Should I press Preacher #1?

[Quicksilver Signs]

And yes, there are "professionals", with websites and everything, who aren't doing the best job possible.

 

As the price gap widens, the attention to detail becomes more critical. A decent presser can take an 8.0 to an 8.5, or even a 9.0. A dedicated, talented, and educated presser can take it to a 9.4.

 

While I don't press myself, a man has to know his limitations, I think RMA's comments ring true. From my personal experience, there is a big difference between the 'assembly line' pressers and the work of a truly talented presser.

 

Totally agree, but this is true for every trade and skill. It's the don't bother trying, leave it to the pros attitude that is a bit silly.

[jaeldubyoo]

And yes, there are "professionals", with websites and everything, who aren't doing the best job possible.

 

As the price gap widens, the attention to detail becomes more critical. A decent presser can take an 8.0 to an 8.5, or even a 9.0. A dedicated, talented, and educated presser can take it to a 9.4.

 

While I don't press myself, a man has to know his limitations, I think RMA's comments ring true. From my personal experience, there is a big difference between the 'assembly line' pressers and the work of a truly talented presser.

 

I know a lot of insufficiently_thoughtful_persons with college degrees. Knowledge is useless unless you know how to apply it. In my line of work, I've been a supervisor and trainer for years. Some people get it. Some are great. Some are totally useless. You evaluate them based on their results.

 

Having said that, some pressers may have some knowledge, but are unable apply it correctly or effectively. You evaluate them based on their results.

[divad]

And don't forget to add trust to the equation.

[thecopperagekids]

Two more sellers to avoid . . . and further, anyone who purports to know what they're talking about when it comes to pressing. ('cept for Joey).

 

I find this attitude hilarious. Basically any skill can be taught or learned; if your talented and committed enough you can be a brain surgeon! But the magical, mystical talent of comic book pressing, don't bother kid, leave that to the pros.

 

That's the key: "if you're talented enough."

 

Most people aren't talented enough. Not everyone can, or should, be a brain surgeon, no matter how committed they are, or how much school they attend, or classes they pass.

 

Proper pressing requires not only a specific skillset which must be learned, but also a mindset which cannot. Anyone can stick a book in a press, turn it on, and think they're pressing books.

 

Proper pressing, like any other part of paper conservation, takes abilities that most people don't have, and cannot learn.

 

And yes, there are "professionals", with websites and everything, who aren't doing the best job possible.

 

As the price gap widens, the attention to detail becomes more critical. A decent presser can take an 8.0 to an 8.5, or even a 9.0. A dedicated, talented, and educated presser can take it to a 9.4.

 

RMA laid out the truth of the matter very well here.

 

To add onto RMA's statement: "And yes, there are "professionals", with websites and everything, who aren't doing the best job possible."

 

I will say the following....

 

I recently received a batch of books back from CGC, which I had subbed to a well known, widely respected pressing service.... with a sharp web site and all of that good stuff that is meant to inspire confidence.

 

They received the books by the 2nd week of April 2015, I just got the books back from CGC during the last week of Nov. thru the first week of December.

 

Said pressing firm pressed the books and subbed them directly to CGC afterwards.It took said firm over 4 months to press the books.All of the books were moderns (late 80's to early 2000's) except one SA Marvel.

 

I am not the sort of guy who disparages anyone's name on a public forum (unless said person is a pederast, thief or another sordid variety of scumbag) so I will NOT post the name of the pressing service who did the work on my books.The pressing firm I am speaking of could be any one of a dozen, the name will not be said.

 

Despite the subpar work that this firm did on some of the books, good work was done on the majority of the books and I know for a fact his firm takes in a very high volume of work, which I attribute the issues to......and lastly, he is a Hell of a nice guy.

 

I personally like him so I will not smear his name and take food out of his kid's mouths in the process of doing so.

 

2 of the books stuck out like sore thumbs. A Cap #109, which was graded at CGC 9.2 WP when I subbed it to his firm (sealed in its CGC holder) which I was confident would come back as a CGC 9.6 after it was dry cleaned and pressed.

