Removing Adhesive From Self-Adhesive Stamps

What do folks do for these to remove from envelopes?

Last consideration I heard was "Goo Gone" then baby powder.

Thank you.

Hi kaps. The question has been asked numerous times on this forum - please use the "search" button on the top part of every page. The answer is also available on www.stampsmarter.com .


Peter

Heptane, Bestine, Pure Citrus will work.

Jack Kelley

I would definitely second heptane. I wet the piece for just 15 - 20 secs then lie it stamp down on a piece of plastic (an old credit card or a piece of acrylic will do) and carefully slide a thin flexible palette knife between the stamp and the backing. Doing it in this way you keep the stamp flat and avoid creasing it or removing security panels. This works fine with GB Machins with security panels.

The heptane doesn't dissolve the gum but it loosens its grip to the paper. It doesn't instantly release it and you have to develop a bit of technique. You can feel the tackiness returning as the solvent dries. Then just dust some natural odorless talc on the back.

The great thing about this is that heptane is a very non-polar solvent and has no effect on the stamp's inks or Phosphor. I'm not the world's greatest Philatelist but I was a research chemist for 35 years and I do know about solvents! Some of the suggested solvents I have seen make me cringe (WD-40 ?!!!). In my tryouts the likes of acetone and ethanol will make the colors run and some less polar solvents like toluene "seem" OK but under Ultra Violet the phosphor is messed up. Also, solvents that dissolve the glue just wash it into the stamp.

Look at a Heptane removed stamp under UV. No different from the original.

There should never be any reason to use talc. If you think you need powder, then you have not removed all of the adhesive and are simply asking for future trouble.

Pure Citrus is a common air freshener you can buy at many super markets. It works well to remove adhesive from stamps, and it smells a heck of a lot better than other options.

Perhaps I didn't make this clear. The process doesn't remove any of the gum from the stamp, it removes the stamp, with it's gum, from the envelope piece. In other words it is exactly the same as before it was stuck onto the envelope.

I don't really know what "future trouble" you are anticipating. Mint stamps on their backings still have their gum. Most people leave used stamps on piece, with gum, for want of a reliable means of removing them. Is there evidence that they will deteriorate, that the gum will cause discoloration or whatever? I don't know. I don't see why stamps removed as I (and others) have described would be any different.

I agree that removing the gum would be much better but I am not aware of any satisfactory way of doing this. If anybody does, please share this with us.

Despite my previous wording, I don't know of any solvent that will actually readily dissolve the gum on self-adhesive stamps (my experience is limited to GB stamps, by the way), some will soften it but they run the inks. I've read of people rolling it off with a cotton bud. Personally I think that is too rough on the stamp. Try that on a Machin with tiny tabs holding the security panels in!

A dusting of talc with a small fine brush removes all the tackiness and the stamps can be handled like any other. I don't see any problem with that. It doesn't contaminate the front of the stamp. I think that's currently the best you do if you want it off paper. If anybody isn't comfortable with this, then they should perhaps just leave them on piece or (one idea I came across) stick them pieces of black paper for a consistent appearance.

Or do some experimenting and find a good way of getting the gum off!

I believe John Becker is correct. Leaving self-adhesive material on the stamp will cause problems That dusting with talc will not solve. Whether the self-adhesive material is rubber based or not, all of it is unstable, as the Salm report tells us. This material bleeds, and then crystallizes in the process of stabilizing.

Some self-adhesive stamps have a layer of water soluble gum between the stamp paper and the self-adhesive material. The Salm report tells us that this may protect the stamp to some degree, but not the envelope paper if left on cover.

Just to clear up any confusion I entered the above post before I saw the post from DrewM, in case I seem to be ignoring his comments.
This was in answer to John Becker

I have been amazed to read (in our many threads on this subject) that people will follow Pure Citrus by g-e-n-t-l-y s-c-r-a-p-i-n-g the remaining adhesive off of the back of the stamp.

I am prepared to believe that this works, but suggest you practice (a lot) on stamps that you don't plan to keep.

My favorite use for Pure Citrus is for removing shipping labels from boxes destined for the recycle bin. I tried Goo Gone (it was on sale), and it was (comparatively) awful, in that it did not readily evaporate (as does Pure Citrus). YMMV.

The best search terms in this forum are "pure citrus" and "heptane" and "solvent".

The best search terms should be PSA (Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive) and WAG (Water-Activated Gum), but its not a perfect world, is it?

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

Of course, it makes perfect business sense for Stanley Gibbons to advise that used self-adhesive stamps should be collected "on piece". They are in the business of selling stamps.

It takes time and patience to remove these stamps from envelope paper and get rid of the adhesive material. I guarantee you that they could not make money by properly cleaning these stamps before sale. This is especially true for the Machins.

Well that looks clean enough. What is your technique for removing the gum from the stamp?