Soaking And Watermarks

I checked in the search function and couldnt find what I was looking for. My questions are:

Whats the best method to remove stamps from paper, warm water or the stamp lift that Amos sells?

Whats the best method for the self adhesive stamps? I know Scott alows them on paper, but the look a whole lot better in an album without it. Has anyone had any luck removing any of the modern US issues or am I better of just buying them already removed?

Whats the best thing for checking watermarks? I read that topic on the fluid and lighter fluid and was wondering if the lighter fluid left a smell or does it leave any long term damage to the stamps after using it? I've used a Morley-Bright Inst-a-tector, but I dont want to keep replacing the caches in it when they are wore out. Would one of those portable watermark detectors that Brooklyn Galleries sells be worth the investment? I have a load of South American and US I need to check out and was wondering what my best bet would be.

Chris,

The best way is what works best for you. My best way is to use warm water, let them soak (usually takes 15 +/- min) then place them face down on a paper towel. When completely dry I stack each towel on top of each other and place a large book on top to press them down and leave overnight.

I use watermark fluid in a black watermark tray. Any black plate will do. You can reuse the fluid for years. The label is off the bottle so I can't tell you what brand I used.

I urge you to not use lighter fluid, toxic & flammable.

Chris,

Special fluid isn't necessary to soak 99% of the stamps out there. I don't use it, and the only reason I can think to use it, would be if you're soaking self-adhesives (and you're averse to using lighter fluid), or if you like to soak off a very small number of stamps at a time and don't want to create a very big mess.

For checking watermarks lighter fluid has been the long standard in collecting. Today, people tend to avoid it because its proven to be carcinogenic if used in a small, unventilated space. However, I use it (safely) and can't find any reason not to. As for long term effects on stamp condition when using lighter fluid - I would say, the chances are that if you have an older stamp in your collection that's changed hands a few times, lighter fluid has been used on it at one time or another!

-PB

PS: Also you should be aware that checking watermarks doesn't always require the use of fluid. If hold up most watermarked stamps to a bright enough light source you should be able to see it from the gum side except in the case for a few. You may not have the confidence at first to be able to identify them this way, but neither did I. It look a few times for me, viewing the stamp in fluid so that I would know what to look for, and then viewing it on its own, to get the hang of it. But once you train your eye, I think you should do very well without having to resort to any kind of soaking.

Art, thanks on that. I was doing the warm water method, but was wondering if that Stamp Lift was any better. Its just that I got a huge box (18x17x12) full of stamps to do. I think I'll just do the ones I need and sell off the rest later on.

panda, thanks for the heads up on the lighter fluid. I never knew it was used for that until I came here. You learn something new every day. I was just worried that after using it and placing the stamps in an album, it might effect it later on and ruin the stamps and/or the album.

I can do that, holding them up to a light, on some, but ones like Brazil, Mexico, etc. are a little bit more of a pain to figure out.