 

The dry cleaning needed was dirt along the rear spine, which was removed.

 

The bigger issue with the book was a signifigantly impacted corner, which barely broke any cover inks.

 

I got the book back in a new CGC holder, graded at 9.2 WP.

 

The impacted corner was not pressed out, at all.I am sure that the book was in fact pressed, it simply was not humidified prior to pressing as the pressing had no effect on the corner, whatsoever.

 

The CGC grading/invoice/shipping fee on that book was $55.His pressing fee on that book was (ballparking it) $20 or so.

 

Another example is a Batman Adv Annual #1, subbed with a bent lower right hand corner.No color breaking at all.The sort of defect that needs to be humidified, prior to being pressed.It came back as a CGC 9.6, the corner looked exactly the same as it did when I subbed it.If the corner had been properly pressed out, it would have came back as a CGC 9.8.

 

To say nothing of the fact that a lot of the books I got back...Alias #1.... Suicide Squad #1 (10 motherloving copies).......would have done me a lot more good if I had gotten them back 3 months earlier , as I should have.

 

If they were received in a timely fashion, I could have sold them while they were peaking.Ugh, now I have to sit on them intil the books come back around in higher demand.

 

 

My long winded, tirade done with, my point is.........

 

You can be a talented, educated presser capable of doing the finest work in your trade and well respected in your field with a sharp web site but that same presser can also perform distinctly subpar "eh, so what did I pay you for?" work.

 

 

[divad]

Perhaps we should just leave all of the books "as they are"?

[RockMyAmadeus]

Two more sellers to avoid . . . and further, anyone who purports to know what they're talking about when it comes to pressing. ('cept for Joey).

 

I find this attitude hilarious. Basically any skill can be taught or learned; if your talented and committed enough you can be a brain surgeon! But the magical, mystical talent of comic book pressing, don't bother kid, leave that to the pros.

 

That's the key: "if you're talented enough."

 

Most people aren't talented enough. Not everyone can, or should, be a brain surgeon, no matter how committed they are, or how much school they attend, or classes they pass.

 

Proper pressing requires not only a specific skillset which must be learned, but also a mindset which cannot. Anyone can stick a book in a press, turn it on, and think they're pressing books.

 

Proper pressing, like any other part of paper conservation, takes abilities that most people don't have, and cannot learn.

 

And yes, there are "professionals", with websites and everything, who aren't doing the best job possible.

 

As the price gap widens, the attention to detail becomes more critical. A decent presser can take an 8.0 to an 8.5, or even a 9.0. A dedicated, talented, and educated presser can take it to a 9.4.

 

Since it's such a secretive skill, you really can't say any of that with certainty. You or I can go to a university to become a surgeon, most likely fail but the opportunity is there for anyone. Since its known you need extremely high intelligence, perseverance, detailed physical abilities and nerves of steel to hold someone's life in your hands. These are known skills, saying you can't learn a mysterious "mindset" doesn't prove anything. I would highly suspect if a skilled presser gave a course on the craft the percentage of capable applicants would be quite high if the majority are committed to the task.

 

Sure I can say it: I've pressed thousands of books, and have done so for nearly 6 years, and gotten some amazing (amazing to ME, because of what's possible, not that I'm amazing) results. It astonishes me what is possible with this process, and I've spent many, many, many hours honing, perfecting, talking to other pressers, practicing, and developing technique.

 

It's not a "mysterious" mindset...it's simply attention to detail, bordering on obsessive. Sloppy, lazy people will never, ever be competent pressers. People who say "well wut duz it madder how i rite on the net? Wut r u, the grammer police?" will never, ever be competent pressers, because they don't care about details.

 

When you're trying to remove a 1/8" thumb dent...a thumb dent that will make the difference between a 9.6 and a 9.8, and be worth maybe thousands of dollars...you have a lot of pressure to deal with, and, frankly, most people cannot, and would not, be able to handle it.

 

Hell, *I* can't handle it. I get customers asking me "are my books done yet?"...and the answer is always "the books will be done when they're done."

