Scott 95 With Some Issues - Need Advise

Just purchased this nice little guy with the hope that I would be able to soak it and get some of those folds out of the sides and turned into a presentable filler. Wanted opinions on how careful I need to be soaking this (entire stamp or just sides) and what (if any) affect it may have on the grill. Stamp also has what I believe is a nice pre-printed paper fold :)

In view of what looks like a long cut in the stamp running from the top, through the "A" of "POSTAGE" and down to the right center of the vignette, I would not be inclined to soak it until I had used up all alternatives.

If all you want to do is straighten out the perf foldovers, just moisten that side.
Use an artists brush to put water only where you want it, especially if you need to do it repeatedly.

If you want to remove the paper remnants lower down, and you are sure that the adhesive is water soluble, then you can moisten the remnants and carefully scrape them off with a scalpel (if you are good with instruments like that). It helps to use a low setting on a binocular microscope for that kind of work.
If the adhesive is not water soluble, and you do not have a solvent for it that will keep the paper safe, then you can decrease it with dry scraping under a microscope, after brushing on a small amount of water to moisten the fibers of the adhesions, but not the stamp paper. That is not a trick for beginners.

When you have done the work with a bit of moisture, press the stamp flat between two blotters under some heavy books for a couple of days.

Thanks essayk. I don't have the stamp yet but believe the long cut you are referring to is a pre-print paperfold. If it is, will it change the method and allow me to soak or would you still stay with the "water where I want it" strategy?

Shannon,

First of all, nearly all the perfs that appear to be missing are really folded ovr, so soaking will make it easier to flatten them out and overall, the stamp will look nicer as a result. Also the soaking should allow that paper fold to open up completely and it will look more striking when all the way opened. I would use warm water (not hot). I think you will be happy with the results! Good luck with it.

Thanks Bill. I'll post a picture when I get through with it to show all the results :)

I am not advising you to do what I did to a filler with a grill (Scott 89) that had lots of paper and hinge remnants. This is what I did: The entire stamp went for a swim. When I removed it I still had to carefully remove a tiny amount of lightly stuck paper. Then back in the water for about a minute to soften any remaining adhesive. Next, I dabbed it with a tissue and air dried it face down. Last, before it was completely dry, I placed it between two pieces of thin smooth cardboard and laid a very light weight paperback book on it. The result was very nice and the grill did not appear to have flatten in the slightest.

As promised here are the results.... not to shabby. Wish the pre-print paperfold was a little more pronounced but I'll take it!

That came out great!

nice job on it

Very nicely done! Glad that was a pre-print fold and not the cut I was afraid of.