Advice on flipping a book (not what you might think) 0

[Eric Perry]

I've been going through my collection lately and have a question regarding safe handling.  When flipping a book over to check out the back cover, what is the best way to handle it?  My instincts tell me to gently lift and turn over the entire book at once, holding it by the long edge opposite the spine.  Of course, I could be doing this completely wrong...such things have happened before.

[Lazyboy]

You dirty flipper!

I cradle the spine and turn it over that way.

As long as you're careful, it shouldn't matter much how you choose to do it.

[Qalyar]

I find if you get both hands under the comic, sort of thumbs up underneath the spine, you can get enough momentum to flip the comic. Still, you hardly ever get enough rotation, and people always complain that you should have just used a coin instead, and ....

Wait. Not that kind of comic flipping either, huh?

More seriously, the most important thing to remember about turning a comic over is to make sure you turn it over while keeping the spine straight. For example, it's fine to hold the book by the outside edge of the pages and lift it that way (holding it spine-down as you bring it back to rest). You can also do it the other way, holding the spine side of the book (especially for stiffer books). It's a bad idea to flip the book over its short dimension though, because that makes it much easier to kink the spine. Regardless, you of course need to hold the book with an appropriate amount of care; the easiest way to tick a spine is to allow the book to flop over, but you can make them yourself by holding too tightly or placing too much stress at specific points on the spine while turning.

[ExNihilo]

I bought two premium pizza spatula's.  One is slid under the book, the other gently caresses the top.  I then flip it 180 degrees and slide out the spatula's.  Whatever you do, be sure to separate the comic pizza spatula's from the pizza pizza spatula's.  I once got an AF15 on my Margherita and ruined a perfectly good slice of pie.

 

[Eric Perry]

19 minutes ago, Qalyar said:

...the easiest way to tick a spine is to allow the book to flop over, but you can make them yourself by holding too tightly or placing too much stress at specific points on the spine while turning.

This is my reasoning behind holding the long edge opposite the spine.

Most of my collecting experience pertains to baseball cards.  Since just looking at one of those the wrong way can lower the grade, I have probably been treating this with an unnecessary amount of neurotic behavior caution.

Still, I'd rather learn the right way to handle books before I start getting into pricier back issues.

[Eric Perry]

23 minutes ago, Mt. Dew said:

Buy lower grade books so you won't care 

For reader copies, I definitely agree.  

[theCapraAegagrus]

Back-flip, son.

[csaag]

When making scans, I just slide  one backing board under it and another on top and flip it over. 

[Ryan.]

9 hours ago, csaag said:

When making scans, I just slide  one backing board under it and another on top and flip it over. 

I also use two backing boards. 

[csaag]

I do think the spatula idea is much cooler .......

Edited March 25, 2021 by csaag
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