Help: Sticky Situation..

Hi...As you can see...some stamps are stuck in a sticker placed by the post office....I had several stamps ruined by trying to remove that similar sticker before and I hope I wont destroy these stamps..I soaked them for 5 hours already and nothing happened....any suggestions? Thank you very much

This should work

Step 1. let the stamps dry out thoroughly
Step 2. Soak stamps in lighter fluid, like ronsonol or zippo.
step 3. Once they have soaked for a little while (a few minutes)
make sure they are still good and wet. Carefully pull the sticker off, If it offers too much resistance let soak some more.
Step 4. once the sticker is off gently rub the face of the stamp with the lighter fluind to remove any glue and blow dry. It will dry in about 15 seconds this way

Lighter fluid was used for generations to identify watermarks on stamps and will not damage them but remember it is very flamable and do not use unless the area is well ventilated.

Good luck,
Richard

will alcohol do instead? I have no lighter fluid ..thanks

just be sure NOT to use an open flame to dry them I'm just teasing. I know Richard cautioned about the flammability; I just got a chuckle from the word "blow" in the same sentence as lighter fluid...

Anyway, what I really wanted to say is, that's a good looking train stamp. I hope you'll post another image after you deal with the sticker.

KirkS

I have heard of instances where alcohol has caused the inks to run. I have never heard that about naptha (the ingredient in lighter fluid).

Richard

tried already...salvaged 2 stamps...other 2 stamps damaged...practice makes perfect I guess...hope to do better next time

John, last week I picked up some bargain basement pages of stamps..black paper pages that fit 3 ring binders..i do not know what the guy used for glue on the center of the used stamps..but they were IMPOSSIBLE to soak loose without thinning them..i would LOVE to know out of curiosity what the substance was !!

HI Phil, were you able to get the stamps loose fom the substance?