Drying Time

I just soaked my batch of stamps and set to drying between craft paper and weighted with Scotts catalogs. How long do I need to let these dry before I can not worry about them curling. Has been 35 yrs since I last did this, and can't seem to remember how long to leave them. My sons itching to get at them; so how long would you leave them. 3 layers, separated by 4 sheets craft paper each.
THanks Jay

45min

JayR101
I have soaked for many years.
The best time to wait is over-night.
given that the stamps have been blotted dry.
My Method:
Separate the colours, used slightly warm water.
when the stamps have fallen off freely,
place them on paper towels,to blot off the excess water.
you can then place the stamps on your clean paper.
Use a good weight, leave over-night.
David (DJD)

Jay:

I let the stamps dry on a paper towel.. Once completely dry, I flatten them with a couple of telephone books, over night.

Seems to work for me.

David

I set them on the unwaxed side of wax paper and blot them with paper towel. Use twice as much wax paper as needed and keep to one side so you can fold the other half back over them.

If they've been well blotted, you should have no problem. Leave overnight with a heavy book on top.

I have used paper towel in the past, and it probably works fine, but the paper towel must be the unembossed stuff. I've found that the stuff with puffy designs in it makes them dry crooked.

I have often used cereal box type of cardboard and pressed the stamps between two of them at the same time with heavy books. Some stamps with dry gum are problematic and stick to paper, cardboard, etc after drying them. For these, I place a piece of plastic, such as plastic grocery bags on the adhesive side of the soaked stamps while still slightly damp after some air drying. The dried stamps easily peel off of the plastic. I too, usually dry stamps overnight but at least 6 hours.

Now, if someone knows for certain that cereal box cardboard is highly acidic, and should not be used, I'd like to know.

Ronsonol and match = 3 seconds flat.

I'm glad you asked this. I've NEVER soaked a stamp yet! But I'm going to have to soon, my container is getting stuffed. I'm afraid I'll ruin something,lol. I think I will "practice" on some common ones I have.

Thanks to all. I used my (can't believe I'm telling you this) my Shamwow to blott and worked very well. Then used construction paper from Hobbylobby and Scotts books for weight. Hopefully should work fine by what I've read. If stamps are still damp are they going to curl?

It's best to be patient and let them totally dry. If they is the slightest bit of moisture in them they will curl.

Depending on the umidity in the house I have let them sit for a couple of days.

Dianne

I use drying books and wait a full 24- 36 hours for a loaded book pressed with books.

In the past, I have used a hairdryer set on low to hurry the process up a little.

I had a bad experience with a hairdryer though...some of the stamps flew and since they were still pretty wet....the stamp "sticked" in the floor and when I tried retrieving them, somegot damaged

Little side question: When drying, is it okay to allow the stamps to curl before pressing them under a weight or should stamps be pressed while still visibly flat after a blot dry? I've been doing the latter and it seemed to be going fine so I stored them without any extra thought. After checking on them today, however, I found I now have a handful of dried up and curled stamps.

I found the best method is to blot the stamps between cotton towels ... then place them in a stamp press or a desert magic drying book .

I bought a drying book and do blot them with a shamwow; how long will this book last for drying and pressing? Some pages are already getting a bit wrinkled from dampness.
Jay