Conservation Treatment of Tracing Paper Survey Results

A total of sixty-two surveys were mailed to paper conservators in the United States, Canada and Europe. The conservation literature on tracing paper was used to create the survey mailing list. Thirty-five responses were received as of December 28, 1998. The following results are reported as interpreted by the survey author. If conducted again, the survey would include questions for respondents to differentiate exact types of tracing paper treated (prepared, natural, etc.). The original survey questionnaire may be viewed at the end of this document.

Question 1: Have You Performed Conservation Treatment on Tracing Paper?

Thirty-two conservators had treated tracing paper.

Three had not treated tracing paper.

Question 2: Approximate Number of Tracing Paper Artifacts You Have Treated:

Number of tracing paper artifacts treated

Question 3: Approximate Date(s) of the Tracing Paper?

The earliest tracing paper treated by a respondent dated to the 18^th-century. The majority of respondents (21) stated treatment experience encompassed tracing papers from both the 19^th and 20^th-century. One respondent has exclusively treated 19^th-century tracing papers and 10 respondents have dealt exclusively with 20^th-century tracing papers

Question 4: What Material(s) and Method(s) Do You Use for Surface Cleaning?

Most respondents listed several different materials or combinations of materials used for surface cleaning.

Question 5: What Method of Humidification Do You Use?

Question 6: Have You Washed Tracing Paper?

Percentage of respondants who have washed tracing paper

Question 7: When Do You Consider Washing a Treatment Option?

The following comments were made by respondents who have not washed tracing paper:

• Washing would be considered if the media and paper could handle it.
• Washing is hardly ever an option.
• Washing is an option only in extreme cases.
• I have concern regarding the success in flattening paper afterward, but washing is an option if the paper is severely discolored and deteriorated.

The following comments were made by respondents who have washed tracing paper:

• I have washed tracing paper but seldom think washing is an option.
• Washing is an option prior to lining tracing paper (3 respondents).
• Washing is an option when the tracing paper will benefit from washing (4 respondents).
• Washing is an option when the tracing paper possesses severe soluble discoloration, acidity and soil, adhesive residues.
• Washing is an option in the presence of stains, planar distortions, discoloration from exposure and prior to bleaching treatment.
• Washing is an option after flood damage.
• Washing is an option when discoloration is a problem for visibility.
• Washing is an option when it is certain the media is safe.
• Washing is an option with all cotton tracing paper that is calendared, but otherwise not treated.

Question 8: Do You Line Tracing Paper Artifacts?

Percentage of respondants who line tracing paper

Question 9: What Adhesives Are Used for Lining?

Six respondents listed more than one adhesive used, depending on the lining technique employed.

Question 10: What Papers Are Used for Lining Support?

Two respondents listed more than one type of paper used for lining.

Question 11: What Lining Technique Is Used?

Several respondents listed more than one type of technique used for lining.

Question 12: When Humidifying, Washing Or Lining Tracing Paper, How Is the Tracing Paper Dried/Flattened?

Several respondents listed more than one technique used for drying and flattening.

Question 13: What Adhesive(s) Do You Use for Mending?

Several respondents listed more than one adhesive used for mending.

Question 14: at What Strength/Consistency Do You Use the Adhesive(s?

Question 15: What Is Your Method of Mend Application?

Question 16: What Type of Mending Paper Is Used?

Several respondents listed more than one type of paper used for mending.

Question 17: Have You Removed Tape From Tracing Paper?

Percentage of respondants who have removed tape from tracing paper

Question 18: Were Solvents Used for Tape Removal Or Adhesive Reduction?

Number of respondants who have used solvents during tape removal from tracing paper

Question 19: Please Specify Solvent(S) and Briefly Explain Method in Which Solvents Were Applied.

Question 20: Problems Encountered During Treatment of Tracing Papers:

Distortions/Physical Characteristics:

• Cockling of humidified areas and difficulty in reducing planar distortions (echoed by eleven respondents); difficulty in removing creases from paper.
• The tracing paper expands too much with the application of wet mends and hinges, resulting in areas that were difficult to flatten.
• Difficult to retain original surface quality of tracing paper after treatment.
• Tracing papers dry out quickly and unevenly during treatment which can make treatment difficult, especially lining.
• Fractured and brittle papers become very fragile during wet treatments and are difficult to handle (mentioned by two respondents).
• Some local treatments can cause physical tensions in the sheet that are difficult to reverse.

