John, It's hardly worth the effort for cheaper low value stamps but, I have done this for higher value self stick stamps. A little squirt of lighter fluid will dissolve the self stick gum. Then gently rub it off with tissue paper. This may take 2 or 3 applications to remove all self stick gum. After it's removed, wash stamps in soapy water to remove lighter fluid ( I use Dawn dish liquid. Then rinse in plain water and dry. Good luck.
Cut the stamp off the envelope leaving a millimeter or two of paper around the stamp to protect the edges of the stamp. Then place the stamp in your album. No dangerous chemicals, fluids, or damage to the stamp. Plus it's nice and simple and takes little time to do.
The only downside to Michaels recommendation to be aware of is that as album spaces start to fill in, the thickness of the stamps on paper will become a factor, so plan on investing in additional binders as your collecting progresses.
If you use hinges, you get no more thickness than you would if you used mounts. With the paper on the back of the stamp, you also don't get that hinge "bump" that is found on so many modern stamps, which obviously ruins the stamp.
Many self-adhesive stamps that are removed from envelopes show signs of thinning and other damage from the process of removing the adhesive from the back of the stamp.
No need to get defensive. Its my preferred mounting method as well.
I've found that many, if not most, envelope papers are thicker than mounts, and several of my albums needed to be divided into two due to album bulge because of how rapidly that happened. Was just making a point...
I understand, George, and I wasn't defensive regarding your comment. I was just letting people know that there is an alternative to the traditional stamp soaking giving the difficulties (and impossibilities) of soaking stamps today to where the old-timer's method doesn't work any longer. Using chemicals to loosen self-adhesive stamps from paper is probably not the healthiest thing to do either. A 25 cent stamp is not worth the health/safety risk, in my opinion. But, to each his own.
Honestly, I can't see why collecting "on-piece" has not become the established norm for used stamps. Except for the aforementioned issue of the added bulk, there are several benefits to it: stamps are less prone to damage; you don't wind up with a lump of multiple hinges, attached over decades, causing bending of the stamp paper; you eliminate toning/oxidation of stamps from the acidic hinge paper and/or adhesive; old hinges can be removed without fear of thinning the stamp; saves countless hours of soaking and drying time.
Ted - You make valid points, and you actually made me think of something I hadn't considered before. When you mentioned acidity, it struck me that the paper used in most envelopes most likely isn't of archival quality. I wonder what the down-range effects of the paper that the stamps are affixed upon could be, both to album pages and stamps?
I read. some time back, that all commercial paper made nowadays is acid-free, but I don't know if that applies to envelopes (I know it doesn't apply to some book publishers ).
As Robert says - lighter fluid. Cut the stamp from the envelope leaving a 4mm. margin all round. Place the stamp into a jam jar half filled with lighter fluid for 1 to 2 minutes. Once the backing paper appears totally saturated carefully peel the stamp off the paper (if the stamp has a security tab like GB stamps then start at that end getting your finger nail under the tab and pinch it in place as you peel). Place the stamp gum side up on a paper towel to allow the stamp to dry and fluid evaporate. This method usually leaves 30-60% gum on the stamp so it will need dusting before going in your album. If you require more gum on the stamp? - then use the same method but use a fine blade to scrape the stamp off the paper, but this requires more practice as you then can not "feel" the stamp. I have used this method on mostly GB stamps with no resulting damage at all.
Comments
It's hardly worth the effort for cheaper low value stamps but, I have done this for higher value self stick stamps. A little squirt of lighter fluid will dissolve the self stick gum. Then gently rub it off with tissue paper. This may take 2 or 3 applications to remove all self stick gum. After it's removed, wash stamps in soapy water to remove lighter fluid ( I use Dawn dish liquid. Then rinse in plain water and dry. Good luck.
Bob Bechtel
Packetsplus
Using Pure Citrus, talcum powder and a old credit card will do the trick. Below is a link to a great article on this subject.
https://www.rpsc.org/video/soakaps.pdf
Many self-adhesive stamps that are removed from envelopes show signs of thinning and other damage from the process of removing the adhesive from the back of the stamp.
I've found that many, if not most, envelope papers are thicker than mounts, and several of my albums needed to be divided into two due to album bulge because of how rapidly that happened. Was just making a point...
Cut the stamp from the envelope leaving a 4mm. margin all round. Place the stamp into a jam jar half filled with lighter fluid for 1 to 2 minutes. Once the backing paper appears totally saturated carefully peel the stamp off the paper (if the stamp has a security tab like GB stamps then start at that end getting your finger nail under the tab and pinch it in place as you peel). Place the stamp gum side up on a paper towel to allow the stamp to dry and fluid evaporate. This method usually leaves 30-60% gum on the stamp so it will need dusting before going in your album. If you require
more gum on the stamp? - then use the same method but use a fine blade to scrape the stamp off
the paper, but this requires more practice as you then can not "feel" the stamp. I have used this method on mostly GB stamps with no resulting damage at all.