Album Review: United States Albums

Quality binders have mechanisms that you use to open/close them so you do not have to grab the rings themselves. Using the rings to open and close them is what causes the rings to become misaligned and ultimately grab the pages. Hobbyists who have incorrectly use the rings themselves to open/close them should be hit upside the head with a wet trout. Cheap binders which do not have open/close mechanisms should be avoided for this very reason; you get what you pay for.
Don

This is really important. You should never open binder rings by the rings themselves.

When I look at binders like the Vario G and the Mystic Premium, they're using a minimalist ring system with no mechanism at the top or bottom. The actual binders look great, but I feel like those rings are not going to last long.

Also, don't overfill your binders. The weight of the paper pulls on the rings. I had some overfilled binders where the paper would actually open the rings slightly when lying flat. This seems to be more common with ball and socket rings, rather than zig-zag rings.

I agree 100% that mechanisms which have tabs to open the rings are superior. Interestingly, the Mystic Premium Binder (ESDC3) does not have tabs.
In this short video, https://youtube.com/watch?v=amr3Js5nYDQ you can see Don Sundman grabbing the rings too. Then he shows the standard binder, which does have tabs. What gives? I mean, again, I like the looks of this binder. But I probably would have paid a bit more for a higher quality mechanism. (And metal hinges, come to that.)

I know, I probably just described the Scott National. I think the next logical move for me would be to get the Scott binder and slipcase (I don't think the Mystic slipcase would be compatible with the width of the National binder.) Finding another less expensive solution would also be good, Avery, or what have you. HAHA - I can't justify swtiching out binders at the moment anyhow!

A lot of great points here. Generally, although I set up my Heirloom system using the 3" binders, I think Mystic has pretty much moved to a 6+ album system for US stamps, which would mean 1.5" binders. This makes a lot of sense; I've come to realize that would make a collection easier to handle in a number of ways.

[quote]I agree 100% that mechanisms which have tabs to open the rings are superior. Interestingly, the Mystic Premium Binder (ESDC3) does not have tabs.
In this short video, https://youtube.com/watch?v=amr3Js5nYDQ you can see Don Sundman grabbing the rings too. Then he shows the standard binder, which does have tabs. What gives? I mean, again, I like the looks of this binder. But I probably would have paid a bit more for a higher quality mechanism. (And metal hinges, come to that.) [/qoute}

I have one of their premium binders. I really liked it. I never bought more because the rings got messed up in the first year I had it.

IMO you cannot beat the Scott binders and most alternatives end up being false economies. For $35 you get a mission specific, very well built and time tested piece of kit. Pretty much bombproof for the average collector. 30 year old binders are sold at auction all of the time and function just fine.

Do the Scott binders have "D" rings or "O" rings?

From what I can tell, they use spine mounted O rings. The metal hinges Scott uses are a one piece construction with the rings mounted on the spine, which is also metal.

Can album pages from the Harris Statesman worldwide album fit in the Harris Heirloom Design binder? I pulled mine out of storage and it needs a new binder, but I like the look of the Heirloom one better than the Statesman one (not to mention the Statesman is a slightly different design now). Thank you for any insight!

Those pages seem to be 8-1/2 x 11 now, and are punched for 2 post and 3 ring.
The Mystic website says this about their deluxe binder:
"Holds Heirloom album pages, and also fits Prinz, SafeT and Vario stock pages"
So, I would confirm exactly what you have and call Mystic if necessary. They have excellent customer service. I'm pretty sure someone here will know for sure too.

@baker Kind of hard here to see whom you are replying to, but if it's regarding my post you must have the albums confused with another company. The H.E. Harris Statesman album (now owned/printed by Whitman Publishing) has 9"x12" pages and is punched for 2 post only. The posts are approx 6.75" apart.

I wound up ordering two of the 'new' binders from Wizard

Hi bcarney,
Yes, I was replying to your post. You would know better than I would about Harris - I have not used Harris. However, this was what made me believe that the Harris pages are punched for both 2 post, and 3 ring. At least that is the case now.


On the size, I agree with you on the 9" x 12". My mistake.

I have a question about the 2 post Scott National Binder. I saw a picture on a website that showed a binder that was not completely full. and it looked like you could lay the binder down on a table, and the page would stay open.

When I had a Scott Minuteman album years ago, if you laid the binder open a table and you went to any pages in the first quarter of the album or the last quarter of the album, the pages would just close unless you held them open. I know the pages will never lay flat in a 2 post binder. But can you keep them from closing on you?

You can try cardboard page-spacers. Some manufacturers supply these with peg and springback binders.

Well damn. I found and joined this forum because I figured all of you who are considerably more advanced than I would point me towards some type of consensus. After reading 500+ posts it appears the consensus is there is no consensus . I can't say enough how much I appreciate the input of everyone who contributed to this thread.

I currently own a Harris Liberty album that goes up to 1997, and like many I don't care for the 2 post setup or being unable to open the album up flat. I have more of my collection in glassines than I have mounted in the album because even before my hiatus from the hobby I disliked the album. I do like the layout of the pages, as well as the descriptions of the stamps. I just don't think it's what I want to deal with long term as my collection advances.

It seems to me I would be pretty happy with either the Mystic Heirloom or Scott Minuteman albums - if they were printed on heavier pages. Have any of you tried to take those pages to a print shop to get them reproduced on heavier paper?