Removing Barrow's lamination Fumigating bubble wrap Testing deacidification solutions Composition of Opaline pads Spot test for collagen Rebacking Spot tests

Cleaning up some files, I came upon some small notes that don't have
much to do with anything, but may come in handy some day, if only for a
wee laugh.

    1.  Procedure to remove barrows lamination:  immerse in tray of
        acetone, then the paper layers can be removed (taking the film
        layers with it). Then repeat the following sequence until the
        milky white adhesive is no longer visible:

        Immerse in Acetone
        Dry on sheet of mylar (adhesive will be carried towards the
        edge of the mylar and will be visible.)
            (info from Karen Garlick)

    2.  Have an urge to send things that are wrapped in bubble wrap
        through an Ethylene Oxide chamber?  The bubbles will collapse
        but otherwise there is no problem.
            (info from Goeff Brown of the Lowie Museum)

    3.  Test for usability of methoxy magnesium methyl carbonate: If drop of
        water makes it cloudy, solution is good.
            (info from Karen Garlick)

    4.  In 1978 Opaline Pads were (or so my note has it) art gum eraser
        scrap and 68% trichlorophenate (Dowicide B); 12% unspecified
        inert materials, corn or soy oil vulcanized with sulfur
        chloride, magnesium oxide and pumice.  (This is one of those
        magnificent factlets the source of which has long since
        disappeared).

    5.  Spot test for collagen:  place particle in a drop of FUCHSIN and
        PICRIC ACID.  Soak for 1 minute, rinse with water droplets until
        clear. Collagen will stain deep red.
            (From Raff, Leather Conservation News.  citation on request.)

    6.  A rebacking technique described to me over the phone by Joann
        Miller, who learned it from a German binder (it has been
        described as 'Magic' by those that describe things that way):
        Lift sides as usual, and face (i.e. the hair side) with japanese
        paper and paste.  (No, I have no idea what you do if the leather
        cant take moisture).  Then grind away the edges on the flesh
        side with a dremel until it's ultra thin.  The edge of the new
        leather is similarly ground away (faster than paring, she says),
        and the facing removed.  The new leather is then attached and
        the old leather pasted and put down (all in one operation) and
        then (here comes The Good Part) dip your (German?) backing
        hammer in distilled water and hammer the old leather down.
        Supposedly, you 'simply cant see or feel it', poof, magic.  If
        anyone feels like trying this, please post back on your
        discoveries.

                                  ***
                   Conservation DistList Instance 2:6
                Distributed: Tuesday, September 27, 1988
                        Message Id: cdl-2-6-004
                                  ***