Are "acid-free" backing boards truly acid-free? Time to pH test & find out! 13 13

[Aman619]

what did Gilda Radner always say? "never mind.."

[mschmidt]

BCW Supplies:

http://www.bcwsupplies.com/

[comicdonna]

That's a cool racecar.

[mrwoogieman]

I think the BC in BCW stands for baseball cards, not Bill Cole. My understanding is that they are card supplies people originally and have branched out into comic storage more recently.

 

Bill Cole Enterprises is completely different.

 

 

[thirdgreenham]

However, everyone here appears to trust Mike. I'm sure that he still has that pH pencil and an E. Gerber Half-Back lying around. Mike, how about peeling the white coating from an E. Gerber Half-Back, marking the gray core, and posting that picture?

 

E Gerber half-back peel test:

In case it isn't clear from the picture, in hand both lines look identical.

 

 

I didn't want you to feel left out, so here's the same test on a brand new BCW board:

 

 

Thanks for doing that test, Mike. (thumbs u

 

Andy

[namisgr]

It is interesting to note that a Biochemist has been presented as an expert to refute the information that a 3% buffer is a 3% buffer with examples that are not applicable to the subject at hand.

Still using distortion to win friends and influence people, I see.

 

You claimed that since the Gerber board didn't change pH appreciably after exposure to the acids given off by a comic, that it must be inert.

 

That was what I responded to. I pointed out that you are incorrect. To offer a simple explanation of why a stronger buffer like the Gerber board is less influenced by the addition of a bit of acid than a weak buffer like the BCW board, I reminded you that buffered solutions of varying strengths would respond in precisely this manner.

 

You either are unwilling or unable to understand this simple principle and how it applies to mschmidts' experimental results. Either way, it would be appreciated if you wouldn't misrepresent my post again.

 

[mschmidt]

Here is a pic from a trip the CBCA did last year to the LoC of what they store their comics in. I can't remember the name of the company that made them for the LoC but they are all one piece of archival material with a window. If I remember correctly it is one flap on the side and one on the top to keep it all in.

 

Just remembered I had a pic of it. Thought you guys would like to see it.

 

If I'm not mistaken, those are the Hollinger comic book storage envelopes:

 

 

They're rather pricey, but completely archival-safe.

 

http://www.hollingermetaledge.com/modules/store/index.html?dept=19&cat=973&cart=13092398345843279

[Not*Sure*]

It is interesting to note that a Biochemist has been presented as an expert to refute the information that a 3% buffer is a 3% buffer with examples that are not applicable to the subject at hand.

Still using distortion to win friends and influence people, I see.

 

You claimed that since the Gerber board didn't change pH appreciably after exposure to the acids given off by a comic, that it must be inert.

 

That was what I responded to. I pointed out that you are incorrect. To offer a simple explanation of why a stronger buffer like the Gerber board is less influenced by the addition of a bit of acid than a weak buffer like the BCW board, I reminded you that buffered solutions of varying strengths would respond in precisely this manner.

 

You either are unwilling or unable to understand this simple principle and how it applies to mschmidts' experimental results. Either way, it would be appreciated if you wouldn't misrepresent my post again.

someone who can respond in a civilized manner..!!!

 

[Mr.Pid-migration]

If I'm not mistaken, those are the Hollinger comic book storage envelopes:

 

 

Someone needs to tell them to use a different comic as an example. Rai and the Future Force? Uff da.

[lizards2]

From the latest Bill Cole email newsletter:

 

What are Acid Free Boards?

 

Recently on some of the comic forums on the Internet, an individual took all boards claiming to be "acid free" and conducted tests on them to confirm or deny that they were acid free. We are please to say that BCE boards and that of a competitor passed with flying colors.

 

Another competitor was extremely displeased with the results and started to malign those results. As a consequence they started to make claims that were just not true. They sell a board that is shiny white one side and dull white on the other. They claim that their boards are acid free, yet they do not state in their advertising what the pH is or what the percentage of calcium carbonate buffer is in the board. They cannot since the very nature of their board is what is known as SBS. Solid bleached sulfate. DO NOT USE ANY BOARDS THAT ARE SHINY WHITE ON ONE SIDE as they can and eventually will damage your books. (See below)

 

On another note:

 

They are using a name that describes their brand of boards as "EXTENDERS". This is a play against a brand name that we have been using since 1991 and that is "The X-Tender™ name, which covers our Thin-X-Tenders™, Time-X-tenders™ and Life-X-Tenders™. Many of our customers have called and say that are confused about all the claims that they are making. They are also saying that they have a board that will protect comic books against deterioration, which is what our Life-X-Tender Plus™ does. Do not be fooled or confused. Only buy from a vendor that actually states what is in their boards. The caveat is "Let the buyer beware"

 

 

The standard that we follow is listed here!

