Easy steps on how to restore your comic books
- Wipe your comics. Dust and grime build up damages the gloss and color of your comic book pages. ...
- Carefully remove damaged and rusty staples using a staple remover or a straight pin. Make sure not to rip off connected pages then staple them back together.
- Using a soft white eraser gently rid of the smudges from the pages of your comic book. ...
Full Answer
How do you fix a damaged comic book?
Examine the comic book for tears, holes, rusty staples and smudges. Determine what repairs need to be made. Remove any rusty or damaged staples with a staple remover or straight pin. Be careful not to rip connected pages. Carefully staple the necessary pages to replace the missing staples.
How do you clean old comic books?
Gently wipe off any dust from the comic cover and pages with a soft cloth. Use a soft brush for any hard to remove debris. Examine the comic book for tears, holes, rusty staples and smudges.
Do comic books need to be restored?
Sometimes a collectible comic is more valuable without restoration even if it has a loose page. As an amateur, you should only consider restoring a comic yourself if the comic is a part of your private collection and needs small repairs. Gently wipe off any dust from the comic cover and pages with a soft cloth.
Can comic books be dry cleaned and pressed?
Comic books can be dry cleaned and pressed under high heat using a heat press machine for an improved grade and condition. What is comic book pressing? How to Press Comic Books using a heatpress machine.
Can you restore comic books?
If you have an old comic book that needs repair, you may consider restoring it. The repair of collectible and rare comics, especially ones you intend to sell in restored form, is best handled by a professional.
How do you fix a broken comic book?
2:328:18Repair a Torn Page: Save Your Books - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHere what needs to be done after I've done this little. Bit. It is always a stronger reparativeMoreHere what needs to be done after I've done this little. Bit. It is always a stronger reparative paste both sides. I think I'll just see get in here a little bit.
How much does it cost to restore a comic?
Comic Book Restoration FAQ There are many factors to consider when giving the cost for a project, but a basic full restore is often $1500+.
How do you repair a ripped comic book cover?
0:123:55How to repair a torn cover - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo if we want to use some document repair tape. And we're just going to cover the tear on the insideMoreSo if we want to use some document repair tape. And we're just going to cover the tear on the inside.
How do I get my book restored?
5:347:42How 100-Year-Old Books Are Professionally Restored | RefurbishedYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou're going to be gluing all of those materials you're going to glue that mull and that littleMoreYou're going to be gluing all of those materials you're going to glue that mull and that little hinge and you're gluing that decorative end sheet back and then you're going to close the cover.
How do you fix a book that has pages falling out?
How to Fix Book Binding: Loose Pages EditionGet the Right Products. For the best results with any type of DIY book repair, you need book or binding glue. ... Set the Loose Pages Aside. ... Apply Your Glue. ... Stick Your Pages Back on the Spine. ... Add Some Heavy Stuff and Let the Book Dry.
How do I find a comic book restoration?
28:161:23:06COMIC BOOK Pressing Cleaning & Restoration | Live with Mike D of ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut what you can see if you look at the bottom of the spine you'll see some squatches. Right hereMoreBut what you can see if you look at the bottom of the spine you'll see some squatches. Right here either the dark spot on the bottom left right yeah that is your most. Common what it'll look.
How much does it cost to press and clean a comic book?
They charge a flat $10 to press a modern comic book, $15 for books from 1969 to 1974, and $20 for anything published before that. All 3 companies include a dry cleaning with the cost of pressing, which can be pretty useful (most pressers include dry cleaning in their pressing price).
What does a purple CGC label mean?
Restored LabelRestored Label (Purple) This label is applied to any comic book that has evidence of repair so that it will appear as it did when it was in its original condition. Restoration can come in a variety of degrees, from slight professional restoration (A-1) to extensive amateur restoration (C-5).
How do you fix a peeling book cover?
0:192:14How to fix plastic cover of books when pealing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWhat you can do is you can put an old towel on top of your iron i put it like this with a littleMoreWhat you can do is you can put an old towel on top of your iron i put it like this with a little hair clip. So if you don't do this your book is gonna get actually worse than how it is now.
How much does it cost to restore a book?
What is the cost to restore, repair, or rebind my book? Most book repair projects run anywhere from $165-$235 with the exception of family Bibles, which typically include an additional cost due to the large size and intricacy.
How do you repair torn paper?
0:161:02Repairing Cut or Torn Pages with Adhesive - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipCarefully fit the two edges of the tear together and blot off any excess adhesive with theMoreCarefully fit the two edges of the tear together and blot off any excess adhesive with the cheesecloth. Place a second sheet of waxed paper on top of the page. And smooth.
How do you clean comic book covers?
The Dry Cleaning Process for Comic BooksStep One: Use Cotton Round to Remove Layer of Residue. If there is a stain on a comic book cover or page, it may be mostly contained at the surface. ... Step Two: Use Eraser Pad to Remove Stain. ... Step Three: Use Putty to Smooth and Finish the Job.
