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Slabbing for preservation???

Started by Hobgoblin,

79 posts in this topic

Hobgoblin

Hobgoblin

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Would anyone suggest slabbing a book to keep it's condition fully preserved? Bags & boards alone, from my experience, do not keep books fully preserved. I have several modern books, mostly variant covers and key issues (1st appearances), from the 80's to the present, which I am considering slabbing strictly for purposes of safe keeping. They may be sold sometime, but not anytime in the next 3 or 4 decades.

 

Anyone think it's a good idea to pay the grading fees for this purpose? 893scratchchin-thumb.gif

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Illiterati-migration

Illiterati-migration

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Um, may I ask why? I'm new to the idea.

 

The best advice would be to do a forum search for the words "microchamber paper" and "SCS" (aka: Shaken Comic Syndrome).

 

You might have to go back a ways to find the relevant arguments about microchamber paper, but it's well worth it.

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Illiterati-migration

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So, briefly, what is microchamber paper?

 

It's the paper they (CGC) put in between the cover and the book (why, I have no idea as books have survived this long with no such "protection" from itself), and they (CGC) claim that this paper must be changed every seven years.

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drbanner

drbanner

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So, briefly, what is microchamber paper?

 

It's the paper they (CGC) put in between the cover and the book (why, I have no idea as books have survived this long with no such "protection" from itself), and they (CGC) claim that this paper must be changed every seven years.

 

One of the benefits of the microchamber paper is to prevent oil migration from the interior pages to the cover, which causes that yellowing you see on books like Giant Size X-men 1.

 

The benefit in having a buffered backing board is to neutralize any acids generated as the paper decomposes.

 

Putting a book in a slab only necessitates it be removed to replace these periodically.

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FlyingDonut

FlyingDonut

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I disagree with the "No" statement

 

1) If you are getting it slabbed and then not moving it around, "Shaken Slab Syndrome" which I believe to be overblown hysteria won't happen.

2) NO OTHER product will provide the kind of protection a slab does from bending, dropping, having your 8 year old pick it up, etc etc.

3) The "microchamber" paper thing is also overblown. OK, so in seven years you need to replace it. Big deal. I rebag comics. That's essentially the same thing.

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Illiterati-migration

Illiterati-migration

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So what does this have to do with "not" having books graded and slabbed? Do they charge so much because of this paper?

 

No, but you'll need to have the book RE-slabbed and RE-graded if you're planning on using a CGC slab for long-term storage.

 

Look up "SCS". That's the best reason of them all, in my mind.

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Hobgoblin

Hobgoblin

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I kind of agree that this paper seems like an unnecessary evil. I have books that have been bagged/boarded since 1988, without ever being changed, and they are no worse off than 16 years ago (I check them from time to time) ... except for some slightly dinged corners that I see in pretty much every book I've had since around that time.

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Hobgoblin

Hobgoblin

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I'm going to assume that "SCS" is basically caused by a slabbed book being shaken around in the slab, dinging up the corners and sides ... I definitely don't plan on shaking it around, or even picking them up often at all.

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awe4one

awe4one

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3) The "microchamber" paper thing is also overblown. OK, so in seven years you need to replace it. Big deal. I rebag comics. That's essentially the same thing.

 

And I think the rebag every 5 years mantra is overblown. I still have comics originally bagged almost 18 years ago that look as good as the day I bought them off the rack....

 

Jim

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Illiterati-migration

Illiterati-migration

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I'm going to assume that "SCS" is basically caused by a slabbed book being shaken around in the slab, dinging up the corners and sides ... I definitely don't plan on shaking it around, or even picking them up often at all.

 

It's not usually the collector that does the shaking. Regardless, read the threads or don't.

 

You wanted an opinion, and I think most everyone here will agree that if you're looking for long-term storage, it's tough to beat a mylar bag and a nice board.

 

 

 

 

(Edited. FU, Z!) yay.gif

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