Best Stamp Hinges

Which are the best stamp hinges to use, as far as peelability? I have found HE Harris hinges pretty good, but the Prinz ones are impossible to remove from either the stamp or the album. Does anyone have any particular favorites? I just use them for used stamps and CTO's.

Dennison (not Dennisen, which is another brand).

However, they are no longer manufactured. Unused/unopened packages exist, but they are not cheap -- typically $10-$15 per package of 1000.

There are alternatives that are reasonably peelable. But nothing really compares to the Dennisons.

To me the best hinge is the one that is not used on stamps.
But the one used to hang doors.

Hinges have been my worst nightmare.

A discussion on rcsd some years ago,
Blair and Jerry authors:

Hope this may be of interest.


The following is from the Winnipeg Stamp Club (2004)

THE SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT HINGE
BY LEN KRUCZYNSKI

Though Dennison Stamp Hinges have not been
manufactured for many years, they are prized by
collectors. These familiar greenish hinges have
remarkable adhesive properties: although holding
the stamp firmly in place, they peel easily, never
ripping or taking apiece of the stamp (or album
page) along with it.

I recently opened a packet of Dennison hinges
that had been purchased in the early '70's (priced
at 35 cents per 1000): the hinges were still flat,
separated easily and functioned as well as the day
they were made.

Now, the first thing that comes to mind to explain
the remarkable adhesive ability of the Dennison
hinge is that it must have something to do with
the gum. Being a chemist by training, I decided
to use Chemical Analysis to see if Dennison gum
was different from any other.

The method of analysis used is called Infrared
Spectroscopy: an infrared beam is passed through
a thin layer of the gum, producing a trace which,
like a fingerprint, is unique to each chemical
substance.

The gum rinsed off three hinges was sufficient
to do the analysis. In the process of removing
the gum from the hinge, I weighed the three
hinges before and after gum removal in order
to calculate the percentage of the weight being
due to the gum.

The results of the chemical analysis are startling.
All hinge makers use the same gum: dextrine.
Dextrine is manufactured from potato or corn
starch by boiling with minute amounts of acid.

It has been available commercially since the '30's.
It is very common: it is the gum on most envelope
flaps and has been used on Canadian stamps
up to the '70's when it was replaced by Poly
Vinyl Acetate, or PVA for short.

Hinge manufacturers have tried to capitalize
on the remarkable adhesive properties of the
Dennison hinge.

Collectors may have been fooled into buying
"Dennisen" hinges, marketed in a package
similar to the blue and red Dennison package.

More recently, Subway Stamp Shop (2121
Beale Ave, Altoona, Pa. USA) is marketing
the Dennis hinge, claimed to be manufactured
on, and according to, Dennison specifications
of paper and gum.

Here are the results of my analysis of six
different stamp hinges put into three categories:

1.THE BEST: peel easily, never rip, never take
a "divot" out of the stamp or album page.
Dennison (26 % gum)

2.ACCEPTABLE: peel if you are very careful;
sometimes rip, sometimes take a "divot" out
of the stamp and/or page.
Dennis (16 % gum)
Unitrade (33 % gum)

3. POOR: almost alway rip when removal
attempted; often removing part of stamp or
page.
Gibbons (39% gum)
Fasto (42 % gum)
G&K(38 % gum)

And now for some comments and conclusions.
Gibbons hinges are made in Germany, as are
Fasto; they appear to be one and the same hinge.

G&K hinges are also marketed by Subway.

One striking trend that may explain Dennison's
secret is the amount of gum. The best hinges
have a smaller amount of gum.

The only conclusion that I can come to at this
point is that Dennison's secret may lie in that
greenish (glassine) paper. Does it have some
sort of wax that causes the peelability?

The hunt for the perfect hinge goes on!

Blair


Hi Blair,

Someone once told me long, long ago that the Dennison hinges actually
had 2 layers of gum instead of one.
The peelability came from removing "gum from gum". I do not know how
true this is but it is a thought.

Jerry B

Unitrade for me. If I need to pull a stamp off of a page I use a super sharp carpet knife blade,and slice the hinge fast and clean. I did just use some new mounts a few months ago; motor mounts for my 1964 Oldsmobile.

An old post, but relevant to the topic:

http://goscf.com/t/3747&whichpage=1...Terms=hinges

I agree with you 100%, KGV.

The only good thing about hinges is that they make very good compost (once you've got MOST of the hinge off the stamp).

Use stock sheets - or individual mounts if you must.

However, at least hinges are better than sellotape - one of the first albums I bought (very cheaply) after starting collecting again 6 years or so ago was a collection of lovely modern USA. I had very few of them.

BUT

they were all stuck in with sellotape!!

I did what I could - I'd rather have a thin stamp than none at all - but GRRRR . . . took me hours to save most of them.

I'm generally a very tolerant bloke - but that was definitely pushing it.

A relic from the past:



Funny thing. I live less than 20 miles from the factory where these were originally made and everytime I have occasion to pass by it, the old "Dennison" sign on the building still reminds me of these products which have long been discontinued.

it's true.

The stamp hinges are very out of phase. There are better products nowadays ... as the mounts. It protect much better the stamp.
It is the same thing if the collection is used or mint, always mount.

Sorry but it isn't the same when you look at the financial aspect.
Who is going to spend £££s on mounts for minimal value stamps that you may want to display?

It's correct, AnthonyUK

All collections is very personal.

Every collector gives his collection a value (sentimental, financial....). My collection is of used stamp mainly ... and my collection is very valuable for me, only for me (financially it don`t have value anything). My work and fondness to realize it .... it deserves that I put mounts.

Correction: My wife and son .... they are most valuable for me, the stamps in second position (If I do not say it, my wife and my son they had struck me with the frying pan )

since they don't make Dennison anymore I'm assuming your asking for the best hinge available today.

I personally use SUPERSAFE prefolded they are made in Germany by and distributed by Vidiforms Company inc, Congers NY 10920 (I copied that from the envelope) I got a great prince on eBay for 10,000 they are tasteless and have a moderate to good success rate for peeling off. I'm not saying they are the best but I like them so far.

However: remember ALL hinges say to moisten not lick or soak. I personally lick my finger, wipe it off with another finger then touch the hinge allow it to dry for 2 seconds possibly blow on it then stick it to the stamp. I cant even beging to describe how little moisture is needed for hinges its an art.

additionally, if you mess up wait 1 day to remove the hinge I know its painful to wait but the successful removal of said hinge goes up astronomically.

Hi

As an aside, but in a way relevant. I catalog stamps for a dealer friend on a part time basis. In a collection I found the strangest stamp mount ever. It had to be expensive. The collector cut off the lower corners of a glassine envelope (various sizes to fit particular stamps) and hinged the cut-off to the album page. The stamp was inserted into the glassine corner. I am sorry that I did not keep a sample page. My friend and I are amazed at the ingenuity of collectors to mount stamps. He had one customer who purchased a package of Dennison's who cut each hinge in half vertically so the package of 1,000 was now 2,000. Makes sense in this economy.

Jerry B

Before I slip off for the cocktail hour I want you to know that those two containers still contain many hundreds of hinges. The astute will note the bulging packages.

I would not use a hing on a torn scuffed stamp that should be burned.

The only way to go is Showgard Mounts, especially on mint grade stamps.