In this tip we will explain to you how to remove and dry stamps correctly. There are a few things to keep in mind when removing the stamps in a water bath, especially to avoid discoloration. When drying the stamps, you can use the tips in this article to prevent the detached stamps from bulging or curling.
Step 1: Remove stamps correctly from the paper
- You need a small, elongated bowl of lukewarm water.
- Do not put too many letter cutouts in this tray, otherwise there is a risk that the stamps will stick to each other.
- Also avoid putting a stamp stuck on colored paper in lukewarm water. In this case, some of the dye from the paper could come off and discolor all the stamps in the water bath.
- The same applies to letter clippings that are written in ink in some way. The ink also dissolves very easily in water.
- If you have letter cuttings of this type and still want to remove them, it is best to do so in a separate water bath.
- Use tweezers to remove the detached tag from the water bath. This will ensure that no damage occurs to the brand.
- If you notice any rubber residue still attached to the detached stamp, put the stamp in a water bath again. The residue will then come off on its own after a while.
Step 2: Dry stamps properly after removing them
- It is best to place the detached stamps with enough space between two pages of blotter and weigh them down with books after briefly dabbing the stamps with kitchen paper or similar.
- Alternatively, dry the stamps in so-called drying books. It's best to weigh these down with books or comparable weights.
- After some time (10 minutes to 1 hour), remove the stamp and place it again - overnight - between two dry pages.