Acrylic adhesives

Sarah Reidell <reidellsarah [at] yahoo__com> writes

>Priscilla Anderson <priscilla_anderson [at] harvard__edu> writes
>
>>We are experimenting with Lascaux acrylic adhesives (498 HV in
>>particular) for use in book conservation, and want to know how
>>conservators in any fields use (or don't use) this class of
>>adhesives.
>
>At the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts (CCAHA),
>we use Lascaux 498HV on select leather repairs. In particular,
>technicians have been using the Lascaux 498HV for use in repairing
>the deteriorated leathers on a collection of 100+ biological
>specimen boxes by Titian Peale, following the Harvard method of
>solvent-reactivated Lascaux-coated Japanese papers. ...

I would be interested to receive a more detailed procedure of the
Harvard method of reactivating the Lascaux, you mentioned 'lascaux
mix(?) or ethanol'. If there is a published description or a link to
one that would be great.

I have not been entirely satisfied with the acrylic pre-toned
Japanes paper repairs as I have found the surface layer of colour
has a tendency to rub off on working or pop off over time on a
flexing repair. Also uncoloured fibres exposed at the edges while
adjusting the shape of the repair often remain visible. this is
especially so with thicker Jap-paper or blotter repairs on deep
losses in the leather.

These exposed uncoloured areas I would try to re-tone with acrylics
but find the plasticity of the acrylic adhesive resists the even
application of colour. The only way I can then disguise the damaged
colour is to apply a very thin toned tissue adhered with klucel g or
MC which then readily accepts the colour for final blending in and
application of SC6000.

I have better success in the initial toning of the repair paper with
water based leather dyes distributed by The Leather Conservation
Centre in England, where I also get my SC6000. The dye penetrates
more evenly through the paper with only a slight concentration of
colour to one side. I can also then prepare a batch of slightly
varying tones at the same time to accommodate all the variations
across the leather.

>The leather is pre-treated with Klucel G and/or consolidated with
>CCAHA's SC6000 "cocktail."

When you talk about the SC6000 "cocktail" do you mean that you have
altered the SC6000 in some way, by thinning with alcohol or water?
Do you treat friable or delaminating leather with the cocktail? How
do you ensure sufficient penetration of the emulsion?

Finally have you been experiencing problems with high gloss (or a
plastic look) when the SC6000 is applied to or runs on to sound
leather surfaces by accident, how do you tackle this?

Neill McManus
Jewish National and University Library
Jerusalem.


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 16:77
                  Distributed: Wednesday, June 4, 2003
                       Message Id: cdl-16-77-003
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