The Stamp Hinge Experiment

I remember from somewhere that gelatin is made from what's left over after they've used the moo, neigh, and oink. I am trying to stay away from sugar itself only because other people on the site have had bug problems before. I have looked at that as an option. Right now I am just looking for something that does not have sugar mixed in. I think I can find some sans sugar if I look hard enough.

Well Its been a year since I started this project. I have been messing with it off and on picking it up again every couple of months or so. Progress is slow but I am getting to a point of what to do next.

I have changed how I measure the ingredients which gives me better control of what I am mixing. I have tried a different brand of tracing paper and I have also experimented with different methods of application of the mixture to the paper. I think I am getting close.

At this point things that I have found out so far:

Paper: I have tried 2 different tracing papers and have good news that it makes no difference the two work well.

Application: I have tried 1,2, and 3 coats of mixture with a lot of different applicators and methods and for now have settled on just a plain old cotton pad/square.

Mixture: Basically the same as earlier mentioned with added soluble fiber, a thinning agent, and different ratios. Did find out after getting some PH paper that the mixture comes in a little over 5 which is in the range of what I saw on the web for Dennison hinges. When I mix up this mixture there is even a very small chemical reaction that looks similar to putting a little baking powder in vinegar. Nothing violent just barely noticeable.

Some observations are that I don't think that the idea of having just two coats of mixture was any good for separation except for the fact that the first coat sort of soaks into the tracing paper. Maybe this creates a weak area at the area just at the papers surface that makes it separate there. The method that worked best for me was three coats. I did notice that the thinner I made the layers there was less mixture remnant on the surface of what I was using for a sample of album page and the stamp.

My results so far is pretty good to what I was looking for in a stamp hinge. Which would be little or no remnant. A hinge that would stick a little more aggressively to hold the stamp firmly but not separate from the page by a casual brush but only come apart when wanted to.
And that is what I think I accomplished.

Some concerns I have is how it will react with the stamp over the long haul. Will the mixture get more aggressive over time, temperature, or added humidity. These are good questions that I as of yet don't have answers.

Well anyway for you to see my results maybe I should send out a few samples of what I have so far. I could easily make up a small sheet that I could send out to 5 or 10 people or so to try. You can cut it up play with but also give me some feedback as to how to improve what I have. Email me with your address and I can send it out as soon as I can.

Thanks for all your encouragement.

Thanks for the update. This is interesting stuff to me. I have never understood why the philatelic accessories mfg'ers don't work on making a more peelable hinge. I would like to have one of your samples and will send you a private email with my address.

Don

Very cool stuff. I hope you are successful.

Don,

Will get it in the mail this evening.

Sample arrived yesterday. I'll cut some to size and hinge some stamps today and give you a report in a few days.

Thanks for the sample. Looking forward to trying them.

Don

Perhaps give a try on some higher quality glassine from Germany?

Great work vacuum man. Thanks for sharing your results with us.

Dianne

Tony:

Here is my report on the two batches of hinges you sent (124) & (314). I'll report in bullet fashion rather than narrative as it is a little easier to compose and to read.

Batch 124

* I cut hinges to the size of Fold-O-Hinges, 12mm wide x 21 mm high with 6 mm fold to form the hinge at top.

* Weight of paper used was just about right, perhaps just a little thick. A slightly thinner paper would make it easier to make the 6 mm fold for the hinge.

* The 6 mm hinge fold tended to make the hinge a little "springy" after applied to stamp and to the album page. It took a couple of days before the stamp would lay flat on the page. This batch did not lay on the album page as well as # 314.

* The bottom edge of the hinge tended to roll up slightly when moisture applied. Needed care and flattening after application to album page.

* This batch did not adhere to album page or stamp as well as the other. Had to replace 2 out of 6 of the first hinges tried. Perhaps, I applied too much moisture and dissolved the adhesive before applying to stamp and album page.

* Generally, though, once applied, the hinge adhered firmly to the stamp and to the album page.

* Release from album page and from stamp was excellent. The hinge popped right off leaving no residue on the stamp. I could see just a trace of adhesive on the album page after removal of the stamp. There was no part of the stamp that stuck to the hinge or vice versa.

Batch 314:

* Hinges cut to size of Fold-O-Hinge (12 mm x 21 mm, with 6 mm fold to form hinge at top).

* Paper weight just about right. Would not want it any thicker and possibly a little thinner would be ideal.

* Tended to be a little "springy" at top where 6 mm fold attached to stamp. Noted a slight roll up of bottom of hinge where applied to album page after moisture applied. Stamps hinged with this batch flattened on the page quicker and better than those from batch 124.

* Adhesive for this batch seemed to adhere better and quicker than batch 124. I only had to replace one hinge from this batch for not adhering to album page and that may have been due to excessive moisture applied.

