Velcro on silk

Eira H. Peel <gmehpeel [at] iinet__net__au> writes

>A textile artist has contacted me with a request for advice on
>removing Velcro strips glued onto a silk banner. I have been
>unsuccessful in determining the type of glue this product uses and
>wondered if anyone had experience of this ...

I am aware of two types of adhesives used on the original Velcro
products.  One is water activated, and the other is methyl ethyl
ketone (MEK) activated.  I believe that the original Velcro patent
has expired and other manufacturers are now making a generic
'hook-and loop' product, so there may well be other adhesive
systems. Also, many other adhesives may have been applied by anyone
else to untreated Velcro.  I'm not a textile conservator, so I can't
advise about the silk.  Good luck,

Jim Grant
Conservator in Private Practice
Bodega, California


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 18:2
                   Distributed: Friday, June 18, 2004
                        Message Id: cdl-18-2-005
                                  ***