Where do you learn restoration techniques??

[TylerH]

Do most people take museum courses?

I think this would be awesome to learn, not jsut for comics, but old photos, old currency, sentimental newpaper articles, etc...

 

Anyone have any idea how to learn this stuff?

[Dad&Son-migration]

Here's a good site http://www.comic-book-restoration.com/Restoration_Treatments.html

 

also research some of the threads here for some informative stuff

[FFB]

The easiest way to learn the pure basics (dry cleaning and mending) is to buy a book about book repair techniques. There are also websites that show how to do it. Here is one specific to books. Here is a very basic book showing how to perform Book Repair.

 

Color touch is more of a trial and error thing, since most museum courses are directed toward repair and conservation (mending and support, cleaning, deacidification, etc.) and not aesthetic restoration.

[seank]

Do most people take museum courses?

I think this would be awesome to learn, not jsut for comics, but old photos, old currency, sentimental newpaper articles, etc...

 

Anyone have any idea how to learn this stuff?

 

You realize you just ruined any street cred you had here as a comic seller...

[FFB]

Do most people take museum courses?

I think this would be awesome to learn, not jsut for comics, but old photos, old currency, sentimental newpaper articles, etc...

 

Anyone have any idea how to learn this stuff?

 

You realize you just ruined any street cred you had here as a comic seller...

 

Why do you say that? Just because someone wants to learn how to restore books doesn't mean he's a crook.

[Sid]

I would be very interested in hands-on training on this subject, somewhere down the line also. Still waiting on that e-book to be released.

[Dad&Son-migration]

I openly practice on many "reader copies". I recently acquired the "right" paints just to have fun on colour touching as well. There isn't anything wrong with restoring a book. I would be quite proud of any book I revived. I will however always disclose if I've done anything to a book to enhance it's appearence. Nor do I judge anyone who wouldn't because I can't control the hobby. It's a matter of dealing with who you trust.

[Davenport]

The easiest way to learn the pure basics (dry cleaning and mending) is to buy a book about book repair techniques. There are also websites that show how to do it. Here is one specific to books. Here is a very basic book showing how to perform Book Repair.

 

Color touch is more of a trial and error thing, since most museum courses are directed toward repair and conservation (mending and support, cleaning, deacidification, etc.) and not aesthetic restoration.

Here's a freebie in Adobe Acrobat .PDF format from the Alaska State Library : Conservation Book Repair: A training manual by Artemis BonaDea

It's also broken down by chapters, but the first choice is "Download Entire Manual" which you can right click/Save Target As to save it to your computer.

[seank]

Do most people take museum courses?

I think this would be awesome to learn, not jsut for comics, but old photos, old currency, sentimental newpaper articles, etc...

 

Anyone have any idea how to learn this stuff?

 

You realize you just ruined any street cred you had here as a comic seller...

 

Why do you say that? Just because someone wants to learn how to restore books doesn't mean he's a crook.

 

Perhaps I should have used a smiley. My intent was to be taken with a grain of salt.

 

Hmmm.. how about adding this one to my last post:

[TylerH]

HAHA! Its all good.. Trust me, I have been there when a new guy starts askig fishy questions...

I collect Figres too and a lot of times some new seller will register on the boards and his third post will be like "So.. Uh,. Whats the best way to reseal a card?"

HAHA

 

I jsut would like to know becasue I have always been interested in all sorts of restoration.. Paining, antique, etc...

 

Even Star Wars figures... My Site:

www.hamstudios.com/starwars

 

[Ze-man]

My Rancor's arm fell off, how do I reattach it?

 

This line from your site just cracked me up for some reason.

 

Was fun to look through the site. So how do people view the different levels of restored toys? I admit ignorance about the market entirely. But I do enjoy them, have about 3 large box fulls in storage myself.

 

And to answer your question in the thread. Be in the right place at the right time and hope those who know something show you. As I am sure you are aware, learning stuff like this is an ever ongoing process that never really ends. But along the way you hopefully apply what you have learned and put your own spin on it. While there are finite rules to most of the restoration process's. Everyone was obviously taught to use the same materials by different people so the end result is different, some peoples final product will vary greatly from anothers even though they used the same tools and materials.