* Application of adhesive to the hinge might be improved somewhat by making it a little more uniform. I don't know your method of application, but a very soft nap roller might work, or possibly a
spray application using an air brush or similar spray applicator available from hobby shops.

* These hinges stuck to the stamp and album page securely with no tendency to fall off. At the same time the hinges popped right off the stamp and the album page with no reside left on the stamp and just a trace on the album page. There was no resistance in removing them from either the stamp or the album page. There was no part of the stamp that adhered to the hinge upon removal (no thinning of the stamp) and no hinge remnant on the stamp.

Summary:

Of the two batches, I judge 314 to be the superior and it would be my preference for use.

Application of hinge to stamp and to album page with batch 314 was very good with only one instance of having to replace hinge for not adhesion.

The hinge adhered securely to the stamp and to the album pages.

The stamps laid flat quickly with batch 314, but less so with batch 124.

Both batches peeled easily with no resistance or damage to the stamps and with only a trace of adhesive residue to the album page.

Excellent progress, vacuumman. I'd say you are about ready to begin production.

I would buy your product as is, but with a thinner paper and more smoothly applied adhesive it would be a product that is far superior in release characteristics of contemporary hinges on the market. Pre-folded hinges are convenient, but I would buy them flat and fold them myself without hesitation. I would even buy a page of stock with adhesive applied, invest in a good paper cutter and cut the hinges myself.

Great product, I hope you will continue your work on these hinges and make them, or the adhesive recipe available to collectors.

Thanks for the opportunity to try your product.

Don

Thanks Don,

Good to know that I am heading in the right direction with this. At this time I don't know If I will go into a commercial production with this just yet. There is a lot of what ifs that I will need to figure out. There would be problems with finding consistent sources of the base materials. As well as applying the adhesive quicker and more uniformly. So far it has been small batches for testing only. What will happen if I go up to larger quantities would also have to be researched.

I basically came to the same conclusions you had with those batches. But I cut them on a less generous size roughly 1/4 inch by 1/2 inch with a 3/8 inch fold.

I agree with your observation of the hinge sometimes not adhering and having to re-hinge this probably has to do with my method of layering in production. I may have missed a spot here and there. I should give it a go with your idea of a foam brush roller. I think I did try at one point using a sponge as a application method once but the results were poor.

As to the paper used so far it has been only 25lb tracing paper from the art store. If I were to find a thinner paper it would have to be strong enough to take the pull but not tear.

For me this experiment is at a point where I should try and put a few small album pages together for my collection. Of course using inexpensive stamps and see how the hinges perform over time. In the coming months I will still play with these hinges a little more. Will see how I can improve them and my methods and will report back my findings to the forum.
Thanks and stay tuned.

There is an interesting article in the June, 2015 American Philatelist on hinges. Bottom line: there is no truly peelable hinge commercially available today.

Did the article offer any theory on why no one can produce a peelable hinge? Surely a chemist could anilize a Dennison hinge for the correct adhesive formula.

I have always heard that one or more of the items in the makeup of the adhesive in old Dennison hinges (such as horse hooves) would not be acceptable today. Substitutes have been tried but with no good results. Fact or fiction? Not sure, but it seems possible, as no one has been able to produce a great hinge today. The missing ingredients may be just too uncorrect for todays standards. Now I am going to hinge a stamp in old Big Blue. A Dennison. Yuck?

Be careful with the Fold-O-Hinges being sold ...

After reading about problems with some Fold-O-Hinges, I checked some recent ones I bought off ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/25150873268...RK:MEBIDX:IT

I had an older pack of these that were great. I did an experiment with these old ones vs. newer ones available from this seller. The new ones are garbage ... not sure why since the packs look the similar but the hinges are definitely different. The newer ones are white while the old pack had ones that were greener. Here's a pic comparing the two (old ones on left). The new whiter ones don't hold the stamp itself very well plus, when removed, leave a remnant on the page. Like I said, be careful ... maybe the packages were copied and non-fold a hinge were put in? Or just newer ones aren't as good.

I think the newer (i.e. white) Fold-o-Hinges are legitimagely from the same manufacturer, but after a change in formula. I ended up with a pack of the newer (white) Fold-o-Hinges as well, and I do know that they're NOT the same as hinges being made today. Of course, neither are they the same as the original Dennisons or Fold-o-Hinges. All hinges today are supposedly made by the same manufacturer, and all hinges being sold today are the same hinge, regardless of packaging. I believe this to be true as I've used at least 4-5 different brands of modern hinges in the last couple years and they're all completely the same in appearance, texture, peelability (or lack thereof), etc. If someone is just reproducing the packaging only, I can say with certainty that they're not using run-of-the-mill hinges that are currently being made today.