What materials you can and can't safely store cling stamps on?

[Carol W]

Hi all. I know I've read many a thread on here over time where this has been discussed. But it seems that occasionally the info will change, or people report different results, or a company will introduce something new, etc.

Can anyone please sum up the current wisdom about what is and is NOT safe for storing stamps that are clear polyphotomer or are cling-mounted (e.g., with EZ mount foam, etc.)? For that matter, maybe clear and cling-mount don't even follow the same rules... Well, thus my question!

Thanks in advance for the current "final word" on this matter. ;)

[cdjkssss]

I don't have any official word, but I can tell you my experience. I have had both clear and EZ Mount rubber sets stored first in CD cases, and now on acetate sheets in Tim Holtz folders for over five years with no problems at all. In fact, I now store clear stamps and EZ Mount rubber stamps side by side on the same acetate sheet (because I've got my stamps separated by categories rather than by set). I know that various companies say that storing in CD cases or on acetate is horrible, but I've not found that to be true for me.

The only sets that have ever given me any trouble are the cheap clear sets that are obviously made of some material that's not as nice as the good photopolymer. That would include the old Basic Grey sets before they teamed up with Hero Arts, lots of the older Inkadinkado clear sets, etc. Those sets have gotten stuck pretty badly no matter what material I've stored them on. They also don't stamp nicely, so I've booted most of them from my collection.

[Carol W]

Thank you for this feedback, Chris. Seeing your photo gave me a smile as I realized, "hey, that's the Chris whose blog I've bookmarked after seeing her amazing organizational strategies!"

(BTW, I greatly enjoy your "Keep Calm..." poster in the sidebar of your blog.)

[winnieu]

I have had no problem with my stamps being put on acetate sheets and then in a sleeve. I keep them in three ring binders. My collection of Tim Holtz are just on the sheet they come on and in binders that way (no sleeve needed..) My Papertrey collection are still in cd cases and they are fine. I keep my cheaper dollar sets and hard to release old sets seperately in a draw that I have by theme. I don't use them as often as the other sets I have so this works fine for me.

[annie*]

I store all of my stamps in CD cases and was nervous about harming them in any way. I contacted the makers of EZ Mount, BLine stamps, and one other company, but, sorry to say, I am now forgetting their name. The information that I received was that the stamps are safe stored in CD cases on the sheets they came on, or on products sold by each company, or on acid free glossy card stock. The makers of EZ Mount state that you should not store them directly on the CD cases.

Since I don't store my stamps on sheets, or in page protectors, etc. I don't have any information on that storage method. I would think it would be important to provide some sort of protection from any plastic surface. You may find it helpful to contact the makers of your particular kinds of stamps. They are usually willing to share lots of helpful information. HTH!

[Carol W]

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

Would it be accurate to say that the bottom line is: don't stick EZ mount stamps directly into CD cases? (at least, according to manufacturer's advice?)

[shazsilverwolf]

All my unmounteds are stored in A4 ringbinders, both polymer and E-Zmounteds. What I did was run laminating sheets through my laminator( you can do it with or without paper in), and I store all my stamps on those. Cheaper than keep buying sheets to store stamps on.

[annie*]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carol W

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

Would it be accurate to say that the bottom line is: don't stick EZ mount stamps directly into CD cases? (at least, according to manufacturer's advice?)

That is my understanding.

[Hallupino]

Hi everyone,

I've been looking into this topic myself lately and thought I'd share a link to another thread here where we've been talking about what's safe to store on what. It starts after post #6 or so:
PTI Stamps--label or not? by Valli at Splitcoaststampers

Interesting topic; I hope we can solve some of the mysteries out there as to what stamps and storage containers are made of and what's safe to keep together! On a related topic, I just started a thread in hopes of gathering some of that information. Feel free to add what you know to it!

Clear Stamps: Photopolymer vs. Acrylic Stamp Companies by Hallupino at Splitcoaststampers

Thanks!

Anna

[Carol W]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hallupino

Hi everyone,

I've been looking into this topic myself lately and thought I'd share a link to another thread here where we've been talking about what's safe to store on what. It starts after post #6 or so:
PTI Stamps--label or not? by Valli at Splitcoaststampers

Interesting topic; I hope we can solve some of the mysteries out there as to what stamps and storage containers are made of and what's safe to keep together! On a related topic, I just started a thread in hopes of gathering some of that information. Feel free to add what you know to it!

Clear Stamps: Photopolymer vs. Acrylic Stamp Companies by Hallupino at Splitcoaststampers

Thanks!

Anna

Thank you very much, Anna!

[red hat mary]

Do I understand this.... it's OK to put stamps in a page protector as long as they are on the clear plastic piece they came on??

[Hallupino]

I've had most of my rubber cling and clear stamps in page protectors (the heavy duty ones from Staples) for about three years now, with no noticable changes. When I started collecting stamps I attached them to the outside of the page protectors, but as I started accumulating sets I started keeping them on the clear plastic sheet they came on and just slipped them inside with a sheet of heavy paper to use as the index. Neither way has caused me any problems yet, other than the tiny rubber ones on EZ mount falling off from time to time... but that has happened from the beginning- it's not the best storage system except that it's fairly cheap and easy!