FDC Protective Holder

I would like to put my FF Covers into a thin protective sleeve before
putting them into a FDC Album. I have looked for something but have
not found anything suitable.

I did buy something that looked like it would work, but they would not
fit in the FDC Album unless I trimmed the top about 3/8", and the fit
was so tight I was afraid of damaging the cover.

Something made of thin Mylar would be just the thing.

What do folks use ??

I use these:

https://www.amazon.com/BCW-1-FDCSLV...-Sleeves/dp/

I use the brand BCW. You can search for BCW FDC sleeves on ebay or from your favorite supply dealer. They are 2 mil thick polypropylene. Safe for your covers. Not expensive if bought in quantity (500 or 1000). For example, you can get 1000 of them for about $25 plus shipping right now on ebay.

BCW has all the right sizes - regular FDC, regular postcard, continental postcard (european size) business envelope, etc.

Some folks like rigid sleeves but they are quite pricey.

John

Amazon link comes back NG ??

Also, the ones I bought were BCW.

I've used sleeves from KristalKare for years. http://kristalkare.com/

Using the term ..."sleeves"... I think I found what I need on e-Bay.

Thanks for the replies,

.

Then the problem you have is with the FDC album, and not the sleeves. All of the sleeves are standard sizes, and, short of having them custom made, you probably won't be able to find any that fit in your FDC album.

Have you considered using Vario (black background or clear background) stock pages (1 or 2 row, double-sided for the black background) instead of the FDC album?

John

Sorry about the bad link. It was supposed to be to BCW sleeves, which I now see you have used. If those do not work for you, then I agree with johnsim03 that the problem must be with the FDC album you are using. Does it have its own pockets that serve to protect the covers? They may not be designed to accommodate covers in separate sleeves. I use a variety of Vario pages with my covers in BCW sleeves. Most common is the Vario page with five rows, in which I place a cover in rows (from bottom) 1, 2, and 3. They overlap, but with the covers in sleeves, they slip in and out of the Vario rows easy enough to view the cover up close. There is a Vario page that will accomodate three covers with only slight overlap (including at the top of the binder) where I want to see more of the covers without removing them. Vario pages allow a lot of individuality in how to store and display covers.

You can do what you want, but I have to wonder about the double enclosure. What FDC album are you using that requires this?

The important thing is to exclude air/oxygen and good quality cover albums (and Vario pages) do that. I've found even just poly sleeves have prevented yellowing/browning over forty+ years. Now if deterioration had already started like in (say) classic FDCs, they're not going to get any better but you might be able to slow down the process.

Or you may accelerate the process if the cover/enclosure has already begun acidification. Concentrate on keeping the general environment good, it accounts for the majority of good stewardship. A cool, dry and stable storage environment is paramount; temperatures should be held at a constant 70°F with a relative humidity held between 30% and 50%.

Also, periodically check all your covers for deterioration and acidification. Occasionally check the pH using a scrap cover in the album (search this forum for several threads on this topic.)
https://www.amazon.com/Lineco-Testi...p/B000KNJCSS
Archival Record Conservation PDF
https://stampsmarter.org/learning/H...General.html
Don

It looks like I need to amplify on my request.
The FDC Album I am using is a Showgard, maybe not the best for this purpose, so I am open to suggestions.
My need for sleeving is just my belt and suspenders approach. The less I handle the actual cover, the better.
It looks like there is Sleeving and again there is Sleeving. I guess I need to read the fine print in the ad's and
ask questions if I need to.

The group has been most helpful as I start on this journey.

Thank you,

Richard S.

I have been using Polypropylene (PP) for my First Day Covers for 20 years
No degradation so far, that I can note

Pros
Cost effective $2 per 100
I consider it archival safe over other methods currently available

Cons.
They are frustratingly "slippery"
try and store 200 in a shoebox, and they slip slide everywhere.

"Finally there are Polypropylene (PP). This material is considered archival safe as it is chemically stable and as close to PH neutral as technical possible with plastic and does not contain any plasticizers"

This is the bet I am making with all my 400 Stamp albums

The decision to use / avoid is up to you

You can read more on PP and Album sleeves here
https://www.keepfiling.com/archival...plasticizers.

"Polypropylene is also used as sleeves for storing Philatelic material,
The museum often uses polypropylene page protectors for album pages when rehousing a collection"

Smithsonian National Postal Museum

Sorry to bump an old thread, but a long time ago I had requested samples from KristalKare, which I ended up liking, but just recently getting around to purchasing, it appears KristalKare is no longer in business. An inquiry email has gone unanswered. Anyone know for sure (perhaps they are being sold through a different outlet)? I liked the thicker material with various sizes that I could buy for everything from FDCs to postal cards to booklets to plate blocks without extensive and wasteful trimming of the product, both with and without flaps, and no one seems to carry such extensive formats. Many of the auction houses used to use a variety of sleeves for different sized items but now they all seem to default to the large, one-size-for-everything sleeves.

Roger