Don't You Hate Self Adhesives That Won't Soak

Also, I hate self adhesives, too. So much so that this will be my last year of collecting current USA. That's when my last Mystic Premium album will be full. That's it. Five years of stickers fills an entire binder. Crazy.

Jack Kelley

Don, I would even go one step further and apply your same conclusion to other hobbies, such as numismatics. Physical coin shops are few and far between yet the absolute abundance of information online is virtually limitless. There's always something new to learn online.

As a college student, a majority of my life has coincided with the rapid growth of the internet (I do remember dial up!) yet my interest in coins, and now stamps, has not been negatively affected by the internet. If anything, it's encouraged me to join into these hobbies.

I am getting off track from this thread though, which is why I will add this: I've used Pure Citrus personally like many others have chimed in, and not only does it have an immediate effect on the stamp, it makes the room smell great.

I have removed quite a few new self adhesive stamps from envelopes by using a heat gun. The heat will reactivate the gum without damaging the stamp (on low heat). Then just peel them off and remove the glue (or reuse the stamp if not canceled) by rubbing the back. The glue will roll up and away.

The only time I like adhesives is when I have to mail something.

Jack Kelley

Thanks guys! I tried the long soak method and it worked better. Maybe 80% of the stamps I was able to save, few thinned out. I just ordered pure citrus on Amazon (waiting to give that a try), since home depot near me dont seem to have it in stock for some reason!

Try heat on back (or front). The stamp do not burn. They are more plastic stickers than paper. I do it and it does work. Honest. Try hair dryer.

I'll have these off in a jiffy, perhaps 2 minutes?
I don't see any Postmark having an effect with these.

Pure Citrus worked, but it has 2 disadvantages imho.

1)smell and the impact on your skin, as I got some on my fingers and it caused like a whitish powder residue

2) Stamps remain sticky and curl up. I read about using old credit card to scrape it and dust off with talc, but I really feel like its too much hassle. I may go back to the long soak method. I need to give the heat with hair dryer option a try (sounds promising).

I just hope and pray USPS stops this madness.

This took 8 seconds to remove.
Consider, it is under high magnification, and has travelled half way around the globe, on a cover.
I looked at all these whilst on the cover and all were speckly and not pristine.
possibly due to the native colour black.

After using discount postage and having to keep pressing down the stamps to make sure no edge is sticking out that will cause mangling in the USPS' sorting machinery, getting excess gum on my finger tips, and watching the envelope paper around the stamps trying to wrinkle due to moisture, I thank my Creator for whomever came up with the idea of making postage stamps self-adhesive.

And as far as self-adhesives being the cause for the hobby's decline, all I can say is 'pffffft.' The hobby is changing, not declining anywhere near as much as the 'sky is falling' bretheren have been led to believe. And besides, all the collectors I know, including me (and I know a lot of collectors), lean heavily towards collecting the so-called 'Classic Era,' meaning self-adhesives had zero effect.

My feelings on these self adhesive stickers are well known. They are only good for mailing things.

Jack Kelley

self adhesives are a big problem in australia stamp collecting as well. does citrus work on them also and is there other air fresheners work as well?

Citrus results unknown to me.
I use Bestine and Talcum powder. Instant results, but not everyone's choice of route.
One needs a very good release agent for the modern die cut slits of prevention of re-use.
Scraping the gum from the backs of these fellows is just not going to work in my opinion.