 

I encourage people, if time is of the essence, to send their books elsewhere...because I can't deal with the internal pressure it puts on me.

 

And I'm a pretty OCD guy.

 

Nothing at all mysterious about it...it takes patience that most people don't have, persistence that most people don't have, gentleness that most people don't have. It's just knowing the limitations of people, in general.

 

It's quite an artform, and, like all arts, not something just anyone can do, no matter how much they study/learn/practice.

[RockMyAmadeus]

 

2 of the books stuck out like sore thumbs. A Cap #109, which was graded at CGC 9.2 WP when I subbed it to his firm (sealed in its CGC holder) which I was confident would come back as a CGC 9.6 after it was dry cleaned and pressed.

 

The dry cleaning needed was dirt along the rear spine, which was removed.

 

The bigger issue with the book was a signifigantly impacted corner, which barely broke any cover inks.

 

I got the book back in a new CGC holder, graded at 9.2 WP.

 

The impacted corner was not pressed out, at all.I am sure that the book was in fact pressed, it simply was not humidified prior to pressing as the pressing had no effect on the corner, whatsoever.

 

The CGC grading/invoice/shipping fee on that book was $55.His pressing fee on that book was (ballparking it) $20 or so.

 

You only paid $20 for a high grade Silver Age book to be pressed, and you're complaining?

 

Not the fact that the damage didn't come out...that's a given...but then you only paid $20 for it to be done.

 

Good, quality, gentle work like that, on nearly 50 year old paper, is worth one hell of a lot more than $20.

 

Frankly, that anyone presses books for less than $50/book...including myself...is quite beyond me.

 

It's one thing to remove a tiny NCB spine tic from a 1998 book...

 

..it's quite another to remove an impact crumple from a 1968 book.

 

To say nothing of the fact that a lot of the books I got back...Alias #1.... Suicide Squad #1 (10 motherloving copies).......would have done me a lot more good if I had gotten them back 3 months earlier , as I should have.

 

Proper pressing takes time.

 

A lot more time than the market understands, or is willing to grant.

 

Something has got to give, and the answer is either higher prices, or longer turnaround.

 

If they were received in a timely fashion, I could have sold them while they were peaking.Ugh, now I have to sit on them intil the books come back around in higher demand.

 

That's not the presser's fault. If you want fast track, you should be willing to pay for fast track. If the books aren't worth fast track...and, of course, these are "$250 and up" books you're talking about...then you have no room to complain.

 

Did you ask about fast track? Was it an option? Were you willing to PAY for fast track, if it was an option? Were you willing to accept that even "fast track" books take time to do properly?

[Quicksilver Signs]

If he's not satisfied with the work he has every right to complain. The reason they're backed up is backlog not because it actually takes months to press a modern suicide squad book with most likely minimal problems.

[RockMyAmadeus]

If he's not satisfied with the work he has every right to complain. The reason they're backed up is backlog not because it actually takes months to press a modern suicide squad book with most likely minimal problems.

 

That depends entirely on why he's not satisfied. If he's not satisfied because of unreasonable expectations, then he doesn't have a right to complain.

 

Of course they're backed up with backlog...because everyone is throwing modern drek at them, and they're not charging enough money to fend it off.

 

 

[Quicksilver Signs]

I guess modern drek is the engine driving the beast these days. The main reason pressing rates are so low, I can understand paying 40-50 for a silver age book but most moderns barely need any work.

[RockMyAmadeus]

I guess modern drek is the engine driving the beast these days. The main reason pressing rates are so low, I can understand paying 40-50 for a silver age book but most moderns barely need any work.

 

That's right...it's the difference between paying a local kid $20 to mow your lawn, and a landscaper $2,000 to landscape your property.

[thecopperagekids]

 

2 of the books stuck out like sore thumbs. A Cap #109, which was graded at CGC 9.2 WP when I subbed it to his firm (sealed in its CGC holder) which I was confident would come back as a CGC 9.6 after it was dry cleaned and pressed.

 

The dry cleaning needed was dirt along the rear spine, which was removed.

