He's in The Netherlands. Showing him a picture of what's in US stores doesn't help him. I know, he asked for a picture, but what he really needs is the list of ingredients. He's going to have to try to find something equivalent in The Netherlands.
Rik, I would beware of using plain citrus juice (lemon or orange or whatever) unless Jack or someone tells us that's what's in the brand name "Pure Citrus". I would expect that straight citrus juice would fade the stamp colors but I don't know.
Citrus is an ingredient in a wide-variety of products sold to dissolve glue from labels. (Goo-Gone is one name-brand product sold here; it does quickly dissolve the glue used to hold paper labels on glass or plastic bottles.) The Pure Citrus product pictured upthread certainly uses citric acid. But in what proportion, how much diluted etc. is what you need to know. I suppose you could experiment on worthless stamps yourself with plain lemon juice, starting with a high dilution and moving up toward stronger concentration. But I would not simply bathe stamps in pure lemon juice.
Or go to your favorite store selling cleaning supplies. Ask for their best product used to dissolve labels pasted on to glass or plastic bottles. You certainly have the equivalent product in The Netherlands; it's a matter of finding it. The glue used for labels on glass bottles is similar to that used on self-adhesive stamps, apparently.
Pure Citrus is for removing modern self-adhesive stamps from paper and it's probably not available in Europe, at least probably not under that name. Another chemical that works on self-adhesives is heptane, the ingredient in Bestine, which is sold in craft stores and used to thin or dissolve rubber cement. If you're talking about older, water-activated gum stamps that won't come off the paper, neither Pure Citrus nor heptane is likely to help, although it's certainly worth try.
I have found Bestine to be very effective at detaching paper from stamps affixed with non-water soluble adhesives. This product is widely available via the internet. The adhesive does remain on the stamp after peeling, but rubbing a little talc on the back makes it no longer sticky.
In another thread there was a link to a stamp blog where I stumbled upon the following.
"An alternative, if you can find it, are non-aerosol air freshener products that contain d-limonene. This chemical is extracted from citrus rinds, so be looking for a non-aerosol air freshener that is promoted as having a "citrus scent", but make sure it has d-limonene. In North America, two such products are Pure Citrus and ZEP."
I'm liking the method as shown in the video but can't get Fuelite. Is there an equivalent does anyone know? And will it leave a smell or oils behind? I've a penpal whose sworn by WD 40 but a while ago he warned me that the stamps he first started using it on were telling a bit and have left odd oils behind. Like, he hsas greasy looking outlines on his album pages around the stamps that ended him of leaving a potato chip on a pkece of paper for a while.
Fuelite is basically Coleman camping stove fuel but for New Zeland. If you don't want to use stove fuel you can use Naphtha or Lighter fuel the kind used for Zippo lighters.
Coleman stove fuel can be gotten at Wal-Mart or a any store that sells camping gear. Runs about $12 dollars and comes in gallon cans.
Naphtha can be gotten at the same places but in the paint section in gallon cans for about the same price or quart cans for around $8.
Lighter fuel (Ronsonol etc.) can be purchased at any Walgreens or tobacconist and runs $3-%5 for a small can.
All of the above are similar being a light petroleum distillate in the range of 60% Hexane + 40% Heptane?
All are flammable so use small amounts in a well ventilated area.
Also all the above can be used as watermark fluid just put a couple of drops on the back of a stamp that is laid on a black tray.
Thanks all for replying and helping me. At this moment I still don't have found a solution to get the stamps off the paper...
Which options are left? What could I do to get them off?
Pure citrus isn't available in Holland, maybe in the UK? I am very limited to undertake things outside due to my disabilities... So the best solution is maybe online.
Well again, I want to thank all the people that replied on this topic! You're guys are invaluable, and always willing to help. Thanks, thanks and thanks again.
From Rainy Nova Scotia, Canada, also, on the Atlantic Ocean, you are great at keeping at it and preservering. Good work.
I still think methyl spirits, as shown on YouTube, and linked to from SCF (somewhere!) is a good way. I think it has less after-scent, etc., and no messing with corn starch or anything. Although that may be a good thing.(?)
*** Edited by Staff to add YouTube tags. Please use them in the future. We prefer embedded video. ***
Here is a link to the Royal Phialtelic Society of Canada videos about using Bestine (similarly deadly probably) or aerosol: http://rpsc.org/video/soaking-video.htm
I read somewhere that denatured alcohol (I think thinner for Rubber Cement) works also.
Personally I have been trying water in different ways and not very fast am I. So, so far, no great results but learning not to soak with water too long with certain years of certain countries. I am trying to avoid chemicals myself.
Also, pure Talc powder is used (non-perfumed) as a substitute for cornmeal powder.
Calm down! I'll check with our local post office first thing tomorrow morning and will find out if we can send you a can of Pure Citrus. Its tough sending things overseas these days Post 911.
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Posted 05/21/2015 06:51 am
