Second Hand Albums From Smokers Enviroment

I recently picked up a very nice Scott National Album, since it will be quite awhile before I can afford a hingless. this album had hundreds and hundreds of nicely placed black mounts. making it a perfect stepping stone to not hinge my USA stamps.

ANYWAY: seems this album came from a light smokers home, its not pungent or strong nor is the album discolored in anyway however you open the pages and start paging thru it you eventually get a good lungful.

ANSWERS? had anyone found a good way of removing the tobacco smell from books? not something I've looked into I know Charcoal bags, or Baking Soda in cars really helps take the stink out or rugs and fridges, not sure if boxing this up with Charcoal (like aquarium style) would harm the book, or even help?

anyone?

Baking soda. Place the album in a sealable container with a open box of baking soda. This can be a long process but it does not damage the album, mounts or stamps.

A very interesting piece of information. Thanks for sharing.

Presumably, Russ, you do not then place the tin in an oven . . .

(Sorry, couldn't resist going for a rise)

(Do I lose posts because of dreadful puns? Couldn't spot any rules about it.)

No posts lost but you have to replace one of your regular stamps with a 'dunes' stamp.

Until you make your next 'good' post. Then you get to switch them out again.

You win some, you lose some.

Yes, good info, thank you.

I wonder if you would have to spread the pages out or do them page by page because not everywhere in the album would be reachable by the air / baking soda with pages pressed flat together.

Oh, you put the album in stand up, not lying flat. Duh.

I did this in a plastic storage tub from Walmart. Scotts National Vol 1-2 Stood them upright with a piece of wooden dowel to hold the covers open and I fanned the pagese slightly. I changed the baking soda every couple of weeks. I would remove the albums to do work on them and then replace them when I was done. Every time I opened the container I would fan the pages. Took about 4-5 months but removed the oder nicely.

Thanks, I'll get to it then!

I had about 500 very pungent old used German stamps that I figured I could rinse after their baking-soda treatment, which was as follows:

I sprinkled some baking soda onto one side of an open manila folder, then placed the stamps in a layer on top of the baking soda, then sprinkled some more baking soda on top of the stamps. I closed the manila folder and placed it inside a ziploc freezer bag. About once a week I would toss the stamps with my hands so that the baking soda came in contact with all of the stamps. I'd also check the odor at that time. When most of the foul odor was gone I rinsed the stamps, then dried and pressed them.

I was mainly after some higher values and some great postmarks. I'm not sure I would spend my time doing that all over again, but at least now I know what works.

Interesting what you can bring into your home importing someone else's collection. I once saw, on ebay, a collection in some stock pages which on closer inspection showed some cockroach egg casings in the clear plastic sleeves. Needless to say, I didn't bid on those.

jamesw,

That has to be the grossest thing I can ever imagine finding in a stamp collection! Can you say eeeeeeeewwwwww?

Yes, I daresay the winner of that auction may have gotten more than he bargained for.

sicpress.com sells "Book Deodorizer" for this purpose. Its a little pricey compared to baking soda but at least the cleanup is much easier.

http://sicpress.com/book-deodorizer/

Great info here. I inherited some old White Ace albums from my grandfather that were quite pungent as well. I did replace the beat up binders, but the pages themselves are just too expensive to replace so I may go the baking soda route as described above.

I enjoy smoking cigars, 1-2 per week, but do so outside or in my garage. Personally, I wouldn't dream having a lit stogie anywhere near my stamp collection. Any other cigar lovers out there?

There is nothing like the smell of a fresh, well-made cigar. I don't get to smoke them all that often, though.

I agree about the cigar, however, they don't stay fresh very long, even with a good humidor. I personally like the Gloria Cubanna M series. Warning, don't smoke and stamp at the same time, it could be hazardous to your stamps.