Archiving/Mounting Safety

I do not like pre-printed album pages. I have been using a "homemade" system thus far and wanted to get input from you all. Basically, if you've heard of a danger with the materials I'm using or a different/better way you prefer, I'd love to hear from you. Here's what I do:

1. Stamps are in top loading black Hawid mounts.
2. Mounts are hinged to the page (no direct contact between stamp and hinge--I like this because it makes it easy for me to move the stamps around or to take them out and examine the back).
3. Pages are store-bought black cardstock. They claim "acid-free", "lignin-free" and "archival" quality.
4. Pages are in clear plastic sheet protectors. They claim "acid-free", "archival-safe", and are Polypropylene.

Anyone know if the pages and sheet protectors in particular have hidden dangers for stamps?

Also, for covers that are not inside mounts, are sheet protectors dangerous in direct contact? Is there a specific way covers should be preserved?

Thanks in advance.

Most people probably keep covers in some sort of plastic covering. I tend to mount them on leaves with Lighthouse corner mounts, but that's for the look, not archival reasons. I suspect that climate and the storage environment - not damp - are most important. Why use sheet protectors, by the way?

Hi, it would depend on the qualities of the sheets and protectors. It's imperative to buy non-acidic supplies in order to avoid stains. you can take a look here for A LOT of stamp supplies: http://philasupplies.com/stamp-coll...pplies-list/

Thanks for the replies. GeoffHa, I like the sheet protectors to avoid knocking stamps off the pages. They are in oversized 3 ring binders (large enough for 12x12 pages that I use to mount my plating and my Vending/Affixing stamps), and I worry that one day while turning pages, a stamp/mount will fall off, get bent or stepped on, etc. Maybe overkill, but it helps me sleep at night.

A few questions,

1. why do you need acid free paper if the stamps are in mounts?
surely the mount protects the stamp from the paper

2. Are stamps made from acid free paper?
Im sure pre to early 1900's they wouldn't be, if so why the fuss about acid free paper.

Oh boy. Another acid free paper discussion.

Al, you're too funny.

99%+ of stamps are not "archival" quality, whether paper/plastic, ink, gum/adhesive, cancellation... So basically you are trying to minimize effects of interaction with you non-archival stamps by using archival storage materials. There are even a few stamps that were so acidic that the gum needs to be soaked off to keep the stamp from naturally eating itself.

As another poster mentioned, environment and storage habits have a much bigger impact. For decades, many collectors have used non-archival methods of displaying their collection without detriment to their stamps. But a couple of days/weeks in poor environment or improperly stored (e.g., laying flat instead of upright), will ruin collections stored in even the most expensive of archival supplies.

Put as much money as you want in archival supplies to give you peace of mind so you can enjoy your collection, but make sure you:

-- keep within suitable temperature/humidity range
-- avoid direct sunlight or close fluorescent/UV lights for prolonged periods of time
-- have some air circulation every once in a while to filter out the mold and what-not
-- don't store gummed stamps laying flat, don't store albums with gummed stamps pressed tightly on a bookshelf
...

Hope you will enjoy your collection for many decades to come!

Go to any good archival library and look how they preserve paper items. No contact with other paper, no glue sticks, no sheet protectors, no laminating, no experiments with modern adhesives, no Staples binders. What you will see; close monitoring of environmental conditions, no experimenting with valuable items, neutralization of acidic paper.


Maintain good environmental conditions, buy a pH pen (under $10) and periodically test your album pages. Cover collectors, for Pete's sake, start monitoring and adjusting the pH of your covers which are toning and acidifying in front of your eyes like these...




Don

Thank you Don for the answers makes more sense to me now, didn't know about laying flat etc thanks for that titbit of info. How does one go about adjusting the PH of the items. Are there way to clean up covers and stamps from the effects of the acid. There by prolonging the archival life of the items.
I really appreciate patient people on this site for us who are still learning all the ins and's outs of the hobby,
people taking the time to answer questions no matter how basic. Learning a lot from here.

Thank you all for the responses. They are helpful and I will definitely utilize your answers. I agree with Perfin_RK: how does one go about adjusting pH? Thanks again.

There are nuetralizing sprays such as this one sold by Subway
http://www.subwaystamp.com/ARCHIVAL...o/ZPTWATTAM/

Here is another
http://www.talasonline.com/deacidification

I have always been a bit hesitant in using a water soluble spray on some covers; 'lightly' misting them seems to be the best practice. A simple solution made from baking soda and water would be effective.

I also assume that you could safely use dry baking soda on covers, just sprinkling it lightly inside the cover and then shaking to try to get a coating across the paper surface.

For folks who 'print-your-own' album pages (especially if you also use sheet protectors) I would recommend periodically testing the paper to make sure it is not going acidic. There are inexpensive pens which use reagents to visually indicate the pH of paper. (These are permanent markers so do not use on any stamps.) But occasionally checking the pages (in an inconspicuous place) may save you from heartbreak one day.
https://www.amazon.com/Lineco-Testi...p/B000KNJCSS

Of course a key component of toning/acidification is the environment. Temperature and humidity changes are the enemy and will greatly accelerate the breakdown of Lignin into acidic compounds. Never assume that because you purchased 'acid-free' paper that it will not acidify. Unless you sprung for some high end archival paper (costly) there is a good chance that the paper can acidify over time.
Don

That actually has a lot to do with when and how the paper was manufactured. It isn't a dire emergency for all covers.