Impregnated Tracing Papers:

• Impregnated tracing papers are difficult to treat and usually brittle and weak (stated by four respondents).
• Impregnated papers cannot be lined with water-base adhesives. Wheat starch paste mends on oiled paper were not satisfactory.
• Some solvents can cause changes in the translucency and color of the impregnated papers (stated by two respondents).

Media:

• Dry transfer/loss of media (mentioned by four respondents) because media often sits on the surface of the paper and is susceptible to abrasion and smudging during treatment. Architectural drawings can often have media on both sides of the paper which must be taken into consideration when determining treatment.
• Media problems with solvent treatments (mentioned by three respondents). Prolonged humidification can lead to aqueous media bleeding.

Lining/Mending:

• Lifting of lined drawing during drying/flattening; loss of adhesion (mentioned by three respondents). Stretching, often caused by previous folding, can make flattening problematic.
• Discreet repair can be difficult to achieve, due to reduced translucency in repaired areas (mentioned by two respondents).
• Reattachment of fragments.
• Heat-set mending had several drawbacks: hard-finished, soiled or heavily fingered papers had inadequate adhesive bond with heat-set (mends fell off or did not stick at all). Also, it is difficult to shape heat set tissue for mends. It is easier to shape long-fibered papers.
• Mending tissue and hinges falling off because paste was too weak.
• Curling of tracing paper after lining. Curl from previous wheat starch paste hinges return after removal and local overall humidification.

Encapsulation:

• Tears in encapsulated tracing paper artifacts tend to increase in length with handling.

Question 21: Helpful Hints for the Treatment of Tracing Paper:

General Hints:

• Keep intervention to a minimum (stated by four respondents).
• Treat each sheet differently and especially differentiate between natural, prepared and parchment papers.
• Not all treatments are appropriate to all forms of tracing paper.
• Set-up for working large number of pieces: blotter with Cerex secured with double-sided tape. Silicon release paper over Cerex during surface-cleaning (removed for mending) and a sheet of Mylar on hand for wet work on gummed tape, etc.
• Treat locally whenever possible.

Impregnated tracing papers:

• Watch for resinous impregnating agents if solvents will be used.
• Resin impregnated papers are more difficult to treat than natural tracing papers. You may end up with two or more entirely different approaches depending on the paper and its component parts.
• Flattening between blotters and glass under weight works well for oil impregnated tracing papers.

Testing:

• Complete a water test. If the tracing paper cockles, treat dry. If the tracing paper does not cockle, treat like regular cotton paper. Good tracing paper is cotton.
• Complete lots of testing and mock-ups.

Surface-cleaning:

• Scum-x for preliminary once-over followed by Mars Staedtler grated erasers for surface-cleaning.
• Reduce grime off of edges by de-greasing with ethanol, if paper can take it.
• Surface dirt is reduced effectively using swabs after humidification over Gore-tex.

Mending:

• The density of color needed for toned repairs can be achieved using acrylic paints.
• If mending, use very thin Japanese paper. Cut the stripes when the paper is so thin – water tearing is difficult and unnecessary.
• United States Library of Congress mending tissue doesn't stick well, or for long.
• Barrett strips and wheat starch paste work well for mending large volumes of drawings on tracing paper. Change blotters frequently while mending to hasten drying process.
• Black board or black book cloth make good substitutes for a light table when tracing a bridge mend on a tracing paper object. The black board provides enough contrast to follow the variegations of the tear.
• Laminated thicknesses of Japanese paper worked well for fills for a compatible thickness.
• Wheat starch paste/methyl cellulose mixture works well for mending cotton tracing paper.
• Heat-set mending tissue works well for oiled and resin impregnated tracing paper (mentioned by three respondents).
• Heat-set mends were never satisfactory for acid treated and highly beaten tracing papers.
• For a stronger mend, extend the mending strip an inch and wrap around front of paper.
• Mending is more successful visually when one is able to mat the work and choose a mat color which will reduce the visibility of the mends-given the translucency of the paper.
• Dry mends with a tacking iron.
• Fill losses with relevant weight of tracing paper or Japanese paper.
• Cut the mending strips when the Japanese paper is very thin – water tearing is difficult and unnecessary,

