there step-mother seemed to become a realtor... it seems like we are only in the 3-4th inning with manipulating comics (I'd say restoration, but I learned around 3-4 years ago that what was once restoration...is not), I hope to get in for the remaining innings...I will also be upfront, no subterfuge, if you buy from me, the book(s) was probably pressed, I don't know what else one can be done and still get a blue label at this point...

 

I promise not to ridicule those who abhor pressing, or those who simply don't know what actually can be done to make these books look so beautiful...

[Ze-man]

Which press machine is a good one to buy for pressing comics? Is there anyone out there teaching these skills? or the basics? I'm sure I could figure it all out, but I'd like to save time. The Comic Pressmaster 5000 is pretty decent. If you want a teacher, I would look up bhooks

 

Can you take the staples out, take the cover off and press out defects , then put everything back and receive a blue label ? Do the professional pressers do this sort of thing? From what I hear, almost every book pressed was disassembled. And yes, pretty blue labels for everyone.

 

Does anyone know which dealers press, I don't want to waste time when searching for books with dealers who press their books(?), time is money. Thinking about asking dealers at shows, but it seems like all the dealers and collector/dealers would ridicule someone. If you look at the boards, it sure seems like anyone asking about this gets slammed by... :whistle:pressers (they say things like no one cares, it's no big deal etc., they don't seem to be nice like you who conveys knowledge/info is upfront in general)...

Every dealer has pressed books, some know which ones are, some don't.

 

How come collectors/the public were told that pressing was going on for years, it's not a big deal, but the information seemed to sparingly come out years after that CGC was allowing pressed (and maybe dis-assembly and other stuff, not sure) to be in blue labels? It seems that a bunch of people were pressing (and maybe other stuff) for a few years, but regular folks had no clue that the books were restored (but that pressing (and maybe other stuff) is not considered restoration any more and these books were in blue labels), until they were told that pressing (and maybe other stuff) is not restoration any more ?

It just seems that it was all kept hidden in order to, I don't know, get one by folks and make good money.

I think you answered your own question

 

Thank you Steve, I look forward to your posts, and I'm sure you will correct my errors in information etc., sorry in advance for any poor english, talking is easier than typing ... Steve is out getting his ponytail waxed, he didn't asked me to fill in for him but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

 

I promise not to trim if I start manipulating and pressing comics.

Why not?, from what I heard it's the next big thing.

 

Kind regards,

Ryan

[sborock]

Okay, know that kenny had his fun (and it was funny!)..............

Hi,

My name is Ryan, we have never met, but I have followed these boards for years, your posts are a great wealth of information...you always seem honest and sincere...

 

Thanks, I try my best.

 

I have a pony tail and like rocknroll (Zep, Stones, Faces, Black Crowes, Jet), a little jazz, some blues and whatever type of music bands like MMW, Phish and Moe play...I've also enjoyed all the Dead I've heard...

 

Awesome!

 

I'm thinking about making some extra cash, and I am convinced pressing seems like a good way to do it, obvious and simple. I also kinda like comics, so not only do I want to make easy money, but I like comics too. I pretty much quit collecting b/c as a collector I didn't agree that pressing is not restoration, and I had a problem with what seemed like the fact that dealers/major players etc. had been restoring (pressing and other stuff that isn't considered restoration any longer) and making tons of cash on unsuspecting or ignorant collectors.

I see how it works well, collectors are very emotional and 'easy' prey, needing these pretty books. There was something 'not right' about people cracking out a 9.0 slab (for say 50$), pressing, getting a 9.4 and selling for $500...when most didn't know you could do that (meaning, this new pressing thing is not restoration, and I don't know what else is no longer restoration, I don't remember collectors knowing all this, it just wasn't known that you could restore books and get a blue label, because that manipulation is not considered restoration any more). I also wondered about what else we collectors don't know about...so I left the hobby (mid-high grade silver and bronze), except for new reading...

 

Sorry to hear that. Glad you kept reading comics. That's the whole reason for buying comics, and for me, the most important reason, in the1st place!