 

The bigger issue with the book was a signifigantly impacted corner, which barely broke any cover inks.

 

I got the book back in a new CGC holder, graded at 9.2 WP.

 

The impacted corner was not pressed out, at all.I am sure that the book was in fact pressed, it simply was not humidified prior to pressing as the pressing had no effect on the corner, whatsoever.

 

The CGC grading/invoice/shipping fee on that book was $55.His pressing fee on that book was (ballparking it) $20 or so.

 

You only paid $20 for a high grade Silver Age book to be pressed, and you're complaining?

 

Not the fact that the damage didn't come out...that's a given...but then you only paid $20 for it to be done.

 

Good, quality, gentle work like that, on nearly 50 year old paper, is worth one hell of a lot more than $20.

 

Frankly, that anyone presses books for less than $50/book...including myself...is quite beyond me.

 

It's one thing to remove a tiny NCB spine tic from a 1998 book...

 

..it's quite another to remove an impact crumple from a 1968 book.

 

To say nothing of the fact that a lot of the books I got back...Alias #1.... Suicide Squad #1 (10 motherloving copies).......would have done me a lot more good if I had gotten them back 3 months earlier , as I should have.

 

Proper pressing takes time.

 

A lot more time than the market understands, or is willing to grant.

 

Something has got to give, and the answer is either higher prices, or longer turnaround.

 

If they were received in a timely fashion, I could have sold them while they were peaking.Ugh, now I have to sit on them intil the books come back around in higher demand.

 

That's not the presser's fault. If you want fast track, you should be willing to pay for fast track. If the books aren't worth fast track...and, of course, these are "$250 and up" books you're talking about...then you have no room to complain.

 

Did you ask about fast track? Was it an option? Were you willing to PAY for fast track, if it was an option? Were you willing to accept that even "fast track" books take time to do properly?

 

 

Please.

 

I know just what is needed to press out such a defect on a silver age book.

 

I paid the amount that the pressing firm asked.

 

The time frame that paid for indicated that the book would be done waaaay sooner than turned out to be the case.

 

As in THREE MONTHS longer than the LONGEST window of turn around time that the pressing firms' own web site indicated that the work *could* take.

 

Do I think that pressing a SA book is worth $50?

 

Yes, I do.

 

However, the pressing firm indicated that the work would be done for x amount and I paid x amount.

 

Besides the non color breaking bends at the top right corner of the spine, the book is damn near flawless.

 

If the bends were pressed out, which they would have been if the pressing firm had humidified the book prior to pressing.....I would have in a likelihood gotten back the book in a 9.6 holder, not a 9.4 or 9.2 holder.

 

Between that...and 2 other modern books that were hammered out by the presser....and the fact that had I had the books within time frame that the presser had cited (per the presser's very own web page)....then I would have been able to sell the majority of the books before they started getting colder.

 

If there was any inkling whatsoever that the pressing would have taken 3 months longer than the pressers' web site had indicated than I would have not subbed the books and pressed them all myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Quicksilver Signs]

I understand if you weren't comfortable pressing a high value silver age book, but if you know how to press why would you sub moderns like Alias & Suicide Squad which most likely just had handling wear to correct?

[RockMyAmadeus]

 

2 of the books stuck out like sore thumbs. A Cap #109, which was graded at CGC 9.2 WP when I subbed it to his firm (sealed in its CGC holder) which I was confident would come back as a CGC 9.6 after it was dry cleaned and pressed.

 

The dry cleaning needed was dirt along the rear spine, which was removed.

 

The bigger issue with the book was a signifigantly impacted corner, which barely broke any cover inks.

 

I got the book back in a new CGC holder, graded at 9.2 WP.

 

The impacted corner was not pressed out, at all.I am sure that the book was in fact pressed, it simply was not humidified prior to pressing as the pressing had no effect on the corner, whatsoever.

 

The CGC grading/invoice/shipping fee on that book was $55.His pressing fee on that book was (ballparking it) $20 or so.

 

You only paid $20 for a high grade Silver Age book to be pressed, and you're complaining?

