Getting out the wax stain...

digicat

Anyone ever try to clean off wax on the front of old Topps cards and get them graded? Is it better to leave the wax alone? How badly does it affect the grade of the card?

pandrews

<< <i>How badly does it affect the grade of the card? >>



the card will get a (ST) qualifier..



<< <i>Anyone ever try to clean off wax on the front of old Topps cards and get them graded? Is it better to leave the wax alone? >>



clean it off.. usually a clean napkin will do it.. lay the card on a clean, flat surface and put the napkin over your index finger and rub real fast back and forth.. just be careful not to put any fingernail marks on the card surface..

Knuckles

I ashamed you didn't tell him to go out and buy pantyhose.



edited to add: not because it's the right thing to do or anything but just because it's more amusing.

jskirwin

Heptane - otherwise known as Bestine Solvent & Thinner.
Available at Michaels.

NewJerseyMeatHook

This card had a HUGE wax stain on the front . . . Used a pair of ribbed dress socks to buff clean.

pandrews

nice staubach..

yeah, no need for any liquids or solvents, just a good buffing will do the trick..

halosfan

just a good buffing will do the trick..

I use that line a lot!

matrixbend247

do wax stains show up as little black stains or larger blotches? can someone please post a scan of "wax stains"? thanks in advance, matrix

bsfastball

the solvents can be used (carefully) to remove stains from the back as well

NewJerseyMeatHook

Yeah, ribbed and buffed in the same sentence!

Pulled an absolutely perfect '74 Bradshaw also with wax stain on back. OK, so I'm an idiot, and attempted to simply "lift" the stain with an old t-shirt and a hot iron.

Needless to say, it didn't work.

Perhaps I'll provide a scan of the mess I created later. Damn shame.

zef204

<< <i>Heptane - otherwise known as Bestine Solvent & Thinner.
Available at Michaels. >>

Make sure to smoke a cigarette while doing this method.

onlychild

Any of these methods are usually considered "card doctoring" and is not highly regarded in the hobby. IMO all stains should remain as they are found. Although I find the use of chemicals quite confusing and don't understand their use in the hobby, they shouldn't be used on any cards. Again just my opinion.

bowdowntome

Just a thought:

Rubbing, or buffing, the wax residue on the surface of the card, I would think, only removes the wax to the naked eye. In reality, it's probably still there. Think of it this way, when you wax your car, you apply wax to the surface, then rub it out til it's no longer visible to the naked eye, but it's still there, just in a thin layer. I'll bet there is evidence of wax residue on card surfaces when UV light is used, even when the card has been "rubbed". Chemicals I don't know.

If I find cards at shows with wax residue on the front, I can usually bargain the seller down greatly. Most people view it as a flaw, I just think it adds character.

zef204

<< <i>Any of these methods are usually considered "card doctoring" and is not highly regarded in the hobby. IMO all stains should remain as they are found. Although I find the use of chemicals quite confusing and don't understand their use in the hobby, they shouldn't be used on any cards. Again just my opinion. >>

I think your sigline may contribute to your opinion.

Pantyhose works like a charm. I had a Griese RC that had stain, I grabbed the wifes hoes(not a metaphor), boom...PSA 8.

DeutscherGeist

"Most people view it as a flaw, I just think it adds character."


This is one hell of a quote!!!! It applies to a lot of things in life.

Brian48

I've taken wax off the fronts by buffing it with soft tissue paper. Looks just as good afterwards. On the backs, I don't even try.

RonBurgundy

"Any of these methods are usually considered "card doctoring" and is not highly regarded in the hobby."

Please. Calling the use of panty hose or a napkin to remove a wax stain "card doctoring" is a stretch.

envoy98

<< <i>"Any of these methods are usually considered "card doctoring" and is not highly regarded in the hobby."

Please. Calling the use of panty hose or a napkin to remove a wax stain "card doctoring" is a stretch. >>




(Except in the case of solvents, not sure I'd like to know there were chemicals put on my card as I'd be worried about the potential for long term affects later)

To me, card doctoring is recoloring, trimming, stretching, whitener, building-up etc. Not wiping off a wax stain. I tend to "wipe" all my cards before I send them in, especially more modern cards just to make sure there aren't any fingerprints or heavy specs of dirt/dust that could cause surface imperfections when placed in the card saver.

...and yes, pantyhose works great. Just be careful around the edges and corners.

dgbaseball

To me, card doctoring is recoloring, trimming, stretching, whitener, building-up etc. Not wiping off a wax stain. I tend to "wipe" all my cards before I send them in...

There's only one thing I tend to wipe regularly...and it's probably not appropriate to discuss it in a public forum.

Personally I think removing wax stains is an "attempt to enhance the quality of a card by removing, concealing, or treating a natural or printing or packaging flaw found on the card". And that to me is the definition of card doctoring. What you have listed are different ways to doctor a card, but they all serve the same purpose and I think should be classified as such.

RonBurgundy

Envoy 98: you sum up my thoughts well.

DG Baseball, a question: what are your thoughts on guys using coins or other devices to smooth out thumbnail or fingernail imperfections/indentations on cards? I have had a number of large dealers tell me that it is ok, and have even had a couple of grading people say it is common practice.

Stingray

<< <i>

<< <i>"Any of these methods are usually considered "card doctoring" and is not highly regarded in the hobby."

