Help improving presentation on book with old tape stains along spine 1 1

[CMW_Collection]

Hello, I hope everybody is doing well on this fine Saturday.  I have a Strange Adventures 180 that had the classic amateur spine reinforcement scotch tape situation.  I was able to successfully remove the tape without damaging the book, so big win there.

What I would like to know are there any simple ways to help lessen the discoloration from the old tape?  This comic is for my PC, so I’m up for whatever can make it present better!  All suggestions appreciated!

Edited September 4, 2021 by CMW_Collection

[LowGradeBronze]

I have a feeling the answer is no, nothing can be done since the adhesive has already stained the cover. Have a few like this myself where an anxious owner (the term OCD not in existence back then,) needlessly applied tape to the spine. Allowing it to dry out completely will often allow removal as you've found, but the staining remains. Maybe on a high value book a pro restorer could do some magic. Know anyone?

[CMW_Collection]

On 9/6/2021 at 2:12 AM, LowGradeBronze said:

I have a feeling the answer is no, nothing can be done since the adhesive has already stained the cover. Have a few like this myself where an anxious owner (the term OCD not in existence back then,) needlessly applied tape to the spine. Allowing it to dry out completely will often allow removal as you've found, but the staining remains. Maybe on a high value book a pro restorer could do some magic. Know anyone?

Thanks for the response!  Yea I’m sure a pro restorer could do some good, but I wouldn’t want to invest that much in this book.  I think there are some chemical cleanings that could be done as well, but really outside the effort I would want to put in.  I guess I was hoping somebody might have a cool little trick that was eluding me on my google searches!  🍻

[LowGradeBronze]

AlI I can add is that if some of the tape residue is still, err...sticky, then I sprinkle a little talcum powder on it to 'take up' the stickiness. this may have to be repeated but talc is at least a neutral substance and can be wiped away once its been on long enough to soak up the glue. This is not a professional approach and certainly not for really expensive books, but works when you have a sticky book! Yours would be $275 in 3.5 so even in your low grade its still a hundred bucks or so. Not small change really. I have a low grade Silver Surfer 3 with tape on the cover that I'm waiting for it to age enough to peel away, but it only cost me £3 or about $5 so Im very relaxed about it. I check it now and then! Have a flick through. 

[Grottu]

(Coming to this a little late). Couple possibilities: First, if it’s just stain and no adhesive residue, it may be irreversible, but I would first try spraying with distilled water in a supported setting so the cover doesn’t tear when wet. If that doesn’t work, I’ve had luck using a 2% solution of Triton-x (an industrial detergent) to clean covers. Finally, VM&P Naphtha is a thinner/solvent that safely removes adhesive residue from covers, though it might not take care of the stain. The latter two options, obviously, get into the dreaded category of restoration, which doesn’t bother me because that’s my hobby. Naphtha, BTW, successfully removed tape and adhesive backing from this beat Batman, allowing me to leaf-cast it…

[LowGradeBronze]

Wow! Grottu, I am impressed with your end result. From the aesthetic POV you've created something that's pleasing to hold once more which is the definition of success. What do you use to do the colour touches with? Or is that something of a trade secret? (Esp where you've recreated the off white along the spine and on back cover.) 

[Grottu]

On 9/16/2021 at 12:28 PM, LowGradeBronze said:

Wow! Grottu, I am impressed with your end result. From the aesthetic POV you've created something that's pleasing to hold once more which is the definition of success. What do you use to do the colour touches with? Or is that something of a trade secret? (Esp where you've recreated the off white along the spine and on back cover.) 

Thanks. I try to use only acrylics, which CGC considers an “A” grade material on the restoration scale (as opposed to pencils or markers, which are a step down). The color match on the white parts could’ve been better, and ideally, the new leaf-cast paper would’ve been tinted enough to avoid the need for color touch there, but I skipped that option with this one. The photo below, of a different comic, shows properly matched leaf-cast in-fill, where the pulp slurry was dyed to a fairly good approximation of the existing cover (this was taken midway thru restoration and it’s still a mess…was a GA Wonder Woman issue that was in terrible shape, with lots of missing pieces, old scotch tape, etc)…