Getting tiny pieces of scrap tobacco off a T205?

[Bocabirdman]

Originally Posted by brob28

Jerry, I've had some decent luck removing tobacco stains and small pieces. Its hard to completely remove them, but I think the results of this Willis soak show you can certainly improve the cards appearance.

Bill's results are quite typical. Use a bit of patience and avoid a heavy hand during the dying process and you should be able to remove the heavy stains, leaving a lighter footprint. With a little luck, some stains will completely disappear. Realistic expectations are key. His Willis is not perfect after soaking but it sure looks a helluva lot better.

[brob28]

Originally Posted by Bocabirdman

Bill's results are quite typical. Use a bit of patience and avoid a heavy hand during the dying process and you should be able to remove the heavy stains, leaving a lighter footprint. With a little luck, some stains will completely disappear. Realistic expectations are key. His Willis is not perfect after soaking but it sure looks a helluva lot better.

Usually, I take notes on all cards I've soaked so I can refer back if I run into a similar card in the future. Unfortunately with this one either I lost them or forgot to take any so I can't share how long this one was under or if I used a Q-tip on any stains.

I assume you meant avoiding a heavy hand during the drying process, not "dying". I usually put card between paper towels and between stacked books. Do you use a different technique?

[obcbeatle]

Bill/Mike ... thanks for the replies. Bill ... thanks for sharing info. on your Willis soak. Definitely improved the eye appeal. I collect lower grade cards ... so I'm always on the lookout for Polar Bears because they often have a lot of tobacco stains ... which seems to cause a lot of buyers to shy away from them (at least commons). Thus they are sometimes a bargain ... but not always :-) Anyway ... I don't mind tobacco stains. Just wondered about this one card in my collection that still has pieces of scrap tobacco stuck to it. I'd never seen that before. So I may eventually trying soaking it. Thanks again for the information! Best regards. Jerry.

[Bocabirdman]

Originally Posted by obcbeatle

Bill/Mike ... thanks for the replies. Bill ... thanks for sharing info. on your Willis soak. Definitely improved the eye appeal. I collect lower grade cards ... so I'm always on the lookout for Polar Bears because they often have a lot of tobacco stains ... which seems to cause a lot of buyers to shy away from them (at least commons). Thus they are sometimes a bargain ... but not always :-) Anyway ... I don't mind tobacco stains. Just wondered about this one card in my collection that still has pieces of scrap tobacco stuck to it. I'd never seen that before. So I may eventually trying soaking it. Thanks again for the information! Best regards. Jerry.

Post a scan of the card.....I bet it would benefit greatly from a dunk. I, or any of a few dozen guys around here, could talk you through it. It seems counterintuitive to put cardboard in water but trust me. It works....

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Bocabirdman

Post a scan of the card.....I bet it would benefit greatly from a dunk. I, or any of a few dozen guys around here, could talk you through it. It seems counterintuitive to put cardboard in water but trust me. It works....

My only concern with soaking tobacco is the possibility of tobacco stain "bleed" to other parts of the card. A Q tip and a bit of water might be a more conservative first try....

[Bocabirdman]

Originally Posted by Leon

My only concern with soaking tobacco is the possibility of tobacco stain "bleed" to other parts of the card. A Q tip and a bit of water might be a more conservative first try....

Perhaps, Leon, if there is actual pieces of tobacco, a swab would be the first step. A scan would settle the mystery....

[obcbeatle]

Sorry it took me so long to provide a scan. So the two pieces I thought about removing are the piece on the front just below Neal's cap ... and the piece on the back covering "1910". Those two pieces feel raised when you rub your finger over them. The other two pieces (one between the "N" & "A" of NAP's ... front of card ... and the other in the top right corner of the back of the card) don't feel raised when rubbing with finger (although it would be nice to remove those too). But as Leon and others have mentioned ... removing the pieces doesn't remove the stain.

As an aside ... the piece below Neals cap I alway thought was part of his hair ... until I tool a closer look at another T205 Neal Ball card :-) BTW ... kind of neat too that Neal befriended Babe Ruth when Ruth was a young pitcher (I think around 1914). Plus I think Ball was the guy that is mentioned in an old (1908/1909?) letter that has survived ... from a NY writer suggesting that he allow the ATC/ALC to use his image on a T206! Neat stuff! Thanks for any help with soaking this card! Jerry.

[Bocabirdman]

Originally Posted by brob28

Usually, I take notes on all cards I've soaked so I can refer back if I run into a similar card in the future. Unfortunately with this one either I lost them or forgot to take any so I can't share how long this one was under or if I used a Q-tip on any stains.

I assume you meant avoiding a heavy hand during the drying process, not "dying". I usually put card between paper towels and between stacked books. Do you use a different technique?

Typed that message pre-coffee...yes Bill, drying not dying...Yes paper towels and heavy books work fine...I, if I am only doing a couple, will dig out a couple screw downs. I still use the paper towels....The heavy hand is referring to blotting them dry when they first come out of the drink. It is easy to encourage flaking, especially if you try and "help" some of the stains........ I stay away from Q-Tips, opting for a cotton ball instead........