 

Not the fact that the damage didn't come out...that's a given...but then you only paid $20 for it to be done.

 

Good, quality, gentle work like that, on nearly 50 year old paper, is worth one hell of a lot more than $20.

 

Frankly, that anyone presses books for less than $50/book...including myself...is quite beyond me.

 

It's one thing to remove a tiny NCB spine tic from a 1998 book...

 

..it's quite another to remove an impact crumple from a 1968 book.

 

To say nothing of the fact that a lot of the books I got back...Alias #1.... Suicide Squad #1 (10 motherloving copies).......would have done me a lot more good if I had gotten them back 3 months earlier , as I should have.

 

Proper pressing takes time.

 

A lot more time than the market understands, or is willing to grant.

 

Something has got to give, and the answer is either higher prices, or longer turnaround.

 

If they were received in a timely fashion, I could have sold them while they were peaking.Ugh, now I have to sit on them intil the books come back around in higher demand.

 

That's not the presser's fault. If you want fast track, you should be willing to pay for fast track. If the books aren't worth fast track...and, of course, these are "$250 and up" books you're talking about...then you have no room to complain.

 

Did you ask about fast track? Was it an option? Were you willing to PAY for fast track, if it was an option? Were you willing to accept that even "fast track" books take time to do properly?

 

 

Please.

 

I know just what is needed to press out such a defect on a silver age book.

 

I paid the amount that the pressing firm asked.

 

The time frame that paid for indicated that the book would be done waaaay sooner than turned out to be the case.

 

As in THREE MONTHS longer than the LONGEST window of turn around time that the pressing firms' own web site indicated that the work *could* take.

 

Do I think that pressing a SA book is worth $50?

 

Yes, I do.

 

However, the pressing firm indicated that the work would be done for x amount and I paid x amount.

 

Besides the non color breaking bends at the top right corner of the spine, the book is damn near flawless.

 

If the bends were pressed out, which they would have been if the pressing firm had humidified the book prior to pressing.....I would have in a likelihood gotten back the book in a 9.6 holder, not a 9.4 or 9.2 holder.

 

Between that...and 2 other modern books that were hammered out by the presser....and the fact that had I had the books within time frame that the presser had cited (per the presser's very own web page)....then I would have been able to sell the majority of the books before they started getting colder.

 

If there was any inkling whatsoever that the pressing would have taken 3 months longer than the pressers' web site had indicated than I would have not subbed the books and pressed them all myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you don't understand that people are throwing thousands of books at pressers, and that a 3 month addition to the turnaround time isn't all that bad, you don't understand that dynamics of pressing in 2016.

 

That's not a subtle "you're stupid" or "I'm so much smarter than you" comment, or any of the other pop psychology concepts that are favored by some. It's simply a statement of fact.

 

So, the next question is...did you ASK how long it would take?

 

Because I've been telling my customers, for a year now, that "it takes as long as it takes. If you need a faster turnaround time, I'd be happy to point you to another presser. I wouldn't be able to vouch for their work, but the turnaround time would be faster."

 

You can have pressing done right...or you can have it done fast. You cannot have both, and the market needs to accept that.

 

What's that .2 or .4 or .5 or 1.0 difference worth to you?

 

And why didn't you press it yourself? If you were concerned about "market timing", why didn't you say so to the presser? This happens in small claims all the time: if time is of the essence, you must clearly and explicitly state that upfront.

 

On a related note...I'll happily and gladly take 100 Silver Age books to press over 100 brand new moderns. They are printing these books on tissue paper, and they are a royal pain in the rear to press without damaging them. It's really quite annoying, and I'm *this* close to refusing to press any modern newer than about 2006.

[Hero Restoration]

 

2 of the books stuck out like sore thumbs. A Cap #109, which was graded at CGC 9.2 WP when I subbed it to his firm (sealed in its CGC holder) which I was confident would come back as a CGC 9.6 after it was dry cleaned and pressed.

 

The dry cleaning needed was dirt along the rear spine, which was removed.

 

The bigger issue with the book was a signifigantly impacted corner, which barely broke any cover inks.

