We Close Our Eyes & Still See Stamps.

I see Rod! That is all 45c stamps. International post stamps in complete sets we would only have 10 sets at an average. The $10 2000 Devils Marbles is one that holds us back. Some others we have in numbers which will be handy.

The master set is still not completed but I imagine it will reach 2000 different Aust dec stamps at least.

This master set is broken down into the first packet of 400 stamps and we add 200 more stamps to make the 400 stamp packet into a 600 stamp packet and so on until a packet of 2000 stamps is reached. The packets will always be the same.I imagine in some years into the future as more stamps are released a 400 stamp packet will turn into a 420 stamp packet but that is an issue for the future.

Spare parts ~ incomplete sets.




300g of Australia Cocos Keel Island, Christmas Island & Australian Antarctic Territory stamps.



The storage system for catalogued stamps. This is the packet making stock.

Cost - plastic tubs $7 each. Small plastic bags 1.5c each. Large plastic bags 5c each.

All I can say I WOW.

I must have missed this thread. What an amazing task accomplished by yourself and your family. I received a 5 lb box of mostly Australian from my good friend Steeve(trigg) a couple of years ago. It was a lot of fun and sure did help build my Australian Collection. I used it to send some stamps to new collectors, Young and old and to share with vets and scouts.

Congrats on your accomplishments.

I may come to you to buys some Aussies so that I can complete my collection.

Dianne

Thank you very much for your kind words Dianne!

The support from others as well has helped us a great deal, especially at present!

We have one of those bugs that does not put you in bed but the headache, sore eyes and lack of concentration is not good. A couple more days and it should be gone!

I can not help myself and do as much as I can! I am really enjoying this task at hand! And yes we can help with Aussie stamps. Especially the hard to get and missing stamps from letter rate sets! John and Family

Thanks for the offer of help in the physical Puzzler! But spock is going to have to lend us his spare transporter so we can do this!

Your support has and is extremely helpful. It is nice to get the feeling that contact is at a stamp club level and not a cold detached forum that has not got that personal touch to the contact with others. Thanks again for sharing Puzzler! John and Family

The image is of 5 x 100 stamp bundles high. The back row is the gummed stamp issue and the front row is the self adhesive stamp issue. All are in equal numbers.

It makes the thickness of the paper used on each issue really stand out! It is close to a 20% difference in thickness!

This difference in thickness of paper is the same with all the gummed and self adhesive issues that I have come across so far!

I believe the 55c era is thinner again. No wonder we are having trouble taking the self adhesives off paper!

Soaking stamps off paper is another job we do each day. Hopefully by showing this process it might help somebody. Here we go!



The gummed stamps are in the plates with cold water and soaked for 30 mins or floated off.
The self adhesives are in the bowl with warm water, detergent and soaked for 40 min for the thicker stamps and 20 min for the thinner ones.




By flexing the paper behind the corner of the self adhesive stamp it is hoped that the gum will stay on the paper and the corner of the stamp will come away.




Removing the stamp.







The stamps have been removed from the side of the bowl. Always move the stamps sideways, never up or down. The stamps were hard to move being a little dry, so the pile of stamps have been wet under a very slow tap. Now with ease the stamp will come apart sideways with no trouble.



The neatness saves a lot of space. All the stamps are now layed out to dry.

When the paper and or gum will not come off and any more soaking will turn all of it into papier mache.






By using the thumb I try to roll the paper and gum off. This is where most of the damaged stamps come from. The paper on the back of the stamp itself comes away at times causing a paper thin. When laying the stamps out to dry, the stamps should always be back up, it is easy to spot a paper thin that has been missed, it comes clear during the drying process.



Coloured paper is a real problem because it releases the dye and it stains everything to the max. Even the yellow looking paper in the image above will stain the back of the stamp and I will always look to see if these stamps need a bit of a wash. Washing does not get the stain out of a coloured dye stain, the stamp is totally destroyed, I soak them separately in lots of water and as soon as I can get them off paper the better. Never more than one stamp at a time.

There is always going to be a need to change the way stamps come off paper. There is subtle changes between different stamps. It is always good to experiment with damaged stamps.

A person with a bit of experience should be able to take 2lbs or 900gms of stamps off paper in a solid week, say 40hrs!

Now that you have got your kiloware on paper and have sorted the stamps and graded them. Grading the stamps will save work in soaking. Start by using damaged stamps.

Once you get the idea of it all, only soak 6 or so stamps at a time until you get the hang of it. Too much soaking will turn everything into one big mess. For me I can only do 30 stamps at a time because of a pain issue.

Another problem is bending the corner of the stamp in the process of taking it off paper. Be very gentle with everything. Do not give up you will get the hang of it. It is something to enjoy so be gentle on yourself as well.

An example of what dyed paper does.

The battle in trying to take the Australian 55c self adhesives stamps off paper has been a difficult task indeed!

Many different formulas, in the way of soaking, has taken place.
The same out come of 50% loss trying to get the stamps off paper.
They are generally very difficult to amass in numbers.

Now I have found a way to take the 55c self adhesives off paper, easy as!

Soak the stamps for 30 mins in warm water then empty the water out,
leave the stamps to dry for 30 mins, then add warm water for 15 mins,
and the stamps come off paper as easy as!

Still trying to have a go! KGV

If that works John, that is fantastic.
I'll give some a go tonight.
Mine fail at around 20 per 100
The paper is getting thinner every year.

Great thread!

I have been considering starting a folder
with images of all stamps that fail soaking
some of the US issues are horrors.

Kindly let us know of any suitable candidates

Today I have focused on changing and doing some experiments using the formula mentioned for stamp removal.

Using a soup plate and dinner plate, the formula did not work!

I can reproduce what has been spoken about concerning this formula!

The bowl I am using is holding the heat in.
Noted
The water still needs to be warm when working with the stamps.
The 30 mins drying time is also a cooling down time for the gum.
By adding more warm water to a difficult batch of stamps can save the day.
Using a water heat at about that of a shower!
Everybody is going to have to work it out in there inviorment

I am injoying taking 55c stamps off paper

KGV Collector, there was something here a couple of three years ago about using Vodka -- the strongest, cheapest available -- for separating self-adhesive stamps from envelope paper. And it was reusable (but not drinkable). I wonder if it might not be worth your experimenting with that. The cost might be more than recoverable in both time and material (that is, stamps)!

I also have a question... WHERE DID YOU GET ALL THOSE STAMPS?