How to keep comics from sticking together?
Use your finger to smooth any wrinkles. Always cover the rice paper with wax paper before you turn the page to keep pages from sticking together. When all pages are fixed, close the comic book and cover it with a heavy book such as a phone book or encyclopedia to keep pages smooth while the glue dries.
How to repair a hole in a paper?
To repair tears or holes, use rice paper. Use scissors to cut a piece of rice paper that is about 1/8 inch larger than the damaged area . For holes, you need two rice paper pieces. For tears you need the rice paper piece to be able to fold over the page. Apply a small amount of acid-free glue to the rice paper.
How to fix a tear in a rice paper?
Use your finger to smooth any wrinkles. For tears, pick up the rice paper with tweezers and carefully fold the rice paper over the tear. Use your finger to smooth any wrinkles.
Can you restore an old comic book?
If you have an old comic book that needs repair, you may consider restoring it. The repair of collectible and rare comics, especially ones you intend to sell in restored form, is best handled by a professional. In fact, the restoration lessens the value of a comic book even though it is improved because comics are graded based upon the condition ...
What is restoration in comics?
Restoration is the act of adding foreign material to a comic book through certain techniques to return its appearance to an ideal or original state. Restoration has existed in some form or another since the inception of comic books, but it has evolved considerably over the past 50 years.
What is the purpose of replacing staples in comic books?
Sometimes the original staples are chemically cleaned to remove rust or discoloration.
What is a tear seal on a comic book?
SPINE SPLIT SEALS – These are essentially tear seals but occur along a comic book’s spine. Like tear seals, they also utilize adhesives and/or rice paper. REINFORCEMENT – This process is used to support weak areas of a comic book, particularly the spine, staple areas, or a corner or edge. It can involve the use of rice paper or glue.
Why are amateur comic books considered conservation?
Because amateur materials and techniques are usually unsightly, irreversible or harmful to a comic book, such as re-glossing, trimming and the use of non-archival glue, only professional applications are considered for a conservation classification.
What factors were not significant in determining a comic book's candidacy?
The hobby was new and older comics were still relatively cheap, so value, age, and grade were not significant factors for candidacy; any comic book was susceptible to restoration. Techniques using markers, pens, glue, tape and trimming were obvious, and usually slight in nature. Restoration had virtually no effect on value.
What is professional restoration?
Collectors began to recognize that professional restoration could add value to a comic book, a perception that set in motion the restoration of many key issues. While professional restoration targeted lower grade books, its proliferation in the ‘80s and ‘90s led to minor work on higher grade comics, sometimes with the intent to deceive.
Does restoration affect value?
Restoration had virtually no effect on value . Once Bill Sarrill pioneered the first professional techniques in the late ‘70s, piece fill and color touch became more refined, and new techniques like water and solvent cleaning led to better results.
How to press comic books?
In order to press comic books, you will need the basics to get started. Practice on dollar bin books or cheap books. Practice on lots of books. You will need a clean sterile working environment, a press machine, srp paper, and backer boards.
How long does it take to learn comics?
For the average person, it will take a minimum of 2 years to fully grasp all aspects of comic book cleaning and pressing.
What is the best paper for Marvel digital codes?
Remember, cardstock paper works best for stubborn spine dents and Marvel digital code inserts. Some books will require copy paper vs cardstock paper, due to the cardstock paper being too thick. Thinner 65 lb cardstock paper or copypaper can get closer to the spine.
How to keep a book from fading?
1. While using 2 cups room temperature distilled water, you should leave the book inside the chamber for 24 hrs. Personally, I place a book in the humidity tank at 9pm and take it out the next morning at 9am. Longer durations exceeding 24 hours could start to wash out color. You will fade the cover if left in chamber for too long with too much distilled water at the bottom of tank. Control your water levels for maximum effectiveness.
How long to press a Gimmick book?
Gimmick books can be safely pressed using less pressure under low heat (150-155 degrees) for 5-7 minutes and left overnight in a cold press machine.
What is a comic book press?
Comic book pressing is the process of flattening out a comic book that has been wrinkled or damaged. Comics can get bent during shipping or have creaselines from heavy reading. Good news: Comic Books can be pressed using a t-shirt heatpress machine, a book press, a stack of short boxes, or anything heavy and flat.
Can a humidity tank make a comic book white?
When using a humidity tank with a comic book, it is not unusual for a book to have "off-white pages" and receive "white pages" as the new page quality designation. For the same reason tap water can cause off-white pages, (by minerals absorbing into the paper fibers) clean distilled water can cause white pages.
What happens to staples in comics?
Under high humidity, paper and ink can age and turn brown and brittle. With time, staples will rust and the rust will affect the comic page, eventually disintegrating the paper around (and next to) the staples.
What are comic books made of?
Comic books are an amalgamation of paper, ink and metal. While the paper and ink make up the pages that we all enjoy, the staples are made from thin metal wire cut into rods and then driven through the cover and interior papers of the book before they are folded over at the centerfold.