Nori Yasutomo starch paste

Theresa Fairbanks <theresa.fairbanks-harris [at] yale__edu> writes

>Has anyone had any experience with the prepared cooked Nori Yasutomo
>starch paste that comes in a small container? We are looking for a
>variety of materials that are of reasonable quality for those who
>won't cook wheat starch paste such as many non conservators.

I have been using Nori paste for occasional quick jobs for several
years and find it very useful both in my studio and when I'm
consulting on site.

It is very smooth, really tacky, and keeps for quite a long time in
its tube without refrigeration, even after opening. (To use, squirt
a little dollop on a scrap of mylar or board. If you want a thinner
paste, work in a few drops of water and mix well with the brush.
Keep bacteria out of the tube by not sticking your brush or spatula
directly into the tube as you work.)

These qualities make it an excellent choice to have in my kit when I
go to a client library and find a loose label or need to make a
small paper repair. It will stick paper labels to a cloth binding or
to a pamphlet binder quite firmly. I definitely prefer it over
methylcellulose for attaching book plates.

The dried paste tests at least acid-free with a pH pen. It would be
very helpful if someone in a lab could test the pH to see just how
alkaline it is.

Nelly Balloffet
Paper Star Associates, Inc.
543 Illington Rad
Ossining, NY 10562
914-941-8166


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 25:42
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