Restoring Old Stickers

[StompingFreak]

Hey you bunch of monkey's! How's everyone?(don't reply, don't really care). Right, the issuse, is....   .... Iv'e just picked up the old batwing(the big one) 7782-1, and the 7781-1 batmobile. The sets are made up but complete.. PROBLEM.. the stickers are being to cumble. I was told to gently steam them, and press back in to place. Add a coat of clear nail varnish, or clear mental varnish. Before I mess this up, any advice from you happy people? 

 

Sorry admin's I know this is some where on here, I just can't find it. 

 

 

Any real help, would be sweet!

 

Stomping

[Migration]

I'm not sure I'ld try that on a good set without testing it out first. Could you find a less expensive set to test it out on, maybe get a cheap one and let the stickers stay outside for a week or so then try to rehab those and see how it goes? If you intend to keep these sets then it's not as much of an issue, for resale it's more problematic. I would rather have no stickers or replacement stickers than ones that were varnished on. That's just me though. Glad to see you're still around and hope you're doing well.

[StompingFreak]

I'm not sure I'ld try that on a good set without testing it out first. Could you find a less expensive set to test it out on, maybe get a cheap one and let the stickers stay outside for a week or so then try to rehab those and see how it goes? If you intend to keep these sets then it's not as much of an issue, for resale it's more problematic. I would rather have no stickers or replacement stickers than ones that were varnished on. That's just me though. Glad to see you're still around and hope you're doing well.

Hey, thanks for the glad to see... My health has taken a downward spin since the robbery. Thanks for asking... Stomping

[gregpj]

"Gently steaming them" might be effective to gently put them back on temporarily but it's not going to work long term. If they are peeling, the adhesive is no longer doing it's job. Warming it up might allow what is left to adhere to the bricks, but it won't last.

 

To me, using some type of varnish is definitely a bad idea for a few reasons:

- Varnish won't stick to a shiny surface and in my opinion the ABS plastic is shiny enough that it won't stick well.

- A varnish that sticks will likely damage the stickers.

- Getting that varnish smooth will be a challenge.

- The varnish would have to go over the edges of the sticker to be effective (remember, that old adhesive won't last) and that could be a challenge.

 

A quick Google search brings up people "clear coating" the stickers before they peel or crack to ensure they last not after... To me the real answer could be to glue them with just the tiniest pin-dab of glue in the corners. Unfortunately, glues that really stick to ABS plastic tend to dissolve the surface of the plastic ever so slightly... And it would take forever as you'd have to do one corner at a time. And you'd still have cracking stickers.

 

Bricklink sells replacement sticker sheets.. Unfortunately, that's probably your only real option.