Wd-40 Pen

An interesting letter to the editor about the use of WD-40 to remove the new adhesive appeared in the 2/14 issue of the APS magazine. You need to be a member to access but in as few words as possible I tried the technique using the marker/pen they have available and it worked fine. I was a bit frightened about putting the corn starch on a moist surface (adhesive side only) but it worked just fine. The example I used was the same stamp I punched the hole in so it has done duty above and beyond being just a stamp. I'll put it in my album with notes and see how it ages over time. The stamp was on heavier stock paper and the WD-40 seemed to soak right in and attack the adhesive. The WD-40 pen is $2.50 and a can of clabber girl corn starch a $1.00.

Wonder what the archival properties are? Does it emit fumes in the album?

The pen is an extremely mild odor. As far as being archival I'm sure it isn't because it never was off the press. I think the removal of the adhesive could lengthen the life.
Tom

WD-40 is a lubricant. The MSDS http://www.wd40company.com/partners/msds/usa/ states that 20% to 30% is a petroleum base oil and not a distillate that will evaporate.

I'm skeptical that adding a petroleum based oil to a stamp will be good. But, hey, who knows unless you try it?

Dan

To continue the saga of my stamp I decided to put a number on the back of it and see if it could be erased off and do no damage. Keep in mind this was a self adhesive one. It didn't work. The #2 soft pencil I chose affected the self adhesive that was still there after the WD-40 application. This stamp(photo above) has done triple duty and is going to be retired.
Tom

Actually it is not a lubricant. Although it has some lubricating properties (but even with that, it is not good as a lubricant), it is sold as an anti-corrosive and a water displacer (that's what WD stands for...water displacer). It contains fish oil (don't ask me what THAT is) and will dry into a sticky green mess. There is no way I'm putting it on a stamp...there are just too many things around that will unstick the stickum for me to want to even try it.

As far as using it around the house, or in the workshop, etc, I quit using it years ago. As far as I am concerned there are things available and that aren't hard to get, that work better.

The company would disagree with you. The above linked Material Safety Data Sheet lists a product use as a lubricant:

"Product Use: Lubricant, Penetrant, Drives Out Moisture, Removes and Protects Surfaces From Corrosion"

I agree with you though that it isn't something I would put on a stamp without evidence from a lot of long-term testing.

Dan

Not so, according to the WD-40 website. http://wd40.com/about-us/myths-legends-fun-facts/

Well all we have a stamp that was subjected to it so let's see what happens to it.
Tom