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Getting stuck gum of 87/88 fleer Jordan sticker??

CDsNutsCDsNuts Posts: 10,092 ✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
I just pulled a Jordan sticker out of an 87/88 Fleer pack, but the gum is stuck to it and won't come off. I know freezing works for the 88/89, but in those packs the gum was stuck to a regular card, not the sticker. I'm trying freezing, but it's not working after about an hour in the icebox. Any suggestions?

Lee

Comments

  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,407 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I just pulled a Jordan sticker out of an 87/88 Fleer pack, but the gum is stuck to it and won't come off. I know freezing works for the 88/89, but in those packs the gum was stuck to a regular card, not the sticker. I'm trying freezing, but it's not working after about an hour in the icebox. Any suggestions?

    Lee >>


    Lee
    I have never known anyone to try what you are doing. But, my take unless someone has something better - leave it in the freezer longer till it is really frozen - then make the oven really hot! Put the card on a towel to protect it and place it from the freezer to the over for just a few seconds - you are trying to shock the card temp so that the gum with expand in the over at a different rate than the card and separate away from the cardboard.
    All materials have a different coefficient of themal expansion...i.e. the "rate" at which them expand and contract.
    If you don't feel comfortable with this idea, I will understand. I work with acrylics and resins and when they get stuck to the small bowl, I just chill the bowl and then dunk it in hot water and the resin separates cleanly away from the glass - that's the principle I'm using?

    Thank you Mr. Wizard!
    your friend
    Mike
    Mike
  • CDsNutsCDsNuts Posts: 10,092 ✭
    Stone,

    You're real smart and stuff. Thanks for the advice. Good thing I have a McHale sticker with stuck gum to try it out on first.

    Lee
  • Gemmy10Gemmy10 Posts: 2,990 ✭
    My friend Stoney, you must be a "Mad" Scientist. image GREAT advice.
  • CDsNutsCDsNuts Posts: 10,092 ✭
    Nope, didn't work stone. Went straight from freezer to 550 degree oven. I think I'm screwed here. Anybody have any other suggestions?

    Lee
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,281 ✭✭✭
    Just send it in to PSA with the gum. Maybe you'll get a PSA 8 with the (GUM) qualifier.
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,407 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Lee
    You may be "stuck" - pun - the gum is not just stuck to the card, it's probably embedded/ fused to the paper. Breaking gum away that is fastened to the outside of the card that is only "mechanically" bonded is referred to as "adhesion." It's like two glass slides stuck to each other mechanically rather than chemically.
    The gum residue has probably embedded into the paper fibres and melted in. This is still mechanical but with a stronger bond.
    You are probably still working with your "test" piece - why not try leaving it in the freezer overnite to get the gum to be as brittle as possible and try it again tomorrow. If you have an iron with a steam setting that gives a "burst"? Try that instead of the oven - that will give it a quick blast! Otherwise? I'm clueless.
    But don't try anything drastic. Leaving it out in a dry place may dessicate the gum, thus, making it more brittle to break away?

    Sorry dude
    your friend
    Mike
    Mike
  • CDsNutsCDsNuts Posts: 10,092 ✭
    Yeah, when I tried prying the piece off the test piece to see what would happen, it brought pretty much the whole sticker with it. Kevin McHale, may he rest in piece. I'll do all kinds of temperature experiments with the hopes that the gum pops off. You think the local PSI lab would help me out with this one? And ajw, I think I might have a shot at a PSA 9 (GUM), which I could list as a 1/1 and sell it for some big bucks.

    Lee
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