Lining:

• In preference to many small repairs, we will line a drawing to reduce impact of repair.
• Gampi repairs are easier to lay after the lined drawing has been tensioned out.
• It can be easier to line a small drawing by dropping the object onto the lining (rather than the lining onto the object). This is also a good technique to use if the inks are fugitive.
• The lining technique Penny Jenkins described for pith paper (Institute of Paper Conservation – Paper Conservation News, March 1995, Number 73) is very useful for tracing paper.
• Limit lining to absolute necessity, store in Mylar encapsulation to allow for minimal structural work.
• Don't line unless necessary, but sometimes lining looks better if mends will be plainly visible from the front.

Humidification/Flattening:

• Don't humidify too long (mentioned by two respondents).
• Flattening is difficult, do it gradually with repeated light humidification and pressing. Friction drying rarely helps.
• Tracing papers do not hold moisture well so one has to work very quickly e.g., to go from humidification to pressing.
• Do not spray ever to humidify – use chamber – test all before humidification.
• Use of heat-set tissue applied to release creases, then removed.
• I have had good results using a Gore-tex sandwich for the final flattening/straightening process. This requires that the object be sprayed with deionized water first.
• Creases on medium weight, vellum-type tracing paper can be flattened with a heated spatula. A small amount of moisture may be introduced with a small brush along fold line if necessary.

Solvents:

• Use solvents sparingly and locally if possible (mentioned by two respondents).

Tapes:

• Remove pressure-sensitive tape carriers before remainder of solvent work (mentioned by two respondents).
• A crepe sponge will remove some tape adhesives very efficiently.
• Suggested by a respondent working with a very large collection of drawings on tracing paper: A heating plate (like those used for a coffee mug) is wrapped with a blotter to provide a work surface and reduce heat. A small glass bowl is inverted over the area to confine heat and hasten softening of adhesive mass. After lifting carrier, erasers, cellulose powder, and a square-edged spatula remove the adhesive residues. If necessary, ethanol usually cleans up last traces. In few cases, sheets of silicone release paper have been inserted into folders as permanent housing to isolate objects which cannot be cleaned up satisfactorily.

Handling:

• Using a wide-diameter tube while working aids in shifting long rolled drawings from work table to work bench. Unroll as much of the drawing as needed.
• Housing is important to prevent damage from handling.

Encapsulation:

Encapsulate tracing papers mended with heat-set tissue since mends are not very strong.

Survey Form

Please print name:

Conservation Treatment of Tracing Paper Survey

11/98

Amy Krzeminski

National Park Service Post-graduate Paper Conservation Intern

*Please use the designated area on the reverse side of this survey for any diagrams you wish to include.

Have you performed conservation treatment on tracing paper? YES NO

If you have not performed conservation treatment on tracing paper, please fold, staple and return the survey.

Approximate number of tracing paper artifacts you have treated: 1-10 11-25

26-50 51 or more

Approximate date(s) of the tracing paper?

What material(s) and method(s) do you use for surface cleaning?

What method of humidification do you use?

Have you washed tracing paper? YES NO

When do you consider washing a treatment option?

Do you line tracing paper artifacts? YES NO

What adhesives are used for lining?

What papers are used for lining supports?

What lining technique is used?

When humidifying, washing or lining tracing paper, how is the tracing paper dried/flattened?

What adhesive(s) do you use for mending?

At what strength/consistency do you use the adhesive(s)?

What is your method of mend application?

What type of mending paper is used?

Have you removed tape from tracing paper? YES NO

Were solvents used for tape removal or adhesive reduction? YES NO

Please specify solvent(s) and briefly explain method in which solvents were applied

Problems encountered during treatment of tracing papers:

Helpful hints for the treatment of tracing papers: