A Vintage Hinge Question ..................

Hi,
Over the last few years I've picked up a number of older albums and removed literally thousands of stamps. The hinges used ranged from easy to very difficult to remove (many only by soaking).

Of course the old Dennisons work well (that is what I use for my albums), but there is a type of hinge that is especially forgiving.

The greenish Dennisons are 15 mm wide with squared corners. The ones I'm questioning are 18 mm wide with rounded corners, and also a greenish tint.

Anyone know who made these? And if they are Dennisons, how were the packs distinguished?

Thank you!

I don't know how to answer your question, but I know the hinges you speak of. They peel off so easily, it seems like they might fall off the stamp with just a dirty look.

Those were the early Dennisons - before they prefolded them. They came as just a flat piece you would fold yourself

Mike is correct. My favorite hinge! Love them. Easy to handle by your very own fingers. You fold, not pre-fold and need tweezers to pick up and apply.

Search on line for them all the time. =( little luck

Are these the Dennison hinges in the green, white, and black packages? (I can't believe I used to work for them (late 1966/early '67). When they vacated the mill in the Maynard Mill, that's when Digital Equipment (DEC) moved in.

Jack Kelley

All our modern technology and we can recreate these vintage hinges? When I win the lottery, perhaps I will have to invest in trying to recreate them!

Anything -- including peelable stamp hinges -- can be re-created for a price. The problem is the demand is just not there for a major capital investment to make stamp hinges for such a limited collector base.

I agree, for the 50 cents or a dollar a package they might make off them, the profit potential just isn't there. I wouldn't be completely shocked if they quit making hinges altogether someday, although I don't look for that to happen anytime real soon. Depends how long the world's lone (or nearly lone) hinge-maker wants to keep making them, if they can continue to get paper and gum, etc. My understanding is that all modern hinges come from the same source regardless of the name on the package.

Jkelley01938 may be able to comment, but I believe it was the 1970 EPA that ruled out the use, or required costly proper hazardous handling, for chemicals such as benzine that were used in the production of the peelable hinges. Hinges were never the same after.

I have the yellow pack of fold o hinges pictured which I use for my used Canada collection.

I've read a lot about the demise of the good hinges and it is surprising how much mystery there is. I think the APS magazine had a good article awhile back how the employees of Dennison had to destroy all their files on making hinges.

Wt1 and ArtfulHinger - I agree that the potential market is small vs the investment, however, niche markets can be very profitable for small private companies. With the rise of global markets and the number of collectors in developing countries such as China and India, a private company coupled with an international distribution company could be profitable, assuming that it's also producing other collector supplies. The major problem is getting established!

Paul

True, it could be as simple as some enterprising chemist or hobbyist who develops a better glue that can be cheaply mass produced. All they would need is someone to make the finished product for them. I doubt the bigger companies would make the effort to develop a new hinge, though.

There's someone here that's been messing around with making a new hinge and a thread to go along with it around here somewhere

The original Dennison formula contained some currently banned ingredients that are now considered toxic. The original Dennison equipment was purchased by Mel Goldburg (Subway) but attempts to reproduce decent hinges was not successful. I have read that the key to making a truly peelable hinge was part process and part ingredients. The process included applying two layers of textured adhesive. And of course the missing banned ingredients also play a role.
Don

I've been watching the prices of Dennison hinges for several years, buying when ever I find a good deal. Right now the going price is roughly $20 for a pack of 1000 or $.02 per hinge. At this price they are starting to creep into the same price as mounts that start around $.0295 for precut mounts in packages of 100. We are getting close to the price where mounts will be less expensive than the classic Dennison hinges. Of course modern hinges continue to be very cost effective.