Dacron

We are looking for a source for Dacron material, at least 72 inches
wide, to be used in backing oversized documents.  The large piece we
had used for the last decade or so had to be destroyed recently
while removing it from a particularly fragile and fragmented
document.  It was a relatively heavy-weight material, and usually
peeled off very cleanly and easily from the back of the treated
document after it was dry.

We used Dacron in the treatment of very large maps, e.g., items that
are 5 feet x 9 feet in size.  We pasted the Dacron onto a large
piece of Plexiglas, then pasted large Japanese paper onto that, then
pasted the document onto that.  The benefit of this approach was
two-fold.  First, the Plexi and Dacron kept the document stable
while drying.  Second, we could place our document onto the Japanese
paper face-up, which gave us the opportunity to adjust fragmented
documents before they began to dry.

I assumed we could replace it easily from a local fabric store, but
no one carries anything like it anymore.  In fact, I'm told that
"Dacron" per se is no longer manufactured. One colleague said they
purchased something called "ultressa" or "silkessa," but I have not
been able to get a reply from MagnaFabrics, the vendor. I see that
there is something called Pe-Cap available from Talas, apparently
used for linings, but I'm not sure what exactly this might be, or if
it is used for lining paper items.

I wonder what type/brand of fabric other paper conservators are
using now for "Dacron linings."  If you would let us know what brand
you use and what vendor provides it (preferably with some sort of
contact info), I would be most grateful.

By the way, I first posted this query to the Conservation DistList
about five years ago.  No one replied then, and I haven't been able
to find any information that's been posted since then.  I hope
someone in the paper conservation community has found a good
replacement in the intervening years. I'll be grateful for any tips
or leads any of you can provide.

Lisa Fox
Preservation Administrator
Missouri State Archives/Local Records Preservation Program
600 West Main Street
Jefferson City MO 65101


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 26:15
                 Distributed: Sunday, September 2, 2012
                       Message Id: cdl-26-15-021
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