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Tips for Using Erasers
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Started by comicsbuysell,

51 posts in this topic

comicsbuysell

comicsbuysell

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Hey everyone, I'm trying to perfect my eraser technique. I have bought the dry cleaning tools mentioned in the CPR book. I have tried for many days to develop a technique to erase without picking up color but I seem to always pick up color when I move away from the white. I see some Instagram posts where people clean quite a bit off of comics using erasers but every attempt I make and in color rub. I am currently using white polymer eraser tips. Any advice that you can give would be greatly appreciated.

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comicsbuysell

comicsbuysell

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On 1/27/2024 at 7:42 AM, joeypost said:

Your comment says “days”, so re-evaluate your expectations as it takes a lot longer than days to perfect anything.  I would also throw the book away and continue to practice on beaters. 

i asked for tips, not a critique. thanks.

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comicsbuysell

comicsbuysell

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On 1/26/2024 at 8:01 PM, Topnotchman said:

I haven't seen this CPR book, but it doesn't seem to be a very good resource for dry cleaning tips.  Maybe get rid of that book, since removing color is destroying your comics. 

the book is highly recommended across the conservation scene. I'll stick with the goal. thanks.

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Dr. Love

Dr. Love

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I say affirmations in front of a mirror for 5 minutes before I work with my white tip.  I think that helps a lot!  My technique could use some improvement, sure, but if I can just stick with it for another week or so, I should have it!

Sometimes I smudge the room with sage.  It's a little out there, but who knows what really works and what doesn't?  I wish there was an expert to ask, though.  That would be helpful.

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Dr. Balls

Dr. Balls

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On 1/27/2024 at 8:39 AM, comicsbuysell said:

i asked for tips, not a critique. thanks.

 

That reply to Joeypost, of all people. :facepalm:

He gave you a tip: work on beaters. Here's another tip: be gracious in replies on your posts, even when you don't feel like it. Goes a long way, especially when asking a group to part with their information they gleaned from practicing. On beaters.

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shadroch

shadroch

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On 1/26/2024 at 3:13 PM, comicsbuysell said:

Hey everyone, I'm trying to perfect my eraser technique. I have bought the dry cleaning tools mentioned in the CPR book. I have tried for many days to develop a technique to erase without picking up color but I seem to always pick up color when I move away from the white. I see some Instagram posts where people clean quite a bit off of comics using erasers but every attempt I make and in color rub. I am currently using white polymer eraser tips. Any advice that you can give would be greatly appreciated.

It takes hundreds of hours of practice just to tune your muscles to the task.  After  10,000 hours, you'll master it. 

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comicginger1789

comicginger1789

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On 1/27/2024 at 10:39 AM, comicsbuysell said:

i asked for tips, not a critique. thanks.

That is the answer. Can you learn how to press and clean a comic in week's time? Sure. Will it be done flawlessly and well? Nope. Anyone who tells you otherwise is also out there damaging comic books (and probably charging people money too!). This hobby is filled with amateurs and people who think they can become great overnight. Reality is if you are trusting your books to be pressed and cleaned, use someone who has done it for thousands of books.

As for your own learning, to clean one comic book well takes about an hour, sometimes more. It is not something you can do in 10-15 minutes. Maybe you clean bits of the comics decently in the timeframe but initially if you are cleaning a comic book in less time than that, you are either a seasoned professional or aren't doing a very good job. And it takes time to become good at it...several years in fact. It's why I refuse to trust anyone who hasn't been doing it steady for at least that long. Take your time, keep working on junk books and eventually you can perfect the craft

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Axelrod

Axelrod

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On 1/27/2024 at 12:14 PM, Dr. Balls said:

 

That reply to Joeypost, of all people. :facepalm:

He gave you a tip: work on beaters. Here's another tip: be gracious in replies on your posts, even when you don't feel like it. Goes a long way, especially when asking a group to part with their information they gleaned from practicing. On beaters.

On the other hand, he did get a couple of snarky replies to an extremely reasonable question.  Even if the answer to the question is "practice more."  There's probably something in addition.  

I get that professionals may not wish to share their bread and butter secret techniques with internet strangers, but, the replies here could have been more gracious as well.  

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thehumantorch

thehumantorch

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On 1/27/2024 at 8:41 AM, comicsbuysell said:

the book is highly recommended across the conservation scene. I'll stick with the goal. thanks.

There's a lot of information out there right now and not all of it is good.  And there are a lot of guys pressing books who really don't know what they are doing.

I assume you're talking about the book written by KaptainMyke?

If you're rubbing off colour you'll need to keep practicing on beaters until you have more control.  

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Yorick

Yorick

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Get a piece of white trash paper to warm up the eraser first (and get any inks or other crust off the face of the eraser) .  Get nice little eraser particles clinging to the eraser surface and then LIGHTLY start working the surface.  Those little particles help pick up the dirt/grime.  Only erase on white areas unless you have to go into the colors.  Mask off the color area with that trash paper (just hold the paper on top of the book with enough pressure so that it won't move) and you can get right to the edges of the printed areas.

I wouldn't try to erase color areas, because I can always see the lighter spot on the book where something was erased - and it REALLY bothers me.  I tend not to buy books where someone decided to erase the prior owner's name from the cover.

Erase wisely.  (thumbsu

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zzutak

zzutak

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On 1/27/2024 at 3:44 PM, shadroch said:

1) write some stuff in pencil on a sheet of paper. 

2) attach the paper to a string and hang it from the ceiling.

3) when you can erase the words without the paper moving, you are ready to start working on comics.

pebble-1.thumb.png.7d8e96bb9020744d88fe8a796718114e.png

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