 

I got the book back in a new CGC holder, graded at 9.2 WP.

 

The impacted corner was not pressed out, at all.I am sure that the book was in fact pressed, it simply was not humidified prior to pressing as the pressing had no effect on the corner, whatsoever.

 

The CGC grading/invoice/shipping fee on that book was $55.His pressing fee on that book was (ballparking it) $20 or so.

 

You only paid $20 for a high grade Silver Age book to be pressed, and you're complaining?

 

Not the fact that the damage didn't come out...that's a given...but then you only paid $20 for it to be done.

 

Good, quality, gentle work like that, on nearly 50 year old paper, is worth one hell of a lot more than $20.

 

Frankly, that anyone presses books for less than $50/book...including myself...is quite beyond me.

 

It's one thing to remove a tiny NCB spine tic from a 1998 book...

 

..it's quite another to remove an impact crumple from a 1968 book.

 

To say nothing of the fact that a lot of the books I got back...Alias #1.... Suicide Squad #1 (10 motherloving copies).......would have done me a lot more good if I had gotten them back 3 months earlier , as I should have.

 

Proper pressing takes time.

 

A lot more time than the market understands, or is willing to grant.

 

Something has got to give, and the answer is either higher prices, or longer turnaround.

 

If they were received in a timely fashion, I could have sold them while they were peaking.Ugh, now I have to sit on them intil the books come back around in higher demand.

 

That's not the presser's fault. If you want fast track, you should be willing to pay for fast track. If the books aren't worth fast track...and, of course, these are "$250 and up" books you're talking about...then you have no room to complain.

 

Did you ask about fast track? Was it an option? Were you willing to PAY for fast track, if it was an option? Were you willing to accept that even "fast track" books take time to do properly?

 

 

Please.

 

I know just what is needed to press out such a defect on a silver age book.

 

I paid the amount that the pressing firm asked.

 

The time frame that paid for indicated that the book would be done waaaay sooner than turned out to be the case.

 

As in THREE MONTHS longer than the LONGEST window of turn around time that the pressing firms' own web site indicated that the work *could* take.

 

Do I think that pressing a SA book is worth $50?

 

Yes, I do.

 

However, the pressing firm indicated that the work would be done for x amount and I paid x amount.

 

Besides the non color breaking bends at the top right corner of the spine, the book is damn near flawless.

 

If the bends were pressed out, which they would have been if the pressing firm had humidified the book prior to pressing.....I would have in a likelihood gotten back the book in a 9.6 holder, not a 9.4 or 9.2 holder.

 

Between that...and 2 other modern books that were hammered out by the presser....and the fact that had I had the books within time frame that the presser had cited (per the presser's very own web page)....then I would have been able to sell the majority of the books before they started getting colder.

 

If there was any inkling whatsoever that the pressing would have taken 3 months longer than the pressers' web site had indicated than I would have not subbed the books and pressed them all myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you don't understand that people are throwing thousands of books at pressers, and that a 3 month addition to the turnaround time isn't all that bad, you don't understand that dynamics of pressing in 2016.

 

That's not a subtle "you're stupid" or "I'm so much smarter than you" comment, or any of the other pop psychology concepts that are favored by some. It's simply a statement of fact.

 

So, the next question is...did you ASK how long it would take?

 

Because I've been telling my customers, for a year now, that "it takes as long as it takes. If you need a faster turnaround time, I'd be happy to point you to another presser. I wouldn't be able to vouch for their work, but the turnaround time would be faster."

 

You can have pressing done right...or you can have it done fast. You cannot have both, and the market needs to accept that.

 

What's that .2 or .4 or .5 or 1.0 difference worth to you?

 

And why didn't you press it yourself? If you were concerned about "market timing", why didn't you say so to the presser? This happens in small claims all the time: if time is of the essence, you must clearly and explicitly state that upfront.

 

On a related note...I'll happily and gladly take 100 Silver Age books to press over 100 brand new moderns. They are printing these books on tissue paper, and they are a royal pain in the rear to press without damaging them. It's really quite annoying, and I'm *this* close to refusing to press any modern newer than about 2006.

