[FrankWakefield]

OP Jeff...

If you've never soaked a card, try it with a T206 that has no ink pen or rubber stamp marks on it. Soak that. Then go through the drying process. That could get you familiar with the process. Then try your nice 1915 CJ Johnson. I'm not worried about you messing that card up. But others are, and I concede that it's possible to cause harm.

Distilled water is not necessary, use your tap water unless it has iron, rust color, or obvious particulates.

If that paper scrap loosens, once you're done soaking, run tap water on the card at a gentle temperature, neither cold nor hot, and gently rub a finger where the paper was, if you feel the flour paste still there, the flow of the water should soon wash that away.

Try to use a clear glass for soaking. If you see dirt or dust settled in the glass, or if the water no longer looks clean (because the water has acquired a coffee ting to it) then lift out the card, rinse the glass, then add water and card. (It just occurred to me that with water in glass with card in water, sometimes with a wet finger I'll move my finger across the front and back of the card, usually when it seems that there are a few air bubbles clinging to the card with surface tension. By touching those bubbles away I then have water adjacent to the entire card surface.)

Drying. 1- Nothing is exactly like anything else. 2- Analogies are useful to understand an item or process, if it has similarities with what the original something is. So, think of a bale of straw or hay. If you soaked a bale in water (ignoring that it would be much heavier than before) you could squash that bale much flatter than it was when dry. The paper of that 1915 Johnson Cracker Jack isn't solid, and it has a measurable thickness. If you soak it in a glass of water, then squash it in a vise to flatten it, then you've weakened the paper fibers and many collectors (and most graders), could notice, just by feel, that this card has been flattened. The point is to not try to mash the water out of that card. Put the glass you used on a smooth dishcloth or a couple of paper towels, then lean the rinsed card against the glass. A fair amount of water will gravitate down to the paper towels. Then lay the card down flat on a paper towel, and add paper towel over it, then blot on that with your hand.

Now you have some choices. Some paper towels have flat surfaces, some have a texture with swirls or some decorative pattern. You don't want to have your card conform itself to that pattern, so get something smooth. Printer paper will warp and unevenly absorb water, leading to wrinkles. you could change printer or copier paper often, but I find that it takes lots of paper changing. I usually use cardstock. You can get that on Amazon, at Walmart or Target, other places. Quarter that with scissors, maybe use double layers. I stack up several hardbound books; one on the bottom, then my blotting cardstock with the card sandwiched in between, then the rest of the books. I find the stack of books help me not forget about drying that card. I can change the blotting paper after a few hours, and again a few hours later. Too much weight pressing down on the card will unduly flatten it out and potentially transfer some card ink onto the blotting paper (this occurs very seldom, but if you use the weight of a safe, bookshelf, or couch that could happen).

Be patient, small steps are better than trying to rush the process. Private Message me here and I'll answer questions as you encounter them.