 

I am pretty good with my hands and have a science background, so I am confident that, like how I perform scientific experiments that take days/weeks in which any wrong move along the way can turn the experiment into junk, I will be pretty good at pressing. I also think I'll be good at pressing b/c money is a great motivator, I have a bit of a passion for money, unlike most . Results and data are pretty good at motivating me as well...

 

I just have a few thoughts and questions...

 

Which press machine is a good one to buy for pressing comics? Is there anyone out there teaching these skills? or the basics? I'm sure I could figure it all out, but I'd like to save time.

 

I honestly do not know. Believe it or not, I have never learned how to press a comic book. Before CGC, I did it the old fashioned way, putting books under pressure and letting them sit for a long time, mostly to get rid of a spine roll or a crease that would stick up. I still use a wax-type of paper to press out little things with my finger nail. That's the extent of it. I send my books out to only two people. Joey and Matt.

 

Can you take the staples out, take the cover off and press out defects , then put everything back and receive a blue label ? Do the professional pressers do this sort of thing?

 

You can do that, but if done incorrectly it will lower the grade of the book. Pressers do it both ways, depending on what they think well yield the best results, but for the most part, the large % of pressed books are done without taking the book apart.

 

Does anyone know which dealers press, I don't want to waste time when searching for books with dealers who press their books(?), time is money. Thinking about asking dealers at shows, but it seems like all the dealers and collector/dealers would ridicule someone. If you look at the boards, it sure seems like anyone asking about this gets slammed by... :whistle:pressers (they say things like no one cares, it's no big deal etc., they don't seem to be nice like you who conveys knowledge/info is upfront in general)...

 

Some dealers press and admit that they do, some press and, believe it or not, say they do not, and some don't press books at all. I am not going to go into who is in what group.

 

That is, unless they pay me their monthly "keep Quite" money!

 

How come collectors/the public were told that pressing was going on for years, it's not a big deal, but the information seemed to sparingly come out years after that CGC was allowing pressed (and maybe dis-assembly and other stuff, not sure) to be in blue labels? It seems that a bunch of people were pressing (and maybe other stuff) for a few years, but regular folks had no clue that the books were restored (but that pressing (and maybe other stuff) is not considered restoration any more and these books were in blue labels), until they were told that pressing (and maybe other stuff) is not restoration any more ?

It just seems that it was all kept hidden in order to, I don't know, get one by folks and make good money.

 

Most people in any proffesion, don't share their secrets. There are so many more people out there looking for pressable books then ever before. many sellers did not want the collecting community to know, as it eats into profit for them.

 

Thank you Steve, I look forward to your posts, and I'm sure you will correct my errors in information etc., sorry in advance for any poor english, talking is easier than typing ...

 

My typing and English stink, so, do not worry.

 

I promise not to trim if I start manipulating and pressing comics.

 

Good.

 

Kind regards,

Ryan

 

If you do get into the biz, stay honest, don't ruin any books, and good luck!

[ChasingKingKirby]

Okay, know that kenny had his fun (and it was funny!)..............

Hi,

My name is Ryan, we have never met, but I have followed these boards for years, your posts are a great wealth of information...you always seem honest and sincere...

 

Thanks, I try my best.

 

I have a pony tail and like rocknroll (Zep, Stones, Faces, Black Crowes, Jet), a little jazz, some blues and whatever type of music bands like MMW, Phish and Moe play...I've also enjoyed all the Dead I've heard...

 

Awesome!

 

I'm thinking about making some extra cash, and I am convinced pressing seems like a good way to do it, obvious and simple. I also kinda like comics, so not only do I want to make easy money, but I like comics too. I pretty much quit collecting b/c as a collector I didn't agree that pressing is not restoration, and I had a problem with what seemed like the fact that dealers/major players etc. had been restoring (pressing and other stuff that isn't considered restoration any longer) and making tons of cash on unsuspecting or ignorant collectors.

