View Full Version : Card Soaking
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06-25-2008, 10:47 AM
Posted By: <b>Chris Nerat</b><p>Hey guys,<br /><br />This is strictly for experimental purposes only. A few of our readers posted a thread in our forums about card soaking.<br /><br />I have never done this, nor would I expect that any of you guys would advise a collector to try this, but I wanted to video tape the process and see what people's reactions would be.<br /><br />From what I understand, you just take a card that has a crease, place it in a pan with distilled water and then flatten the creases somehow??<br /><br />Can someone help me... Like I said, this is just something I thought would make an interesting video.<br /><br />Thanks guys.<br /><br />chris
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06-25-2008, 10:48 AM
Posted By: <b>Matt</b><p>Kevin S has done a detailed walk through of the process here:<br /><a href="http://www.alteredcards.com/soak.htm" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.alteredcards.com/soak.htm</a>
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06-25-2008, 10:54 AM
Posted By: <b>T206Collector</b><p>It really depends on the card you're talking about here. Lithographs, like T206 cards, soak extremely well; Topps cards, on the other hand, are in my experience irreparably damaged by soaking, since the image cracks.<br /><br />If you're talking about soaking a T206 card, I would only advise it in the context of paper or paste removal -- as when the card is being removed from a scrapbook. It does not, again, in my experience, make wrinkles or creases disappear. I suppose there may be some reduction in the actual bend of the card, but wrinkles and creases are as far as I have seen basically there to stay. You might see some advantage in a spider wrinkle that doesn't break the cardboard, but it would be really minimal. <br /><br />Buy a T206 card with paper or glue stuck on the back. Soak the card in water -- some would say distilled water only, but I've used tap without repurcussions -- for a few minutes. Use a QTip to gently rub off the paper or glue. Press dry the card between two sheets of printer paper under a heavy book or other object. Switch out the paper after 10 or 15 minutes and replace it with dry paper. And leave the card to press thereafter overnight.<br /><br />Finally, grading companies -- at least PSA and SGC -- are aware of this practice in pre-war vintage as it is detectable if not done perfectly well or if scrap/glue remains, and they will grade the card; though it will be hurt in technical grade by whatever remnants remain.<br /><br />Good luck and maybe I'll post a video of this one day on my website. But I don't soak the autographed ones for fear of hurting the autograph and that is basically all I collect anymore. <br><br>_ <u> </u> _ <u> </u> _ <u> </u> _ <u> </u> _ <u> </u> _ <u> </u> _ _ <br /><br />Visit <a href="http://www.t206collector.com" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.t206collector.com</a> for signed deadball card galleries, articles and more!
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06-25-2008, 10:59 AM
Posted By: <b>Chris Nerat</b><p>thanks for the detailed response!<br /><br />chris
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06-25-2008, 05:19 PM
Posted By: <b>Hagar Henderson</b><p>That would take big baseBALLS to put a valuable card in water. I could never get up the nerve to try it. <br /><br />From an ethical standpoint, they're your cards so do with them as you please. However, I would not sell to someone without disclosing what had been done.
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06-25-2008, 06:08 PM
Posted By: <b>fkw</b><p>Ive soaked hundreds of cards...... but never to TRY to remove a crease. <br /><br />Most people soak cards to remove scrapbook residue or even remove the scrapbook page. <br />Very common with 19th Century Victorian Tradecards. Id estimate 80-90% were removed from a scrapbook at some time.<br /><br />PS dont soak a real photo card (ie N172, T200, T222, AZO postcard, etc.