Rusty 1 1

[Scottish88]

What’s the best way to deal with rusty staples

[theCapraAegagrus]

For conservation, clean or replace them.

[James J Johnson]

On 6/24/2021 at 6:49 AM, Scottish88 said:

What’s the best way to deal with rusty staples

An now, as one of the CGC forum teaghlach, deal with this, Meirgeach    

 

 

 

 

Edited June 26, 2021 by James J Johnson

[Bob Troub]

On 6/24/2021 at 9:49 AM, Scottish88 said:

What’s the best way to deal with rusty staples

Dremel tool 

[James J Johnson]

30 minutes ago, Bob Troub said:

Dremel tool 

  

 

That might work if it's held by the steadiest hand imaginable, bringing that spinning abrasive wheel upon the only the topmost poriton of the staple but what about the parts of the staple, the 99% of it that are in very close proximity to the paper surrounding it, the parts of the staple imbedded right against and depressed into the paper? Leave the rust there, or remove it and part of the top layer of paper, if not the paper itself with the 1000 rpm abrasive wheel? 

IMO< removing oxidation, from a light gray layer to rustwithout removing staples is surgery, not carpentry. 

Edited June 26, 2021 by James J Johnson

[Randall Dowling]

2 hours ago, James J Johnson said:

  

 

That might work if it's held by the steadiest hand imaginable, bringing that spinning abrasive wheel upon the only the topmost poriton of the staple but what about the parts of the staple, the 99% of it that are in very close proximity to the paper surrounding it, the parts of the staple imbedded right against and depressed into the paper? Leave the rust there, or remove it and part of the top layer of paper, if not the paper itself with the 1000 rpm abrasive wheel? 

IMO< removing oxidation, from a light gray layer to rustwithout removing staples is surgery, not carpentry. 

Fortune favors the bold, Triple J!  

To the OP, I think your best bet is to carefully remove the staples and then clean them with vinegar.  That way you can clean off the paper of any rust residue and access all sides of the staple.  You want to be careful to only remove rust, not scratch the staples further.  It's been a while but I seem to remember using an old toothbrush to clean them up before restitching (takes a little patience but better than over doing it).  If the staples are extremely rusted, your best bet may be replacement.  

In any case, if you haven't done it before, best to practice on something you don't care about.  

[Cushing Fan]

Hi everyone, 

On a related note, if a book is already encapsulated and has rust on a staple with a little migration,  will the migration continue or will it stop?

[Randall Dowling]

1 hour ago, Cushing Fan said:

Hi everyone, 

On a related note, if a book is already encapsulated and has rust on a staple with a little migration,  will the migration continue or will it stop?

Broadly speaking, rust on staples will continue doing it's thing until remediated.  Rate of deterioration is determined by atmospheric conditions.  

One of the early warnings from CGC was to not store slabs in "fire proof" safes as they had a propensity for causing staples to rust in the slab.  There's a few tough looking casualties of this out there.  

[Yorick]

@Randall Dowling I've always had a tough time trying to open up staples without tearing the book.  Can you describe your method and tools?

[Randall Dowling]

15 minutes ago, Yorick said:

@Randall Dowling I've always had a tough time trying to open up staples without tearing the book.  Can you describe your method and tools?

For the record, I'm far from an expert in restoration.  I replaced the staples of a book decades ago with a coworker that had done it before and I've researched it recently because I have a magazine that's tough to replace with migrated rust from the staples.  Having said that, I practiced a few times and yes, it's ridiculously easy to rip the centerfold.  

I have a bit of experience with x-acto knives and was able to do it with one of those.  But you can't pry it up using the blade as a lever.  You have to apply upward pressure on the staple tine while holding the book down.  There are other tools to use but each has it's own considerations.  And some books are probably almost impossible due to how they were stitched and how bad the rust is.  It really is a case by case basis.  Having a set of wax tools like this is also useful.

[Yorick]

1 hour ago, Randall Dowling said:

For the record, I'm far from an expert in restoration.  I replaced the staples of a book decades ago with a coworker that had done it before and I've researched it recently because I have a magazine that's tough to replace with migrated rust from the staples.  Having said that, I practiced a few times and yes, it's ridiculously easy to rip the centerfold.  

I have a bit of experience with x-acto knives and was able to do it with one of those.  But you can't pry it up using the blade as a lever.  You have to apply upward pressure on the staple tine while holding the book down.  There are other tools to use but each has it's own considerations.  And some books are probably almost impossible due to how they were stitched and how bad the rust is.  It really is a case by case basis.  Having a set of wax tools like this is also useful.

 

I was thinking that a sharpened (flat) popsicle stick might be safer to try the staple edge lift.  Something wooden and not metal (so that you don't accidentally cut the paper).  Holding the center of the staple down for leverage of the ends is what causes me the most frustration.  The staples like to turn to one side.  Maybe a pair of good needle-nose pliers used in tandem would work better.  I have used a scalpel too, and it was nerve-wracking.

[Bob Troub]

On 6/26/2021 at 5:28 PM, James J Johnson said:

  

 

That might work if it's held by the steadiest hand imaginable, bringing that spinning abrasive wheel upon the only the topmost poriton of the staple but what about the parts of the staple, the 99% of it that are in very close proximity to the paper surrounding it, the parts of the staple imbedded right against and depressed into the paper? Leave the rust there, or remove it and part of the top layer of paper, if not the paper itself with the 1000 rpm abrasive wheel? 

IMO< removing oxidation, from a light gray layer to rustwithout removing staples is surgery, not carpentry. 

You obviously don't recognize sarcasm

[James J Johnson]

15 hours ago, Bob Troub said:

You obviously don't recognize sarcasm

Why sure I have. Sarcasm is anger's ugly cousin. But the idea of grinding staples while still in situ is no more odd than many other half baked brainstorms I've heard during my tenure in this hobby, so as nothing that a hobbyist cooks up surprises me any longer, how am I to differentiate between sarcasm and insanity at face value alone?  

[divad]

On 6/27/2021 at 10:52 AM, Cushing Fan said:

Hi everyone, 

On a related note, if a book is already encapsulated and has rust on a staple with a little migration,  will the migration continue or will it stop?

Rust never sleeps . . . 

[divad]

On 6/24/2021 at 6:49 AM, Scottish88 said:

What’s the best way to deal with rusty staples

It depends on the age and condition of the book. They must however, be removed and replaced. 

[divad]

On 6/27/2021 at 4:16 PM, Yorick said:

I was thinking that a sharpened (flat) popsicle stick might be safer to try the staple edge lift. 

And what ten-year old doesn't have a popsicle stick . . .