Advanced Comic Book Dry Cleaning Techniques Revealed!

[@DrPaulKosnik]

If you are interested in learning more about comic book conservation, check out our new book, Comic Book Conservation, available exclusively at a discount for a limited time on Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com/projects/shelbyscomics/comic-book-conservation/

[@FlyingLComics]

What an amazing difference Dr. Paul! Cleaning these colors are always a challenge, because once you lift it, there’s no turning back. You did a wonderful job cleaning this cover and very impressive as always.😊

[@DrPaulKosnik]

Thanks Captain Larry! Looking forward to your next project on @FlyingLComics!

[@Johnny-dz6vl]

Very nice result, well done 😊

[@DrPaulKosnik]

Thanks Johnny!

[@peteralachi3888]

I have used different erasers for different age comics. I have lifted red, yellow, and blue in the past and the black can lift and fade also. Looks great already Dr Paul. Great job.

[@DrPaulKosnik]

Thank you Peter! Dry cleaning with erasers is definitely an art and one benefits from lots of practice on different kinds of comics of different eras.

[@highgrade_keys]

Awesome job, Dr. Paul!

[@DrPaulKosnik]

Thank you kindly High-Grade Keys!

[@greensfiend1]

Thanks for another great video. Your knowledge nuggets are invaluable. Keep up the great work!

[@DrPaulKosnik]

Thanks Greensfiend!

[@michaelmayrend313]

Nice job of cleaning the pencil. I think the stains in the dialogue balloon around the phrase "What do I do now?" would benefit from a short blue light treatment. Maybe no peroxide, just the light for one or two hours after the book has been humidified. Another great video. Thank you for sharing your techniques and thinking.

[@DrPaulKosnik]

Thanks Michael. That sounds like a sensible conservative approach. 👍🏽

[@michaelmayrend313]

@@DrPaulKosnik Well, I try to be sensible, and usually incremental, in my approach while still having fun. Thanks for considering my idea.

[@davidparker1746]

Well, I wish I had seen this video a couple weeks ago! I did my first dry clean of a comic, which is 1982 Wolverine #1 limited series. I was working with a Mars eraser stick, and all went well until I tried to lift a little dirt from a red ink portion on the cover, and some ink was removed! So now there is a small and faint, but noticeable, light area. Sometimes it takes a mistake to really learn. After that I sent it off to CGC. Fortunately (I guess) it is not a very high grade book, due to some color breaking spine ticks, so I think the best I can hope for is a 7.0 anyway, even after they press it. If it had been a 9.8, that little mistake would have downgraded it, and cost me possibly $500! Isn't it amazing how little things like that matter? Anyway it is still a beautiful book, signed and remarqued by Joe Rubenstein. This is my first try sending anything out for grading. I also sent a modern book that needed nothing. Thanks for your videos!

[@DrPaulKosnik]

@@davidparker1746 glad you enjoyed it David and good luck with your submission!

[@davidparker1746]

@@DrPaulKosnik Thank you.

[@FierceRabbit11]

Thank you Dr. Kosnik. I'm about 20 modern, low-stakes books into the craft. And just scratching the surface with your content, having watched your complete dry cleaning process with The Specter. I appreciate your consideration of your viewers, your patient explanations (backed with reasoning, experience, and outside evidence), and especially your expressions of gratitude. I've just placed a handful of items via your Amazon link into my cart for purchase. I'm using the same type of items in some cases, but I want to lean specifically into the tried-and-true products you've recommended. Quick question - not trying to get a free lunch nor take too much of your time... I note that when cleaning the white areas of newer books - which are not yet dirty per se, but often show ink rub from being sandwiched between other books - that I'm not damaging the gloss, but where I gently removed tiny printer ink smudges, the grazing light shows higher reflectivity/inconsistency. I get it, I think... the spot area is now cleaner/more reflective. This means I need to completely clean the white areas, and not just where the dirt is, is that right? Good luck with the owl box! Owls are so amazing!

[@FierceRabbit11]

All set Dr., I''ve got 3-4 ideas now from other videos you've made, and I understand the problem a bit better too. Thank you.

[@DrPaulKosnik]

I think you are on the right track...thank you for the support via the Amazon links. Have you experimented with using a cotton round to gently buff the cover areas of interest? A tiny bit of humidity can be used to assist. Some folks gently breath some humidity onto the surface, as you do prior to cleaning a pair of glasses. Worth trying!

[@FierceRabbit11]

@@DrPaulKosnik Thank you Dr. I did try the cotton round, and will try a touch of humidity as you suggested. I appreciate you adding another option to what I'd found in your other videos. But even more than that, having a pro reply like you did - when I'm just starting out - encourages my endeavor in a less tangible but more meaningful way. Look forward to learning more. Best.

[@pbales8951]

Nice to hear you using those engineering terms... crumbly and grabby. 😉

[@DrPaulKosnik]

Right? It’s also less plastic-y.

[@CarlBeatty]

Love your channel, any tips for removing ball point pen.

[@DrPaulKosnik]

Carl, ball point pen removal is difficult. There are some folks who have had some success if it's on a white area, but i'm not aware of anyone successfully removing it over colored ink without also removing the colored ink. The problem is it's just too similar chemically to the inks used to print the comic book, so anything that removes the ball point pen is going to remove the inks used to print the comic book as well.

[@murrayc9615]

Have you ever tried using an Absorene dry eraser sponge? It's great for lifting dirt, doesn't remove color, and you can wash it to remove tee crud after using on a number of books

[@DrPaulKosnik]

Murray yes I have used them…as you say, they are great, I’ve found especially for lifting dust shadows or when the entire comic book has a layer of spoiling. I didn’t know you could wash them, tell me more about that-just soap and water?

[@timwatson-re1fx]

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF USING THE ABSORENE ERASER ON THE COLOR PARTS? THE WHITE ERASERS JUST CLEAN THE WHITE PARTS & NOT THE ACTUAL DIRT ON THE COLOR PARTS. WOULD THE ABSORENE ERASER (NOT THE PUTTY) DAMAGE THE COLOR PARTS?

[@DrPaulKosnik]

Tim I think it’s a fine product. Cleans a bit better than a cotton round owing to the extra “grabbiness” of the eraser. For this same reason, you need to take a bit of extra care with its use because it can grab paper and damage it, especially around existing tears. Another concern is they fill up with dirt quickly and you either need to discard or clean them so you don’t continue to smear contaminants around the surface of your comic. With these caveats in mind though, I think they have an important role in the conservator’s tool kit.

[@snakebite9007]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@DrPaulKosnik]

Damn Snakebite 14 thumb's up is a new record! Glad you enjoyed it.