 

Acid free as it pertains to backing boards is usually a no brainer. There are National Consensus standards that are followed by Museums, Libraries and conservators. That standard is all boards must have a minimum 8.0 to 8.5 pH and have a minimum 3% Calcium Carbonate Buffer throughout the board. Of course we at Bill Cole Enterprises follow this standard to the letter. Boards that are shiny white on one side and dull white on the other should "NEVER" be used with your comics. They are called SBS (Solid Bleached Sulfate) and usually have a pH of about 5 to 6. They are highly acidic boards that are sold as acid free at time of manufacture or acid free on both sides, will over time degrade and cause your valuable books to turn yellow. Reputable manufacturers and distributors will state on their packaging what the contents are. Whatever you do, do not purchase or use any boards that does not have a combination of a certification that it contains the minimum pH of 8.0 to 8.5 and a minimum of a 3% Calcium Carbonate buffer throughout.

[pokey1234]

This was an interesting thread, was there ever the test results back from BCW?

[lizards2]

This was an interesting thread, was there ever the test results back from BCW?

Pretty sure they got no game.

[sterlingcomics]

Wow missed this thread. I think we should have a R&D sub forum just to keep info like this from being lost. Instant classic.

[pokey1234]

so real world then, how long will the BCW boards last before damaging comics or is this all marketing hype or ?

 

Reason im asking is i just bagged and boarded 2000 comics with mylites and bcw boards...these are all silver age comics...

 

i guess that unless we receive true laboratory results we wont really know....?

 

 

[lizards2]

so real world then, how long will the BCW boards last before damaging comics or is this all marketing hype or ?

 

Reason im asking is i just bagged and boarded 2000 comics with mylites and bcw boards...these are all silver age comics...

 

i guess that unless we receive true laboratory results we wont really know....?

 

Short of actual evidence, BCW boards will eat your comics up like a bear on the back end of a dead cow. If your collection was to begin with, it will remain. If it was good stuff, it will be several decades before the ravages of time ravish it to . Factor in your life expectancy and familial susceptibility to cancer in all computations.

[namisgr]

So you're saying they still haven't developed a backing board that can turn my 'fines' into 'near mints' after several years of storage?

[chrisco37]

So you're saying they still haven't developed a backing board that can turn my 'fines' into 'near mints' after several years of storage?

 

There are only a few tried and true way to do that:

 

 

or

 

 

But, those are basically the same thing, right?

[lizards2]

So you're saying they still haven't developed a backing board that can turn my 'fines' into 'near mints' after several years of storage?

 

There are only a few tried and true way to do that:

 

 

or

 

 

But, those are basically the same thing, right?

 

you forgot

[JJJ-migration]

Hello,

 

I found this post while googling and was wondering if anyone has utilized the Bill Cole or Gerber products with photos. There is some some references online that say not to place such buffered materials in direct contact with photographic images or at at least certain types of images due to the possible reaction with materials use din the image.

 

Many of the vintage images I have, such cabinet cards and larger format images, are mounted on thick matte boards of fiberboard which will eventually degrade the photos, although many of them have already have gone unprotected for over 100 years. I wanting to place the comic boards on the back side of the matte boards as an attempt to stabilize the matte boards chemically. For smaller size images this would require me taking the comic boards to Staples and having them cut down.

 

Regards,

JJJ

[Define999]

Ok the gerber boards would probably work.... but for older "silver" based stuff you really want "silver safe" stuff!

http://www.conservationresources.com/Main/section_15/section15_14.htm

 

http://www.conservationresources.com/Main/section_15/section15_08.htm

 

http://www.conservationresources.com/Main/section_16/section16_04.htm

 

Conservation resources has you covered sir! Why repurpose comic supply stuff to fit your needs? Just get photogrpahic supplies from the source..... CSR! (thumbs u

Edited September 10, 2012 by Define999