Stress lines a few years after grading 2 2

[kitsune333]

Hi everyone, I have a sketch cover that was slabbed back in 2018 that received a 9.8. I've kept the book vertically on a book shelf since then. When I first received it, the book looked clean as it should for a 9.8. I've taken the slab to have a look last week and found some dark lines around where the staples are. Has anyone seen these before or have these happen to their books? Is this a matter of staple stress getting worse over time? Any insight will be appreciated. Thanks!

[Lightning55]

Yikes!  That's not good news for anyone owning a graded book.

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 2/21/2022 at 10:10 PM, kitsune333 said:

Hi everyone, I have a sketch cover that was slabbed back in 2018 that received a 9.8. I've kept the book vertically on a book shelf since then. When I first received it, the book looked clean as it should for a 9.8. I've taken the slab to have a look last week and found some dark lines around where the staples are. Has anyone seen these before or have these happen to their books? Is this a matter of staple stress getting worse over time? Any insight will be appreciated. Thanks!

Could be. I store my slabbed books on their backs for this very reason, as this kind of 'aging' has been discussed in the past to potential help degrade the book over time.

[lostboys]

On 2/22/2022 at 7:22 AM, theCapraAegagrus said:

Could be. I store my slabbed books on their backs for this very reason, as this kind of 'aging' has been discussed in the past to potential help degrade the book over time.

Yes!

 

Store your slabs flat on their backs, my friends.  Gravity is real.

[Stronguy]

Dang, that looks bad!  It might have something to do with books of that era being printed on super cheap paper in combination with pressure from well.  Whatever it is, it's no bueno.

FWIW, back when SCS was a major problem, it was determined the best way to store slabs is spine down.  That eliminates well pressure on the open edges of the book but still lets you move them without having to constantly stack and unstack.

[kitsune333]

Appreciate the tips and advice everyone! I'll be storing my books spine down or flat from now on!

[djzombi]

I don't see the physics of vertical storage causing the dark marks.  Staple stress/pulling/creasing?  Maybe.  But the dark marks look like something that would occur from the cover being pressed on that area, not pulled downward by gravity.