Thanks for the kind words!

Hey Jason, thanks for writing. I appreciate the kind words. I’m sure you already know this but remember this is a hobby with improvements in inches and not miles. Part of the problem is that “dirt” on a book Doesn’t have a clear definitions. Also ink in one book may be much more easy to accidentally remove than ink on an identical book. It’s super fun and a zen like experience for me, but I don’t do it for money or else I would have given up long ago. Just enjoy yourself and get yourself lots and lots of cheap books to practice on! I promise to keep leading the charge. See ya!

Understood. I will take it to heart and keep the day job! : )

@@jasonsills1165 keep us updated on your progress and skills!

Thank you so much 😀 I should be honest and report that I clean dozens of books per week. Two weeks ago it was 110 books. So its lots and lots of practice. Spine tic color blending is a delicate are and requires very specific solvents to be successful.

Glad it was helpful!

You nearly made it, lol. You crack me up!

Pro tip : watch series on Flixzone. Been using it for watching a lot of movies during the lockdown.

@Solomon Beau Yea, have been watching on flixzone for since december myself =)

I wasn't clear - what was the solution he put on the pads? Could you tell?

Great tips, thanks!

Hi, it’s called immacuclean. immaculatecomics.com/

You are most welcome!

Thanks my friend!

Facts

Thanks for the sub! Keep watching for more boring videos with poor lighting! lol.

Of course you should try..... but start on cheap books. It takes a few hundred books to get good at it!

@@ImmaculateComics I’m sure .. I have a couple questions for you .. I don’t have FB do you have IG .. before purchasing something I need some info .. yea I’m gonna try it and see how it goes and of course baby steps

Hi art and thanks for the kind words! Unfortunately I just did a poor job at editing this video. That solution is my immacuclean that I make myself. You can buy some on my website if you are interested. Immaculatecomics.com. Thanks for writing!

Super interested in your store Rick. I was browsing it when I found you and was very interested in the aluminum plates. Unfortunately I am in Canada and shipping is not economical. Thanks again.

I hear you. Just let the book air dry so that it's no more than slightly damp to the touch before pressing. Usually about 30 minutes in my ambient conditions.

I made it!

@@ImmaculateComics what kind of sautering tool is that

What temperature do you start

130°F

good tip, thanks!

Sorry to hear that. I get to the UK a couple of times per year and when I do I sometimes bring an extra suitcase so I can ship items to my UK friends at reasonable postage!

It’s called “immacuclean” . Check the video description for more details!

Try the hilife steamer on amazon. The top sheet is a silicon sheet on my website. I use different size chamfer boards for different size books. You probably didn't buy the life magazine size board on my website but any other size will work well on a current comic!

Ha! Well is probably is an ASMR video from some people, certainly! My current turnaround time is about 10 days. Thats only because I refuse most of the work I am offered right now. I can't typically clean and press about 4 books as day plus wort on one special book that will take me a week. The pads are just regular cotton makeup pads. I go through thousands of them! immaculatecomics.com

Definitely use less water in the steamer. Your racking iron was likely too hot. I limit mine to 130F with a poteniostat/

@@ImmaculateComicsThanks for the response. I did have the tack iron the high setting;DOH. I also noticed that the gloss on the FC is reduced in those two spots. I'm thinking I also need SRP on both sides of the book when using iron to work out folds/dents. The spot that lifted off a bit was laying on the backing board gloss side up and I was applying tack iron from inside FC with the paper between cover and iron. Should I also not steam before tack iron? Like, tack iron/ball bearing, then steam then to press? I have heard a buff with a absorine pad/sponge can buff the cover and bring gloss back a bit on those spots I messed up? So many variables to learn here, LOL!

Following for same question

Thanks for asking! That’s a proprietary cleaner that I make and sell on my website! If you are interested, you can purchase some at immaculatecomics.com

If it's anything other than distilled water, there's a good chance your books will come back from CGC with a restored label.

Not any better than this one so far, but I freely admit they need to improve. This fall I am starting a very detailed video training series on every part of pressing and cleaning comic books

You read my mind! I have be fabricating special tools for that access, but I haven't yet found one I like. I am mating two halves of a mandrel to get the spine tics!

thats an ingenious and straightforward idea!

Hi Florian, I do indeed repair color-breaking spine tics. I didn’t mean to show it in this video but I think someone may have spotted it. I didn’t mean to show that repaired tic and I don’t show the process because it only works about half the time. Still working on that! I’ll try to edit out that tic in this video!

@@ImmaculateComics I would be silent about it - we are in Mob outside the house chanting 'burn the witch' territory again ^^ very cool. So that kind of means, to not count as restoration you have to make it somehow the tick can absorb color from the neighbouring fibers? Crazy.

@@florianneumann9441 thats exactly correct. You must use diffusion to spread some of the surrounding ink into the white area of the spine tic. Its unfortunately a different process for each color of ink and is very difficult to execute successfully. But I have done it successfully several dozen times.

@@ImmaculateComics sure, I imagine this is rather complex. Amazing that is even possible... Kudos

Hi, how much do you charge for this service? Repair color breaks? Repair ticks with and without color breaks? Repair dents no color breaks??

Hiya Colin! I should have mentioned that its my immacuclean solution. You can buy some here if you are interested! - Rick immaculatecomics.com

@@ImmaculateComics I'm interested. Wish it was on amazon (hint hint) but I know it might be a "secret" blend. But can you tell me a little of whats in it? been experimenting myself on different wet solutions and I haven't liked anything. The shipping is killing me as I live in Toronto.

