Paper sleeve ironing

[Martin Bush]

Hi all

I have aquired, via various means, some original record company sleeves for my 45s. I like to try to get the right sleeve for the right record. My quest on this continues...

As you will have guessed, many of the sleeves are crumpled to some extent due to how they have been treated down the years. But you can tell that they are potentially fine.

I knew someone who used to iron sleeves but he is no longer with us. So I wondered if you had a view in it and any suggestions of the best technique (ie will I need a piece of board to iron on, how hot is too hot? Do I risk doing anything to the paper beyond simply burning it?).

Martin

[vidjoman]

Suggest you try on an old scrap one, but I think you will have to make the paper damp to get the creases out. Over the years the paper will be very dry.

Place them in a book and leave in an unheated (high humidity) room, a shed would be ideal, for a month.

[Audio1950]

Good to find someone else who can't stand crumpled sleeves!

I do mine with a steam iron. I initially though the steam would cause the adhesive on the edges to melt, but no, they're fine.

[bluepilot]

Iron them with a damp cloth. No need to get the iron too hot, just enough to produce some steam. However the original sleeves easily get torn and will probably let dust in. I prefer to keep the original sleeves in clear plastic pockets in an album where I can look at them and put the records in modern cardboard sleeves.

[Martin Bush]

Thanks chaps. I never thought dampness would be the key. I will proceed with caution.

Ironing is one thing I am good at!

My plan is to have the records in their sleeves all in PVC sleeves, so I get the full package without scuffing them up further.

[M0FYA Andy]

Be very wary of PVC, it contains acidic plasticisers which will migrate into the paper over time causing irreparable damage. Use polyester which also goes under the names Melinex or Mylar. It's readily available for archival paper storage.

Andy

[G6Tanuki]

What are the sleeves made of?

A few decades back one of my clients had a flood and a vast slew of their maps and site technical-drawings - on "melinex" - got spectacularly damp. Though they managed to dry them out there was sufficient shrinkage and crinkling that the results were no longer acceptable as reference-plans to the Land Registry.

[Martin Bush]

Andy - the sleeves used are the type sold by www.covers33.co.uk - they are in wide use in record shops etc. Do I need to worry about these? I've already got lots on my LPs and some singles came in them.

G6tanuki - the sleeves are the standard record company sleeves. I done know what they are made of beyond 'paper'.

I can actually get replicas of many sleeves for about 40p each, but I'd like to keep to the old ones wherever possible.

[M0FYA Andy]

It all depends on your approach to paper conservation! Another of my interests is the collection of printed ephemera from the old railway and canal companies, and I realised early on that there is little point in acquiring these items if they aren't then looked after properly, using appropriate techniques and materials which ensure they don't deteriorate in storage. If you are more concerned about preventing physical wear and tear to a paper item which is probably going to get thrown away anyway in a few years, then the record shop sleeves may be suitable. If you want to ensure the item survives for future generations then only use archival quality materials. There's a lot of information available on the internet. The worst enemy of paper is sellotape, closely followed by plastics with volatile components. If the sleeve smells of plastic then it is releasing harmful chemicals! Professional paper conservators and museums always recommend polyester.
One firm I've bought suitable materials from is http://www.preservationequipment.com

Andy

[Martin Bush]

The sleeves don't smell of anything. They are described as PVC - perhaps that's used in error and any clear plastic sleeve is referred to as PVC? That said, since reading your post I've found some online claiming to be polyester so I will do some more research.

The reason I've been trying to get the old sleeves is to rescue them from being lost forever, so it makes sense to consider the outer sleeves.

[Martin Bush]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is the difference between polyester and polythene?

[M0FYA Andy]

Martin,
As (nearly) always, Google is your friend!
There is loads of information on the chemistry of the different types of plastic.
Searching on the pvc vs polyester for paper storage gets lots of hits. A simple explanation is here, for example -
http://www.ebay.co.uk/gds/Storing-yo...1940977/g.html

Andy

[Martin Bush]

Cheers.

I know Google is my friend... But it's also good to ask someone I know knows what they are talking about.

Thanks for the link.