Flat Stamps

Im looking for another faster way to dry and flatten stamps fastest way after soaking. placing inside big books takes too long for me.

Has anyone tried a clothes pressing iron on an ironing board with the stamps in-between two white bookpapers, and just iron away.

just asking before trying, thanks!

Hey Nic I use to Iron mine before I got a stamp drying book It worked great.

I used white tissue paper( the kind you use for presents) or parchement paper. One layer on the ironing board and one on top of the stamps. Make sure you shut the steam off the iron.

Dianne

I was just going to ask that very question. SOmetimes my soaked stamps dry just fine and other times they end up looking like curly cues. I was going to use the iron as well, glad I read about the parchment paper---off to the kitchen I go.

Good Question nic:

I don't often soak. Last time I did, I put them in a book to press while they were still wet. They came out all wavy.

I assume I should let them dry BEFORE I press? If I wet them again, dry them, then press, will that make them flat?

Kirk

I see lots of different drying books. Is there one that SCF members prefer over another?

I'll check mine when I get home. It works very well.

Another note about the ironing bit. I usually have mine handy when I'm hinging stamps into my album in case I come accross some that are creased or wrinkled. I flatten them before I place them in my album.

Dianne

Nice tips. Thanks

Dianne, no guy would keep an iron next to his album while hinging stamps!

Sometimes I use my dry mounting press (used to mount photographs) for taking wrinkles out of covers, however.

That happens to me even after drying. The problem seems to correct itself in most cases after a few days of being allowed to "breathe" in a plain white envelope, though. Other than that it seems the only way of avoiding the waviness is to only press for 24 hours and leave two blank pages for every one page of stamps.

No special drying book for me. An older white pages with some heavier books/catalogs stacked on top usually does the trick just as well.

Do you use something between the damp stamps and the paper from the phone book? Parchment or plastic?

I just put them between clean white copier paper and then inside a old book, with a LOT of heavy books stacked on top to press.

I didn't use phone book because I didn't want the print to dirty the stamps.

Didn't any residual glue stick to the copy paper?

Modern I don't keep the Iron near my stuff. It's on the Ironing board ready to go.

Guys - don't let your wife see you using an iron on your stamps. If they get the idea that you know how you know what will happen .. . . .

No way, dog. There was no residual glue. I'm an expert soaker -- I just can't dry

Seriously, No. Everything worked fine except the wavy results. I should try plastic or parchment, I guess.

Kirk

A desert magic drying book.

Works perfectly, lasts for years.
Cost ? I got mine in London £8.95.

Soak, follow the drying instructions, put on top a load of books.
Hey presto ! Flat and dry, 12 hours later.

Place stamps in album and ogle.

Job done.

Londonbus1.......What's an iron?