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Important information about storing comic books in fire proof/resistant safes

220 posts in this topic

Top Staple... this is very painful to observe

 

 

1174902-Hulk182TopStaple.jpg

 

 

crazy.gifsorry.gif

893whatthe.gif I thought you were talking about FLECKS of rust, which even then would be unusual on such "young" comics. This looks like some parasitic infection! Man, I am totally bummed for you.

 

How are the covers? It's hard to believe that much moisture hasn't affected them in some way.

 

I don't think that's moisture causing that. It looks more like serious corrosion caused by some other chemical in that safe. 893whatthe.gif

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I agree with you since there is no "other" visible signs of moisture infiltration such as "wavy" pages or other paper damage like foxing, etc.

 

I have heard that some coin owners (with coins made of precious metals - rust proof) have experienced other reactions (toning issues) within fireproof safes.

 

Brian is thinking of helping me with this after I learn more information about the chemicals used in my safe. I find it hard to believe that the chemical is not at least a partial culprit if not the primary one.

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Wow Bruce,

 

This really sucks! I also have a Sentry fire-proof safe, but only the one already damaged comic in it. I had planned to get a larger safe for my slabbed collection, but will now look into it very carefully.

 

Don't feel bad about not knowing this could happen. Regardless of what some might say, I think there is a very large percentage of us that wouldn't have known it or assumed the relation of guns to staples. I too thought it had more to do with the ammunition.

 

Heck, I'm racking my brain as I type trying to think if I have anything else potentially at risk in my safe back home.

 

I hope they can save your books, keep us updated.

 

sorry.gif

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something happend to the first post with this image???

 

Bottom Staple... if you can stomach it... 1174929-Hulk182BottomStaple.jpg

 

wow... that is such a scary image!. ouch. Its like a horror movie where we see the staple actually being eaten alive......

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This can't be the first, or second time judging by Steve's post, this has occurred. Collectors have been putting their comics in safes for decades. Why didn't this problem become evident when collectors were storing their comics in safes without slabs?

 

Could it be some harmful process occurs with the interaction of the safe and slabs together?

 

Jim

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thats interesting.......

 

but maybe its a recent spread of the usually smaller fire-resistant safes for the home that are selling in Home Depot and Staples. Didnt it used to be that buying a safe was a very rare occurance? and only done by companies you had to find in the Yellow Pages? And the buyers were jewelry companies etc??

 

Id hate to think the slabs are a factor chemically. With the PCS announcement this week, CGC is a good guy again!!!

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thats interesting.......

 

but maybe its a recent spread of the usually smaller fire-resistant safes for the home that are selling in Home Depot and Staples. Didnt it used to be that buying a safe was a very rare occurance? and only done by companies you had to find in the Yellow Pages? And the buyers were jewelry companies etc??

 

I've seen those small safes sold in Walmart/Home Depot/etc. since the early 80s.

 

Jim

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ahhh, whadda I know... seems like a recent phenomenon to me. Or buying them for comic, especially the recently very expensive treasures comics have become, in slabs, maybe its more widespread. I looked at these safes a few times before I finally got my 3 ft high "industrial sized" one (holds 4 magazine boxes plus more stuff crammed in around them) but aside from the size, and portability (you could walk off with the whole thing!) the fire and heat protection was temporary and limited. They arent like the black boxes on airplanes that you dig up with contents intact in the rubble afterwards.

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I agree with you since there is no "other" visible signs of moisture infiltration such as "wavy" pages or other paper damage like foxing, etc.

 

I have heard that some coin owners (with coins made of precious metals - rust proof) have experienced other reactions (toning issues) within fireproof safes.

 

Brian is thinking of helping me with this after I learn more information about the chemicals used in my safe. I find it hard to believe that the chemical is not at least a partial culprit if not the primary one.

 

Bruce,

 

If you have a CIA insurance policy, it should cover this type of damage.

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This can't be the first, or second time judging by Steve's post, this has occurred. Collectors have been putting their comics in safes for decades. Why didn't this problem become evident when collectors were storing their comics in safes without slabs?

 

Could it be some harmful process occurs with the interaction of the safe and slabs together?

 

Jim

 

The inner well is made of Barex 210, which is more chemically resistant than Mylar as to most chemical types (except for Ketones, such as Acetone). I doubt it's the inner well reacting with a chemical.

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ahhh, whadda I know... seems like a recent phenomenon to me. Or buying them for comic, especially the recently very expensive treasures comics have become, in slabs, maybe its more widespread. I looked at these safes a few times before I finally got my 3 ft high "industrial sized" one (holds 4 magazine boxes plus more stuff crammed in around them) but aside from the size, and portability (you could walk off with the whole thing!) the fire and heat protection was temporary and limited. They arent like the black boxes on airplanes that you dig up with contents intact in the rubble afterwards.

 

The clever boys in the labs are always working on new ideas. Perhaps they've come up with a better insulation against fire that happens to interact poorly with staples?

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The inner well is made of Barex 210, which is more chemically resistant than Mylar as to most chemical types (except for Ketones, such as Acetone). I doubt it's the inner well reacting with a chemical.

 

Could it be the outer well reacting with the effects seaping into the inner well?

 

I agree with you that the damage looks more "chemical" related vs. just moisture...and the fact people have been using safes for years before CGC came into existence to store their comics with no damage, at least as related to comicdom at large, seems odd...

 

Jim

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Bruce

Were the staples on the Hulk #182 aligned in a manner which had them in contact with the inner well?

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The inner well is made of Barex 210, which is more chemically resistant than Mylar as to most chemical types (except for Ketones, such as Acetone). I doubt it's the inner well reacting with a chemical.

 

Could it be the outer well reacting with the effects seaping into the inner well?

 

I agree with you that the damage looks more "chemical" related vs. just moisture...and the fact people have been using safes for years before CGC came into existence to store their comics with no damage, at least as related to comicdom at large, seems odd...

 

Jim

 

Who knows? I would think that we'd see some degradation in the outer shell if that were the case. I don't see any in the scan, but maybe Bruce can shed some light on the issue.

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Would you not crack that out and get the staples cleaned/replaced at some point? Because isn't that rust soon going to affect the paper? What are the thoughts on that part of the issue?

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I did a little research on Barex 210. The info I found stated that it is an extremely good oxygen barrier. I was wondering is the CGC inner well sealed to a point that it can trap moisture at the time of encapsulation. Is it possible that any moisture or humidity is being trapped in the inner well during the seal and not escaping because of Barex's ability to hold out (or in) oxygen?

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