Please. Calling the use of panty hose or a napkin to remove a wax stain "card doctoring" is a stretch. >>




(Except in the case of solvents, not sure I'd like to know there were chemicals put on my card as I'd be worried about the potential for long term affects later)

To me, card doctoring is recoloring, trimming, stretching, whitener, building-up etc. Not wiping off a wax stain. I tend to "wipe" all my cards before I send them in, especially more modern cards just to make sure there aren't any fingerprints or heavy specs of dirt/dust that could cause surface imperfections when placed in the card saver.

...and yes, pantyhose works great. Just be careful around the edges and corners. >>




That is what I was thinking. I am not physically altering the card, just removing something that is on the card.

Stingray

dgbaseball

Personally, I really don't care what anyone does to their cards of course. I wouldn't say any of this it wrong or right. Hell, there's nothing wrong with trimming a card if that's what you want to do. It's your card and if you want to make the edges nice and straight and don't care that it's 2 inches too short when you're done, good for you. And if you then slip that past a grader and make a fortune, well I'd say congrats are in order, and shame on the grader for missing it.

To me, they're cards and they are what they are and I don't feel the need to change them at all. And I leave to PSA to keep an eye on everyone else. The practice in your question is news to me. I've always been under the impression that PSA will detect anything done to the card - and I assume that under whatever level of magnification they use, a card smothed out with a coin would look like uneven mountain range.

Stingray

I have never heard of removing ridges or whatever with a coin either. But was stains on the front are much easier than on the back of the card. To me removing wax is not altering the card.


Stingray

baseballfanatic

Alan Rosen was hawking some type of "miracle solution" in the early to mid nineties. He was using, I believe, some high dollar early Bowmans with before and after pictures. The stuff disappeared from his ads and I thought it was probably because collectors were buying it, using it, and then submitting cards which were coming back as doctored. His claim was it left absolutely no trace after using it, but then the Popeel pocket fisherman guarenteed you could catch more fish.....

Stingray

<< <i>but then the Popeel pocket fisherman guarenteed you could catch more fish >>




Funny, I just saw him (Ron Popeil) trying to sell that stupid thing on QVC last night.


Stingray

Davemri

<< <i>Any of these methods are usually considered "card doctoring" and is not highly regarded in the hobby. IMO all stains should remain as they are found. Although I find the use of chemicals quite confusing and don't understand their use in the hobby, they shouldn't be used on any cards. Again just my opinion. >>




LMAO!!!

i agree

pandrews

<< <i>

<< <i>Any of these methods are usually considered "card doctoring" and is not highly regarded in the hobby. IMO all stains should remain as they are found. Although I find the use of chemicals quite confusing and don't understand their use in the hobby, they shouldn't be used on any cards. Again just my opinion. >>




LMAO!!!

i agree >>



me too.. ive changed my mind..

digicat

Hmm. I've got a 1978 Tony Dorsett rookie in a PSA 8 holder with wax on the front of the card (and no ST qualifier). I wonder if it'd be a 9 w/o the wax. Hmm.

A761506

I just pulled a 83D Boggs rookie from a pack... it was the last card so the back was right up against the seal.

It would have a real shot at a 10 if not for the wax. $10 if anyone wants it to try to clean it up.

RipublicaninMass

Sure why not 10 bucks>

zef204

I was thinking about it but I think it won't qualify for a 10 because of the centering t/b

jmbkb4

<< <i>I just pulled a 83D Boggs rookie from a pack... it was the last card so the back was right up against the seal.

It would have a real shot at a 10 if not for the wax. $10 if anyone wants it to try to clean it up.

>>


It's not a 10, but it could be a pretty 9

onlychild

N-5 Altered Stock - This term is used when the paper stock is altered in one or more of the following ways: Stretching and trimming, recoloring and restoring, trimming and recoloring, restoring an trimming, crease or wrinkle is pressed out, or gloss is enhanced.

N-7 Evidence of Cleaning - When a whitener is used to whiten borders or a solution is used to remove wax, candy, gum or tobacco stains.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When wax is rubbed out it will add gloss to the card and possibly receive an N-5 grade

Any chemical added to remove any stain (including wax) would recieve an N-7 grade

I really don't think the slightest use of any chemical would get past the expert PSA graders. I understand they can detect the use of chemicals or enhancements by computerized detectors. Welcome to the 21st century!

zef204

<< <i>N-5 Altered Stock - This term is used when the paper stock is altered in one or more of the following ways: Stretching and trimming, recoloring and restoring, trimming and recoloring, restoring an trimming, crease or wrinkle is pressed out, or gloss is enhanced.

N-7 Evidence of Cleaning - When a whitener is used to whiten borders or a solution is used to remove wax, candy, gum or tobacco stains.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When wax is rubbed out it will add gloss to the card and possibly receive an N-5 grade

Any chemical added to remove any stain (including wax) would recieve an N-7 grade

I really don't think the slightest use of any chemical would get past the expert PSA graders. I understand they can detect the use of chemicals or enhancements by computerized detectors. Welcome to the 21st century! >>



Trying to get the wax off(cheers to the late Mr. Miyagi) with no chemicals doesn't fall under either of those catagories. And if anythig the surface of the natrual card, before they wrapped it in that horrible wax pack, may be worsened by tring to remove the residue. So, watchu talkin bout onlychild?