Removing Stamp From Envelope

Hi, I'm a new member and just got hooked on collecting stamps. Just wondering what is the best method for removing used stamps from paper?

scotcher65.......to the forum...Try link below to start and there are many threads on this site if you do a search...have fun

https://goscf.com/t/41036

scotcher65,

I second Wert's welcome and I also suggest that you search several threads on this topic and not only how to remove a stamp from an envelope, but also you might want to read some of the discussion on the pros and cons of doing so.

There are sort of two camps on removing stamps -- those that do and those that do not. Ok, maybe a 3rd camp who don't care one way or the other. I am in the camp of not removing stamps for a number of reasons, but mostly to pre-WWII stamps which in my subjective opinion have more beauty and value remaining on the cover. so I would never float it off (though again I admit that I used to do so, and that this is only my opinion). I just wanted to chime in so that you spent some time reading the community's comments (both camps), and took the time to deliberate. after all once you take it off, you can't put it back on. You can always do it next year.

good luck and happy hunting..

If the stamp is a self-adhesive type, you'll need to apply some sort of solvent, and then the back will remain tacky after it comes off the paper - you'll need to read up on ideas and methods to deal with it.

If it's an older lick-and-stick stamp, just tear around it and soak the whole piece in water for 10 minutes or so. The stamp will come away from the paper. Again there are different ideas and methods on what to do next. I lay mine on a clean, dry tea towel and dab it semi-dry. Then move onto a different, dry area of the tea towel and leave until bone dry.

As for removing the sticker stamps of recent years, that's another story.
But, when I was a newbie collector, I wasn't aware of the danger of soaking stamps from coloured envelopes. I found out the hard way about staining the stamps.
Since then, I've soaked stamps off the coloured paper in cold water and only a few (5 or 6) at a time while keeping a watch on the stamps during soaking.
For drying, I've had success with placing the stamps face-down (with spacing) on paper towel. If the stamps are placed face-up, there's a very good chance they'll stick to the paper towel.
The drying can take several hours (depending on ambient humidity)and can result in some wrinkled or curled stamps.
That problem often can be fixed by pressing (completely dry) stamps in weighted books (use clear, white paper over face and back of stamps to prevent transfer from printing or other markings).
Its tedious and time-consuming; but, the result is just one of the joys of the hobby.

I've had plenty of newly soaked stamps curl up a bit, but not wrinkle. I just ignore the curling. After a little while in the album, they're flat again.

I soak stamps off in warm water, and then they usually float off.
I then leave them on a large sheet of blotting paper to dry.
Once dry, put them in stock books, till I have time to sort them. And I find that usually, irons out any curling.
Regards
Horamakhet.

Soaking in water will remove most stamps from the paper except some recent self-adhesives. US self-adhesives don't soak well, or at all. Many worldwide self-adhesives will soak off, but not all.

For drying them, get a Desert Magic drying book. They dry the stamps quickly for you and they come off nice and flat, and they hold a ton of stamps. Stamps may curl after removing them from the book and if they do, you just need to weight them down for a day or two. The drying books are available on ebay for about $10 plus shipping. Smaller versions are available for slightly less.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Large-Showg...em3f42d608db

Ringo said




That might be the case for US, UK and Australian stamps but
not Canadian.
Over the years I've soaked dozens of recent Canadian self-adhesives ( Canada Post calls them pressure sensitive)
and have never had any problems whatsoever.
Just lukewarm water
Change the bath at least twice
Once they're off the paper still floating in the water
you might check by holding them between the thumb and forefinger
and gentle rub (no pressure) off any residual gum/adhesive.

I actually find the paper of these Canadian adhesives to be quite
stiff and thick and when I dry and press them they look
post office fresh.

For the countries of Europe, the UK and Spain seem to be about the only countries with self-adhesive stamps that won't soak off in water, in my experience, although I'm sure there are others. Most European self-adhesives come off in water pretty readily, maybe taking 5 or 10 additional minutes soaking time to get them off as compared to stamps with water-activated gum. The stamps of Australia, in my experience, will come off in water, but they take a really long time and they will still need to be carefully coaxed off the paper as they generally won't float free on their own. I've never used solvents for Australian stamps but it's not a bad idea because it's really easy to damage them when trying to soak them off in water.

I don't know how much the British Post Office spent devising their "security" features on stamps, but they ended up with self-adhesives with slots cut into them, to supposedly prevent soaking and peeling unfranked stamps for re-use. What they've done is make it easier, not harder. Just apply lighter fuel, and the stamp comes off nice and sticky, ready to go onto a fresh envelope.