I see how it works well, collectors are very emotional and 'easy' prey, needing these pretty books. There was something 'not right' about people cracking out a 9.0 slab (for say 50$), pressing, getting a 9.4 and selling for $500...when most didn't know you could do that (meaning, this new pressing thing is not restoration, and I don't know what else is no longer restoration, I don't remember collectors knowing all this, it just wasn't known that you could restore books and get a blue label, because that manipulation is not considered restoration any more). I also wondered about what else we collectors don't know about...so I left the hobby (mid-high grade silver and bronze), except for new reading...

 

Sorry to hear that. Glad you kept reading comics. That's the whole reason for buying comics, and for me, the most important reason, in the1st place!

 

I am pretty good with my hands and have a science background, so I am confident that, like how I perform scientific experiments that take days/weeks in which any wrong move along the way can turn the experiment into junk, I will be pretty good at pressing. I also think I'll be good at pressing b/c money is a great motivator, I have a bit of a passion for money, unlike most . Results and data are pretty good at motivating me as well...

 

I just have a few thoughts and questions...

 

Which press machine is a good one to buy for pressing comics? Is there anyone out there teaching these skills? or the basics? I'm sure I could figure it all out, but I'd like to save time.

 

I honestly do not know. Believe it or not, I have never learned how to press a comic book. Before CGC, I did it the old fashioned way, putting books under pressure and letting them sit for a long time, mostly to get rid of a spine roll or a crease that would stick up. I still use a wax-type of paper to press out little things with my finger nail. That's the extent of it. I send my books out to only two people. Joey and Matt.

 

Can you take the staples out, take the cover off and press out defects , then put everything back and receive a blue label ? Do the professional pressers do this sort of thing?

 

You can do that, but if done incorrectly it will lower the grade of the book. Pressers do it both ways, depending on what they think well yield the best results, but for the most part, the large % of pressed books are done without taking the book apart.

 

Does anyone know which dealers press, I don't want to waste time when searching for books with dealers who press their books(?), time is money. Thinking about asking dealers at shows, but it seems like all the dealers and collector/dealers would ridicule someone. If you look at the boards, it sure seems like anyone asking about this gets slammed by... :whistle:pressers (they say things like no one cares, it's no big deal etc., they don't seem to be nice like you who conveys knowledge/info is upfront in general)...

 

Some dealers press and admit that they do, some press and, believe it or not, say they do not, and some don't press books at all. I am not going to go into who is in what group.

 

That is, unless they pay me their monthly "keep Quite" money!

 

How come collectors/the public were told that pressing was going on for years, it's not a big deal, but the information seemed to sparingly come out years after that CGC was allowing pressed (and maybe dis-assembly and other stuff, not sure) to be in blue labels? It seems that a bunch of people were pressing (and maybe other stuff) for a few years, but regular folks had no clue that the books were restored (but that pressing (and maybe other stuff) is not considered restoration any more and these books were in blue labels), until they were told that pressing (and maybe other stuff) is not restoration any more ?

It just seems that it was all kept hidden in order to, I don't know, get one by folks and make good money.

 

Most people in any proffesion, don't share their secrets. There are so many more people out there looking for pressable books then ever before. many sellers did not want the collecting community to know, as it eats into profit for them.

 

Thank you Steve, I look forward to your posts, and I'm sure you will correct my errors in information etc., sorry in advance for any poor english, talking is easier than typing ...

 

My typing and English stink, so, do not worry.

 

I promise not to trim if I start manipulating and pressing comics.

 

Good.

 

Kind regards,

Ryan

 

If you do get into the biz, stay honest, don't ruin any books, and good luck!

 

Very classy and good responses. (thumbs u

[DNAgent]

Awesome, I learned a ton, some interesting things to ponder...that's real nice giving some general direction when you don't know something, like what press one would use and also two people who you refer to...who folks can ask questions/learn from...

 

 

[JazzMan]

Steve,

 

In the first 5 years of CGC how much did the company's processes evolve in terms of:

 

- Restoration Detection

 

- Page Quality designation

 

- Strictness in grading

 

Finally, are the general grading standards similar to those when the doors opened to the time you left or did they change slightly along the way?

 

-claudio