1948 Scott # 964 Oregon Centenary

Plain Block Oregon Centenary Scott # 964 I love the design of this stamp !

There are a few stamps in this block that look to me like High grade well centered examples ,,and that brings up a question about breaking these blocks up for high grade examples ,, what is the best method ,cut or tear ?

This is actually a very nice plain block of 12, not a plate block because you don't have selvage with a plate number attached.

The best way is to separate them is to form a crease along the perfs in the direction you want to separate, by folding the stamps along the perfs. Then gently separate them. It should be fairly easy if the perfs are creased beforehand. Use clean dry hands and try not to leave a fingerprint on the gum. Also avoid crumpling the stamps by pulling too hard. Do not use scissors. Scissor-cut perfs on a stamp is considered a fault.

I would start by separating the top block of 4 from the lower block of 8.
Then focus on the block of four, separating the two left stamps from the two right stamps.
Then separate the vertical pair which came from the top left corner. This should give you two nice singles.
The other vertical pair from the top right corner looks soiled. I would use it as postage.

The remaining block of eight can be left intact, or split into two blocks of four. Just remember you do not want to have a crease along the perfs in a collectible block to put in your album, that will be considered a fault. So crease only along the perfs you intend to separate, and no more.