Ph Testing Of Stamp Supplies

I tested a manila stock page received in a purchase of stamps with a Lineco ph pen. I also tested a piece of paper as a reference sample.

The paper tested ok (purple) but the manila tested non-purple (very hard to see) the pen markings. I classify this as acidic. Of course, the manila card does not look like it was in good condition either.

I agree, acidic.
Don

Very cool technique, thank you for sharing! To go further, acidic = bad? The paper would break down a postage stamp if they contacted each other?

Acidic is not good.

You're missing the beauties of Chablis.

Who stores their stamps in wine?

Dealers/Sellers often use cheap fillers like old file folders or cereal box cardboard when they mail stamps, but they probably don't hurt much since they're either not in contact with the stamps which are hopefully in a glassine envelope or something similar, or they're only around the stamps very briefly for as long as the mail takes. If collectors store stamps in contact with acidic materials, that's when the damage can occur. So I wouldn't worry much about the brief time it takes to mail stamps. Even the envelope the stamps are mailed in is likely to be acidic, but the stamps aren't in contact with it, either, so most likely it's okay.

What bothers me in shipping stamps is overuse of scotch (cellophane) tape. I've spent as long as 20 minutes carefully cutting and gently removing one piece of tape after another so the stamps don't get snagged on it as I remove them. It's lazy and irresponsible to slather tape all over a stamp shipment. I wish dealers would find some alternative.

There are other "removable" scotch tapes which might work since they can be peeled off the packaging with no harm done to anything -- or so they claim. But the tape I'm always peeling off glassines and other packing materials is invariably regular scotch tape with an aggressive adhesive. Once that tape attaches itself to a stamp, good luck salvaging it.

Generally, there is no need for tape since it's not necessary to "stick" everything down. Use ziplock baggies, for example. Those along with some file card stock or other heavy paper are all you really need to get the stamps there in good shape. If you must use tape, use very little to hold the baggie (or glassine or whatever you use) in place on the card. One small piece of tape top and bottom is all you need.

I have been having excessively strong scotch tape woes used in prodigious amounts from China and Eastern Europe. Damaged a stamp recently when dull scissors met tape of steel.