45worlds



Latest Posts  »  78 RPM  »  View Topic

View Single Post

Topic: Sticker Removal

  21st Feb 2021, 3:39 AM
xiphophilos

Member since Dec 2013
3351 Points
Moderator
I would avoid any kinds of solvents on shellacs, for the reasons mentioned by Juke Jules. Unless your shellac is damaged by chips or cracks, though, you shouldn't have to worry about water reaching the fibers or cardboard inside.

Most name stickers or numbered juke box stickers were attached to the labels with the same remoistenable gums that used to be used on stamps and are still used on envelopes. Other stickers may not be made of thin paper but some kind of white, textured material like a band aid.

Paper stickers come off easily when you hold the record under a faucet and rinse it with hot water (not boiling hot, just warm enough to dissolve the glue again). After a minute or so, the sticker should be soaked enough that you can carefully start to loosen a corner of it with your finger nail. Hold the stream of water where you've been able to lift the sticker a bit. That should gradually loosen more of the sticker until the entire sticker just floats off.

I've tried that process with band aid-type stickers too. When the gum is still relatively fresh, the rinse method works as well:

Here's a "before" image:
al-donahue-love-makes-the-world-go-round-decca-78-t.jpg
and here is the label after sticker removal:
al-donahue-twentyfour-hours-a-day-1935-78-t.jpg

In other cases, the gum under the band aid sticker is so dried out that the sticker surface itself separates relatively easily from the dried-out gum. Then all that is left is to carefully scrape off the dry sticker residue with your fingernails.

Finally, I've seen labels marked with grease pens. To remove these markings, I have successfully used a soft, white rubber eraser.

Edited by xiphophilos on 21st Feb 2021, 3:52 AM

45worlds website ©2025  :  Homepage  :  Search  :  Sitemap  :  Help Page  :  Privacy  :  Terms  :  Contact  :  Share This Page  :  Like us on Facebook
Vinyl Albums  :  Live Music  :  78 RPM  :  CD Albums  :  CD Singles  :  12" Singles  :  7" Singles  :  Tape Media  :  Classical Music  :  Music Memorabilia  :  Cinema  :  TV Series  :  DVD & Blu-ray  :  Magazines  :  Books  :  Video Games  :  Create Your Own World
Latest  »  Items  :  Comments  :  Price Guide  :  Reviews  :  Ratings  :  Images  :  Lists  :  Videos  :  Tags  :  Collected  :  Wanted  :  Top 50  :  Random
45worlds for music, movies, books etc  :  45cat for 7" singles  :  45spaces for hundreds more worlds