 

Agreed!

[Conan_Aficionado]

[THB]

So....when is the CGC boards pressing contest??

[joeypost]

If he's not satisfied with the work he has every right to complain. The reason they're backed up is backlog not because it actually takes months to press a modern suicide squad book with most likely minimal problems.

 

You are absolutely correct. A person has the right to complain if they feel their books were not handled properly. What happens, unfortunately, is they go about doing it the wrong way by not contacting the person they should go to in the first place and throwing the 21st century's version of a temper tantrum by posting it on social media or in a chat room forum.

 

I have always found it is best to go to the source, see what can be done and then move to different avenues if nothing gets done. From just reading some of the posts it appears this was not done, and that would have eliminated some of the hard feelings and maybe additional notes on the books in question could have been shared. I have had this happen in the past when someone feels their books should have come back higher and the graders notes show defects were there the owner of the book was not aware of. This often included light water damage, bent staples (yes, bent staples) and other interior defect that cannot be viewed through a plastic tomb.

 

All it is is common sense and courteousy. Unfortunately, they are no longer common.

[thecopperagekids]

If he's not satisfied with the work he has every right to complain. The reason they're backed up is backlog not because it actually takes months to press a modern suicide squad book with most likely minimal problems.

 

You are absolutely correct. A person has the right to complain if they feel their books were not handled properly. What happens, unfortunately, is they go about doing it the wrong way by not contacting the person they should go to in the first place and throwing the 21st century's version of a temper tantrum by posting it on social media or in a chat room forum.

 

I have always found it is best to go to the source, see what can be done and then move to different avenues if nothing gets done. From just reading some of the posts it appears this was not done, and that would have eliminated some of the hard feelings and maybe additional notes on the books in question could have been shared. I have had this happen in the past when someone feels their books should have come back higher and the graders notes show defects were there the owner of the book was not aware of. This often included light water damage, bent staples (yes, bent staples) and other interior defect that cannot be viewed through a plastic tomb.

 

All it is is common sense and courteously. Unfortunately, they are no longer common.

 

Joe, there is very little to thing that I could have done, after the presser took possesion of my books.The money....of more importance, the time, had already been spent.

 

What I posted would have been in bad form, if I mentioned the pressing service thst I had used, by name.

 

I would not drag any pressing firms' name through the mud on a public forum, unless the pressing service had taken my money , had my books slabbed...sold them and pocketed the proceeds, and then told me they were embarking on a cocaine fueled expedition to Barbatos, on my dime.

 

I am not sure why you seem to have taken offense to my posts.We all know that you do excellent work.The handful of times that you have pressed books of mine, all of the work you put in was top notch and there was never a single book that did not come out as well as expected.

 

 

 

 

[thecopperagekids]

 

2 of the books stuck out like sore thumbs. A Cap #109, which was graded at CGC 9.2 WP when I subbed it to his firm (sealed in its CGC holder) which I was confident would come back as a CGC 9.6 after it was dry cleaned and pressed.

 

The dry cleaning needed was dirt along the rear spine, which was removed.

 

The bigger issue with the book was a signifigantly impacted corner, which barely broke any cover inks.

 

I got the book back in a new CGC holder, graded at 9.2 WP.

 

The impacted corner was not pressed out, at all.I am sure that the book was in fact pressed, it simply was not humidified prior to pressing as the pressing had no effect on the corner, whatsoever.

 

The CGC grading/invoice/shipping fee on that book was $55.His pressing fee on that book was (ballparking it) $20 or so.

 

You only paid $20 for a high grade Silver Age book to be pressed, and you're complaining?

 

Not the fact that the damage didn't come out...that's a given...but then you only paid $20 for it to be done.

 

Good, quality, gentle work like that, on nearly 50 year old paper, is worth one hell of a lot more than $20.

 

Frankly, that anyone presses books for less than $50/book...including myself...is quite beyond me.

 

It's one thing to remove a tiny NCB spine tic from a 1998 book...

