Removing scrapbook glue/paper from a postcard

[rajah424]

Posting this here to try to get the most eyes but if it needs to be moved i understand.

I have this postcard and was wondering if anyone has any experience removing the paper/glue. Obviously i don't want to soak it due to the signature on the other side. I'm not willing to try anything that could potentially damage the card, just looking to see if anyone has a safe way to remove the paper. Any thoughts or suggestions.

Thanks.

[kmac32]

Depends on the kind of glue used but I would be hesitant to do it as the postmark would dissolve and the signiature you spoke of could be ruined.

[steve B]

It's already cut down.

I'm not sure I'd go to the trouble of removing that paper.
if the glue is water soluble, you can go with a wet Q-tip to just dampen the paper hopefully getting the glue to let go. But that can get a bit tedious, and not many would have the patience.

The only spot I'd go after would be the upper left where a bit of the stuck on paper sticks out.

I might not even do water, in a small area it can be very lightly scraped with an exacto knife. It's more tedious that the q tip.

[FrankWakefield]

Have you ever soaked a T206?

First, I really doubt that the postmark would fade or dissolve in water. The stamp would soak off from water, not the postmark. (I've soaked stamps off envelopes, red cancellations bleed a bit, cold water minimizes that slightly. Look at used postage stamps on eBay, you'll see zillions of stamps that were soaked and the postal markings survive.)

Secondly, that signature on the other side that we aren't seeing... SLIGHTLY dampen a Q-tip with water, gently touch it quickly to the slightest bit of a bit of random signature ink if its present, or to a bit of the signature; see if any signature ink transferred to the Q-Tip. If it did, then you have water soluble ink, so no soaking. If there's no transfer, try the Q-tip process again for longer, and again, until you're comfortable that the signature won't bleed or fade.

Next, DO NOT SOAK it yet, even if you're thinking you could... dampen a Q-tip and see if you can work loose an edge of that blue paper you want rid of... if the glue on that isn't water soluble, then there's no point to soaking. If it does loosen, then maybe keep it out of water but try to dampen on the blue paper side and work that blue paper loose. Hopefully, the blue paper absorbs water quicker than the cardstock of postcard, and if it does, then work on some of it, then stop and let the cardstock dry. It may take a few days to get that blue paper off if you're doing a bit at a time. If the cardstock gets saturated for some time, then it is subject to being warped or stretched a bit while wet. Multiple dampenings instead of a long soak minimizes that.i I'd have dishtowels with the thickness of a tee-shirt handy for an initial blotting of dampness, then paper towel sandwich with some heavy books atop, and eventually sandwiched in some thick bond paper in a stack of books.

[toledo_mudhen]

Originally Posted by rajah424

Posting this here to try to get the most eyes but if it needs to be moved i understand.

I have this postcard and was wondering if anyone has any experience removing the paper/glue. Obviously i don't want to soak it due to the signature on the other side. I'm not willing to try anything that could potentially damage the card, just looking to see if anyone has a safe way to remove the paper. Any thoughts or suggestions.

Thanks.

I've heard that this guy has pretty good success on this kind of thing - Not sure what he charges but I guess it would depend on how important the autograph is to you. BTW - What is the autograph?

https://www.gonewiththestain.com/home.html

[rajah424]

Thanks for the response guys. I think i will leave it alone, i'm not real comfortable trying anything that might cause damage to the card. Here's a scan of the front side.

Thanks again for the insights.

[Snowman]

That ink won't come off in water.