Reducing Mount Costs

I am no fan of hinges so I use mounts but mounts can cost more. My method is to cut clear split back mounts in half similar to what you get with many hingeless albums. The result is you have top open mounts for easy replacement. I disliked having to upgrade stamps with hinges (risk of damaging pages).

Overall, the cost is around 40% less than using a split black.

Advantages: better protection over hinges, easier to replace, top loading. full protection of backside compared to split back, cost saving over split backs.

Disadvantage: less secure than a split back, cost is much higher than hinges (smaller size runs about 3 cents per stamps to mount).

That's a true State of the Ark guillotine, Al - early-1950s?

I follow that identical route, excepting the cutting.
I also purchase "used" mounts.
I purchased 5 Kg of mounts from Canada, even with ship, it further reduced costs (for the WW collector)

I emailed all my known stamp dealers, asking to purchase unwanted stock, if discounted.

My preferred cutting is Fiskars "sure cut"
Pros:
can cut mount with stamp inside.
Light and flexible, can sit on stamp desk.
Super sharp, and cuts accurately and smooth.

Cons.
Expensive
markings on fascia board (plastic) wear out over time (2 years for me)
resulting in some guessing.
replacement Blades hard to source.

GeoffHa, I know it is at least 50 years old since I know when started using for photo work.,

Is it less expensive to cut the Showgard mounts in half rather than get Hawid mounts? The Hawid mounts are the same as the result of cutting Showgards in half.

I have never looked at Hawid since I had plenty of Showgard and Scott/Prinz mounts. The top open cost is less than 3.5 cents or less in typical definitive size (25mm wide cut).

Note: I do not use the cutter to trim mounts to actual width.

I have never looked at Hawid since I did not know they sold strips but will check them out. I checked prices on iHobb and a quick calculation shows around 4.3 cents per mount ($8.99/210x26). The mounts may be cheaper elsewhere.

As an aside, I do not see how makers of hingeless albums deal with the mounts in the manufacturing process. It has to be tedious and inefficient to store so many sizes and insure right size mount on each page.

Since I have 11 unopened packages of Dennison and Fold-O hinges, plus a 12th package down about 100 of the 1,000 hinges that it originally contained, I have no qualms about using hinges for less expensive items.

"I use mounts but mounts can cost more." I'm pretty sure mounts "do" cost more fairly consistently. A pack of classic Dennison hinges from the Glory Days of hinges sells for around $20 these days. For 1,000 hinges that works out to 2c a hinge. Or 1c if you cut them in half which I've done many times for smaller-size stamps. For modern hinges (which aren't as good), the price is much lower, about $4 for a pack of 1,000 hinges. That's about 1/2 cent per hinge. If mounts cost more than 1/2 to 2 cents each, then mounts cost more.

As for your system of cutting mounts to make them more effective and less expensive, I don't understand from your description what you're doing. The picture shows strips of clear plastic. What did those come from? Are they half of a long clear mounting strip? Did you just slice off the "join" between the front and back of the strip? And what do you do with those clear strips to make them work as mounts? Do they get bent somehow? How are they adhered to the album page?

Yes, I am confused! Thanks very much for any explanation you can give.

Very simple,
just cut a "split back" mount, slice it lengthwise down the middle, with a cutter,
one has then 2 x "open top" mount, long mounts.
Then cut them vertical to fit the stamp.

Adhered with 3mm tiny strip of double sided archival tape.
(adjustable for the first few minutes if you do not press hard)

Archival tape?

Please advise which adhesive tapes do not degrade. I am curious.

Bob,
Influenced by our SCF member "Postmaster GS"
I'll try and dig up an image.
(I take the paper advertising off my rolls)

Looks like I am not the only one........

I am not saying that, whom knows?
I have had mine on lesser grade album pages 3 years without effect.
At the first sign of any degradation, I would be posting here.

PS. There is a trick to application, a long nose sharp pair of scissors, cut the 3mm strip, and it will adhere lightly to the scissor leg, use that to position on the back of the mount.
No fingers needed.

Rod, I spent 35 or so years (not "full-time") constructing and de-constructing (repairing) books, including some which had been "repaired" with "archival" materials. Self-adhesive materials used on paper are always destructive, in my experience.

My skepticism is earned.

Notwithstanding your experience Bob,
I accept the risk.
My Album pages are below standard, and being on Steiner, easily replaced.
The acid free tape, is adhered to the back of a Hawid (In most cases) plastic mount, far away from the stamp.

I have images of most popular branded plastic mounts degrading also.

What is one to do? Hinges are decried.

If the current men behaving badly, across the world, change, and we survive into the next century, I think my efforts and risk, outweigh the other risk leaving them alone on paper envelopes, and Chinese stockbooks.

I have done my best, with what I have at hand and affordable.

rod222, Inspired by a post from angore on one forum or another, I have started using this to mount my mounts. It's easy to work with and repositionable and, as you said, the stamp is protected by the mount itself.

Wish you well Coastwatcher,
Let us know how you fare 1 year hence.
I am sold on the double sided tape, what I havn't done, is to take any mounts off after 2 years, to see how they look.

What I do like about double sided tape, the surface linking the mount to the page is just a fingernail (or 3mm)
I am hoping mounts will just lift or peel off, but whom knows.

Modern Mounts that use branded adhesive (whatever that is) grab the page, and will not let go.

I'll go back to my early Turkey, which are all mounted with DS tape, and see what gives.