Is It Possible To Remove Self Stick Stamps From Envelopes?

I am wondering what other collectors do about the self stick stamps. I can soak them off the envelopes but it leaves them disheveled, cracked looking and thin. I have been cutting squares around the stamps and leaving them on the envelope. People are not very neat sometimes though and they are attached crookedly and the the square looks very untidy.

I leave mine on trimmed paper.

Other folks apply limonene, the active ingredient in all of the 'citrus' class of air fresheners:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limonene

1) Apply the limonene to the paper (not the stamp);

2) The adhesive will be softened (not dissolved or removed), so sprinkle talcum powder on the back of the stamp.

Let us know how it works for you.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

I haven't had any luck with the air fresheners approach.

My only successful attempts so far have been with Ronsonol lighter fluid.

The air freshener works perfectly for me. It is very quick too. Even with thick papers or plastic lining, may have to spray front of stamp. Stamp usually peels up a minute after application. After removal brush some talcum powder on back to keep the "sticky" at bay. It is important to let the stamp dry well after treatment of air freshener before applying talc. I keep adhesive backing from other stamps and set sprayed stamps on it to dry. I found my citrus spray at Lowes.
(edit) Meant to say, only a tiny amount of spray is needed to coat paper.

I put the stamp face up in my watermark tray and saok it with ronsonol and after a couple seconds you can use a sharp knife ( not serated) and run under it to lift it off. The back is usually still a little sticky so use a little powder.

At the Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library, we had an entire meeting devoted to: How to soak stamps off envelopes especially the newer Self Adhesive stamps.
We tried Softsoap™ and water, Bestine Solvent (I posted a link), Lighter Fluid and just plain water.

The water was an epic fail.
The Softsoap and water was almost as bad
The lighter fluid worked ok
The bestine worked the best by far.
The back may be a little sticky as Jim said so use a little bit of Talcum (Baby Powder) AFTER THE STAMP IS DRY!

http://www.amazon.com/Bestine-Solve...p/B006SOK9YY

PS. You may be able to get bestine at a craft store (Think michaels or something like that).

I hope that helps!

Walmart & Sears also appear to sell it. I would also think other hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowes might sell it.

A hair dryer.
put your hairdryer on medium, then heat the stamp, then gently lift a corner, and with the heat still on the stamp, it should gently peal off. Time comsuming, but it works.
Then the talc.

Horamakhet

I also use Bestine (bought it on the web), and it works like a charm. I do a small batch of stamps, one at a time, and they dry quickly. I keep a small, round container lid full of talcum powder (unscented, from the baby aisle) handy and just rub some on the back with my index finger. Sometimes I tap the stamp to remove any excess talc.

And then I have small perfect beauties, ready for mounting!

-Alan

I use super-safe Stamp lifter. I put it on the back of the envelope. Wait a minute, reapply, wait some more, then lift with stamp tongs. Usually comes right off.

I do wonder how it works. I mean the physics of the thing. It doesn't stink so I don't thinks it's a solvent. Seems to soften the paper. Doesn't work on anything heave, like cardboard. If you apply it directly to the stamp, rather then to the back of the envelope. the stamp softens and falls apart when you try to lift it.

Sometimes the stamp is sticky, sometimes not. If it is, I stick it onto the clear front of an envelope that stamps come in if you buy from a major dealer. Then cut out with a sissors. Looks fine in a mount.

Regards, Don

Thanks for providing the link to read about the limonene. I found it interesting that it used in detecting liver failure. At the thrift store we use goo be gone product to remove old stickers and also to clean wood surfaces which seems to remove dirt and oil. At home I have a pump bottle and as ikey described I spray the the paper and wait until it soaks through and softens the adhesive. Works well for me.
Tom

JanetMc,

This has been covered extensively. The best stuff out there is "Pure Citrus". Spray on and remove stamp 5 seconds later. If you want to remove glue remnants from the back of the stamp, spray again and scrape away the glue. This stuff is outstanding and can be found in Home Depot, grocery stores, etc.

Jack Kelley

A solvent is anything in which something else dissolves.

Water is a solvent for WAG (Water Activated Gum).

Even organic solvents (organic in the chemist's sense of the word) need not be especially volatile.

If you have been tarred & feathered, for example, I understand that a barrel of Vaseline (petroleum jelly) will be your new best friend.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

what I do is
i bought a wd 40 stick and put it on the enveloppe side ,wait a few second and take it off
after put your stamps in talc powder

Yikes!