 

..it's quite another to remove an impact crumple from a 1968 book.

 

To say nothing of the fact that a lot of the books I got back...Alias #1.... Suicide Squad #1 (10 motherloving copies).......would have done me a lot more good if I had gotten them back 3 months earlier , as I should have.

 

Proper pressing takes time.

 

A lot more time than the market understands, or is willing to grant.

 

Something has got to give, and the answer is either higher prices, or longer turnaround.

 

If they were received in a timely fashion, I could have sold them while they were peaking.Ugh, now I have to sit on them intil the books come back around in higher demand.

 

That's not the presser's fault. If you want fast track, you should be willing to pay for fast track. If the books aren't worth fast track...and, of course, these are "$250 and up" books you're talking about...then you have no room to complain.

 

Did you ask about fast track? Was it an option? Were you willing to PAY for fast track, if it was an option? Were you willing to accept that even "fast track" books take time to do properly?

 

 

Please.

 

I know just what is needed to press out such a defect on a silver age book.

 

I paid the amount that the pressing firm asked.

 

The time frame that paid for indicated that the book would be done waaaay sooner than turned out to be the case.

 

As in THREE MONTHS longer than the LONGEST window of turn around time that the pressing firms' own web site indicated that the work *could* take.

 

Do I think that pressing a SA book is worth $50?

 

Yes, I do.

 

However, the pressing firm indicated that the work would be done for x amount and I paid x amount.

 

Besides the non color breaking bends at the top right corner of the spine, the book is damn near flawless.

 

If the bends were pressed out, which they would have been if the pressing firm had humidified the book prior to pressing.....I would have in a likelihood gotten back the book in a 9.6 holder, not a 9.4 or 9.2 holder.

 

Between that...and 2 other modern books that were hammered out by the presser....and the fact that had I had the books within time frame that the presser had cited (per the presser's very own web page)....then I would have been able to sell the majority of the books before they started getting colder.

 

If there was any inkling whatsoever that the pressing would have taken 3 months longer than the pressers' web site had indicated than I would have not subbed the books and pressed them all myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you don't understand that people are throwing thousands of books at pressers, and that a 3 month addition to the turnaround time isn't all that bad, you don't understand that dynamics of pressing in 2016.

 

That's not a subtle "you're stupid" or "I'm so much smarter than you" comment, or any of the other pop psychology concepts that are favored by some. It's simply a statement of fact.

 

So, the next question is...did you ASK how long it would take?

 

Because I've been telling my customers, for a year now, that "it takes as long as it takes. If you need a faster turnaround time, I'd be happy to point you to another presser. I wouldn't be able to vouch for their work, but the turnaround time would be faster."

 

You can have pressing done right...or you can have it done fast. You cannot have both, and the market needs to accept that.

 

What's that .2 or .4 or .5 or 1.0 difference worth to you?

 

And why didn't you press it yourself? If you were concerned about "market timing", why didn't you say so to the presser? This happens in small claims all the time: if time is of the essence, you must clearly and explicitly state that upfront.

 

On a related note...I'll happily and gladly take 100 Silver Age books to press over 100 brand new moderns. They are printing these books on tissue paper, and they are a royal pain in the rear to press without damaging them. It's really quite annoying, and I'm *this* close to refusing to press any modern newer than about 2006.

 

 

I got back to you in another thread about all of this, except the bit about pressing moderns.

 

I definitely agree that pressing moderns is aggravating....a prime example of this is pressing out moderate NCB spine tics on a book like Batman #1 New 52....working with the black cover coupled with the tissue paper thin paper stock is enough to make me sweat.Literally.

 

But a 100 silver age books?

 

I spend, on average, a good 90 minutes dry cleaning a single SA book.

 

I prefer pressing copper books, the dry cleaning is relatively less taxing than dry cleaning a SA book and the pressing itself is usually just one cycle.

 

Then again, I spent close to half a hour dry cleaning the outer margins of the BC , and the length of the spine, on a Captain America Annual #8.

 

But I'll take that over obsessively dry cleaning a SA book, as is damn near always needed.