 

You yourself said it on your site, go slow, don't rush anything and start small. So if you are interested in learning, the many websites provided in the thread are how I started myself.. lots of tinkering with old beat up cheapo comics. Making mistakes and learning from them. But not until I was shown how to do it properly was I able to take that next step to really try and do it seriously. And I think that is how most everyone doing it got over the hump. By being shown firsthand.

 

Best of luck learning, it has been very fun to try and bring books back that are on the brink of totally falling apart.

 

 

Ze-

[TylerH]

Good question!

Its kind of strange and really depends on teh toy line..

 

GI Joe for example - The figures are held together with an O-Ring... Which over time rots and snaps..

You can unscrew a GI Joe, replace the O ring (They are a standard size at teh hardware store.. Like #10 I think or something... Screw it back together and Bam.. The figure is "better"... But that is SOOOO accepted its not even considered restorarion.. Its just what they do! You can even take the good arms or crotch of a figure and swap them out with Joes and noone seems to care...

 

As far as recardsing, thats hugely looks down on.. But it pretty easy to spot.. For teh most part, major restoration like that are not seen as "good"

 

I collect mostly Star Wars.. Things like flattening the cardback under books, Mostly things like Cleaning vehicles, or replacing stuickers with newly printer repos is acceptable.. (The stickers thought people always mention as repro bt noone sems to mind that much) Even stuff like removing price tags is great..

 

The only one on the line is shining bubbles.. I like it becasue it makes the figure look much better.. But some consider it wrong.. for whatever reason..

 

Stuff Like repainting scuffs, etc.. Isa big no no... A lot of the stuff on my site.. Like the rancor arm fix, or the joint tightening, is mostly stuff for peopel trying to make their own stuff more presentable.. And most of it is undo-able too..

 

Im far more into conservation than restoration. the truth though is that these are jsut toys and were never meant for the long haul.. O rings break, bubbles unglue from cards.. Platics turn diff. color, etc.. Over time!

 

Sorrt if this was kind of a long winded response.. .. But I am into this stuff.. i actually contributed to the latest OFFICIAL guide to Star Wars Coll. Written by Jeremy Beckett.. In the Resto / Care section

 

Most of this stuff I learned through trial and error.. Fixing beater toys.. Or having people send me techniques they used to fix their beeter toys...

 

[Ze-man]

Your enthusiasm should be applauded. It is what makes any hobby tick.

 

Besides.. we are all crazy here too.. so welcome to our little piece of Internet real estate.

 

Ze-

[TylerH]

I would love to learn all kinds of restoration techniques.. From antique furniture to Tin Toy cars!

 

And PS.. Sorry that Im sort of a sloppy typer... Im almost always online at work and have to make the posts QUICK

[Lazyboy]

You can even take the good arms or crotch of a figure and swap them out with Joes and noone seems to care...

 

Well, at least we don't have to worry about crotch replacement when collecting comics.

[Dad&Son-migration]

Im almost always online at work and have to make the posts QUICK

 

Story of my life right now...

[TylerH]

HAHAHA NICE!

If you ever played with GI Joes in the 80s, you know exactly what Im talking about

[Dad&Son-migration]

My Rancor's arm fell off, how do I reattach it?

 

This line from your site just cracked me up for some reason.

 

Ze-

 

I had tears in my eyes.. it's sad to say.. but I have a Rancor back from the day too

[Ze-man]

HAHAHA NICE!

If you ever played with GI Joes in the 80s, you know exactly what I'm talking about

 

How about hair /fuzz replacement? When you got a new Joe back in the day, it was obligatory that you set his hair on fire.

 

And pillage all of your sisters Barbies of course.

 

 

Ze-

[TylerH]

Hmm.. Im talking about the 3 3/4 inch Joes of the 80s..

 

You just totally dated yourself

haha