Why Can't I Buy A Good Stockbook?

Yes, well and good.

But I think you missed the point of my story. I didn't damage the stockbook by not storing it vertically --- it arrived already damaged from being stored horizontally, apparently under a great deal of weight.

Kirks

you could always get a bunch of stock books. sharksfan has a bunch for sale, along with stamps.

There are actually 2 issues being discussed here.

1. warped/bending pages -- this is not unusual, even in the best stockbooks. Several reasons this occurs. Sometimes due to manufacturing (strips on one side overly tight, thereby pulling on page), moisture absorption, thin boards... When I get a stockbook like that, you will find that the boardpages do have a certain flexibility. I simply gently bend the board the other way with my free hand, that gives the side with the tight strips some slack. You can then insert the stamp, or insert a small piece of cardstock -- that serves as the wedge for inserting several stamps in that row and the cardstock can be removed when you finish. This problem occurs far more often in stockbooks with thin boards. You will find strips on one side extremely loose, while the strips on the other side extremely tight. Of course, the other way is to use your finger (gasp) and you can press and slide the strip top edge ever so slightly to create and opening; obviously it doesn't work if you have oily fingers or are eating chocolate.

2. bend in the binding -- this is actually NORMAL, especially in the larger (48+ pages) stockbooks. If the spine/binding were not bent, you wouldn't be able to open the stockbook flat, and with prolonged use, it would tear away from the binding. Remember, these are relatively stiff boards and not plain pieces of paper; you have to provide some leeway to keep the board from pulling itself. The bend in the binding is a necessity to relieve pressure. I know the better stockbooks will have an "attachment" piece that the pages will bend along the flexible attachment. However, even that attachment will put a tug on the binding. So you will still find a bend in the binding even on these types of stockbooks. I don't recommend buying the ones with flexible attachments or a pre-manufactured crease in the board -- my obvservation in lots that I have seen/purchased is that these stockbooks are actually less durable along the binding.

Hope that helps. And of course, you all have already mentioned the most important thing -- keep the stockbooks standing up and not laying flat nor stacked.

there is no such thing as a good stock book in my opinion

QUOTE: "Lighthouse for me, stored vertically, replaced every 7 years."

Stored vertically - definitely, reasonably tight but not too much so. But I haven't spotted any trend between different brands - I have several ones I bought very second hand 5 or 6 years ago that are still good as new, so I'm not sure the "every 7 years" makes economic sense. I have noticed that some of the expensive stockbooks with black backing card seem to develop a problem with the glue holding the strips down after some years - I have had this problem with both Lindner and Lighthouse black stockbooks. It can be sorted out by carefully putting polystyrene glue onto the right spots using a thin piece of card - but it's a real hassle.

On a related issue - stock leaves.

I use these for all of my properly organised stamps, in good quality four ring binders (I use stock books for stamps that have been sorted into categories but are not yet finally sorted / displayed, and for swops).

I have found the Lighthouse Vario range, with black backing, very good - unlike with black stock books, I've never had any problem with the glue on the strips, and most stamps look fabulous on a black background. I've had some Vario sheets for over 20 years, and they are still fine. There was a problem with a few strips that got rather yellow after 10 years or so, but I have had no repeats - I was told it was something to do with a plasticiser that they had then replaced.

And it's great using stock leaves if you like rearranging and updating your collection, particularly for thematics - the sheets can be re-used several times before they start to get worn-looking as long as you are careful. A 3.5 cm (1.5 inch) D-ring binder can hold about fifty leaves, ie up to 2K stamps if you use double sided sheets, and is easy to insert new leaves etc.

I've had this experience too. Seeing several (newly bought) stockbooks fall apart strip-by-strip put me off from black background stockbooks permanently... AFAIK, this affected only stockbooks manufactured in 1990s and early 2000s; recent ones should be problem free.

dear K,

you have forgotten to mention that if moisture is present then stockbooks are cancerous to stamps :)

True, spock1k - few things are more disheartening than trying to get decent stamps that have got stuck to the stock book pages. So I have a few anti humidity capsules in the bookcase where I keep the stamps - seems to have worked OK so far.

KHJ & David King --- good info and insight.

Thanks for the good feedback,
Kirk

I am resurrecting this thread because it sort of relates to a problem I have with an old great looking, large thick Lighthouse album that consists of heavy black cardboard pages with four clear plastic kangaroo-like pouches, each of which stretches across the page. The height of each plastic pouch is about 2 1/4 inches (6cm). My problem is that the pouch bottom separates from the glue strip that attaches it to the cardboard backing.

I read somewhere that this was a problem with this particular product at the time and the problem was fixed. It's a great looking item and once in a while I tape the plastic to the backing just to get some use out of it but stamps I place in it eventually fall out the pouch bottom when the tape gives way. A hot glue gun seems like a sledgehammer approach. Does anyone know of a fix?

Sorry to bring up this topic but I am facing the same "Page Curve" problem on Prinz 2025 24 page - 48 sides stockbooks. I am very dissapointed.

Don't apologize. It's good when older threads get bumped -- it gives the new members a chance to learn from our experiences

KirkS

I needto look into these stock books,,,,, Be nice to organize my stamps then mount them,,,