How to Remove Vintage Cards from Scrapbooks Part 1

I have read many posts in various okay discussion boards
from buyers or sellers who want to know how to remove
vintage cards..postcards or Valentines from scrapbooks.

There were many kinds of glues and pastes used long ago
to secure sentimental items to scrapbooks for preservation,
and usually, the mother of the household would add
a few more splashes of glue than was really necessary!

What many people encounter after purchasing a vintage
scrapbook, is that the card backs are totally covered
with hard, brittle and aged or sticky glue residue from the top of the
card right down to the bottom!

Some old glues actually release very easily if the books
were stored in a dry or cool atmosphere.
Most paper items can be gently tugged at one corner or the other
and some will even pop right off the page with a little manipulation.
I use my fingers or a very thin, but not sharp edged letter opener
and look for the weakest spot on an edge of a card.
If you can slide under the card easily and the glue feels
sandy or gritty, then move all the way around the card, gently pulling
all the time. Don't pull from any one direction.. work from weak
edges into the middle, and try to move circular in one direction only.
Once you can get your fingers under most of the card, lift up on the
middle of the card with some pressure and the whole card should pop up and off.
I have had cards pop, leaving no evidence that they were ever in a scrapbook
while other cards may have light aging without glue residue, and others may have slight spots of old glue.
At least you are not left with ripped or torn card backs, or worse..
a large chunk of scrapbook paper still attached to the back of the card..yuk!

While you can always frame them or place them back into a new scrapbook,
if you are a serious collector, it is just going to bother you to no end
that there is something on the back of the card!
Remember, that while the cards are now removed from the page, if they still
have any small amount of glue residue, and you stack those cards
on top of each other without proper storage, on the first humid or
warm day, those small fragments of glue could reseal onto the top of one
of your most cherished cards!
Store these types of cards separately in ringed binders with clear, divided
protective ringed sheets so they can be viewed, but will not
pose the potential problem of sticking to each other!

Some people used to use old photograph albums with very black paper
for their scrapbooks and this is probably the worstkind of paper to try
to remove cards from.
It really clings no matter how careful you are in removing the card..
It always leaves a stain or mark or remnant of paper!
Best to avoid attempting removal of cards when glued to this type of paper!!

Some people suggest hair dryers, which is great for loosening
the glue long enough to remove the card, but when the heating process
is done, the glue will firm back up and will remain on the back of the
card posing a problem when storing a collection of cards together.

Others have suggested placing cards in freezers..this will remove
only a small percentage of cards, and only since the glue
was probably brittle to begin with..It also adds moisture back in
as once the freeze is off the cards, you have damp paper
gebined with glue on the back..Bad gebination..

Others have suggested solvents, and steaming which can be
harsh on aged or fine papers..especially if you are a new collector
and not too familiar with cards yet..

Scrapbooks which were stored in basements..attics and in high humidity
or that were subjected to moisture, pose a much more difficult problem..
Not to mention mildew spots..and those really bad basement and smoke odors
which I will address at another time..
The glue will often heat up and dry out, get wet again and then stay stuck tightly
right up to the very edges of the cards, and often, when attempting to remove the cards
by gently pulling, especially with fragile postcards and delicate Valentines..
results in bent or damaged corners..ripped backs or the whole back
remaining glued firmly to the page!

What to do?
Please see additional guides Part 2-3 and 4