@@colinsmith1071 Hi Colin, I can assure you that there is no possible way I will ever put my own solution on Amazon or any other store in which I do not have full control over the buying and sell process and how it is handled, and my IP. I actually have several other solutions that I do not sell primarily due to restrictions on shipping and labeling permits. Amazon would handle all of that for me but I would much rather give up the money than surrender control of my intellectual property. About what's "in" my solution. that is an interesting question and one I won't answer. Not because I don't want you to blend it yourself, but because it is actually NOT a blend and it cannot be purchased anywhere else. I actually concoct it myself in my own laboratory with my own condensing column using my own reagents and lab glassware. I am pretty good at designing and building detergents, cleaners, soaps, surfactants, etc and I sell them industrially all over the world. This one just happens to be my own pet project. It takes me about a month to make a 4L batch of the immacuclean solution and took me about 6 years to develop entirely. So to make a long story short, there is no possible way you can get any of it without getting it from me. I am sorry about Canadian shipping, particularly customs. However, I don't live far from the Canadian border. If it ever opens up again I can meet you in BC and give you some! best wishes, Rick

@@ImmaculateComics Long answer, thanks. well just noticed that the shipping isn't bad if I go all in on this and order four bottles, the shipping didn't change. Has anyone in Canada had there shipment turned back? Sorry to waste your time just if I'm going to buy it, it won't be one bottle but then It's a bigger loss if nothing gets to me.

We’ve shipped to Canada many times without issue but I do understand there is a customs charge on your end. I’m not sure how much it is?

I dont remember for each particular video but I usually put that information in the video description notes. have you read them?

well I would start with something cheap and easy to build your confidence. start with just an eraser and some basic dry cleaning supplies and get a feel for it. see it its for you. Then step up to pressing books. you can literally use a weight and an encyclopedia. get comfortable and don't let people tell you that only certain people can do this. Its not rocket science. I know, I was a rocket scientist for 10 years, lol.

thats immacuclean! immaculatecomics.com.

Nope no isopropanol. This was immacuclean from my store online !

Hi there, the steamer is called "pur steam" and the tacking iron is called Hangar 9 but the tip and the iron have been modified by me to run cooler and have a slightly different shape. I am currently working on fabricating my own line of inexpensive comice book tacking irons which are specially shaped for comic books and use a heat press as the heat source!

@@ImmaculateComics awesome thanks so much for getting back to me. Are you on Instagram? I’d love to be able to chat a d pick your brain on a few things. Also I’d buy one of those tack irons from you in a heartbeat 👍

@@ameliajade6113 yeah I am! Find me @atomicwebs !

@@ameliajade6113 I’m not super active there but I do respond!

please read the description in the video

yes of course! immaculatecomics.com/shop/comic-book-pressing-and-cleaning-service/

its called a tacking iron or a sealing tool. www.horizonhobby.com/product/protrim-sealing-tool/HAN145.html

130F!

those items are available on my website. immaculatecomics.com

@Immaculate Comics thank you I will buy your products. I appreciate you.

@@HotRodakaMadMax right back atcha!

It's called immacuclean. Https://immaculatecomcis.com

Thats my immacuclean cleaner!

It’s called a hanger 9, but I’ve added a potential stat to limit the temperature to 130F

Hi Aaron. So far alway blue labels. Sometimes the gloss is removed and sometimes it isn’t. It depends on if you run the stains or not

oh geez no, it is certainly not ispopropanol. its something called immacuclean. You can find it here. immaculatecomics.com/shop/immacuclean-kit/

Yes you can! immaculatecomics.com/shop/comic-book-pressing-and-cleaning-service/

Correct. It will fix the spine tic but the bit color break. I am working on that however. Note that while it Doesn’t repair color break, often the color break appears diminished in size. I’m not sure why.

Thats called ImmacuClean! immaculatecomics.com

Thats immacuclean and the CGC has not given books cleaned with it anything other than a blue label so far

Thank you fro answering both of my questions. Appreciate

I have some made for me now in china. Here is a link; immaculatecomics.com/shop/tacking-iron-for-spine-ticks/

I had a friend add a resistor in mine but I’m working on a potentiostat that should help for everyone!

@@ImmaculateComics Thanks buddy!! Definitely keep us posted. I'm going to order your cleaner this Friday as well :)

No not all of them. Some with look paper around the staples or with a spine that may split I don’t use the chamfered boards. I’ve actually build a spine protection tool for square bound books and books with loose paper around the staples and that helps a lot

@@ImmaculateComics Got it. Thank you!

mine has two settings but I don't use them. I have installed a potentiostat which limits my temperature to about 140 F

I dont think so. I stopped using them entirely and threw mine away.

@@ImmaculateComics why did you throw yours away ? What do you use now only ? Just Steamer? I have one but mine spits out water at times and makes me nervous?

I generally just use immacuclean as it makes the pages as moist as they are going to get. I use less water in your steamer . I think you’ll be happy with less spitting!

All of the material And instruments used are described in the video notes available to everyone on KZfaq !If you have more specific questions just let me know!

@@ImmaculateComics thank you sir!!

You’re most welcome!

I really helps to get tic from the edge of the spine that a press cannot reach!

It’s called “immacuclean” !

@@ImmaculateComics where can it be found? :)

@@Gexx70 htpps://immacualtecomics.com good luck!

The paper has to be very thick but still eventually will wrinkle. It’s just that the thicker stuff takes longer to get there. I have mine made for me at a paper mill in Oregon. The problem is that I have to order it a pallet at a tine, which takes up a lot of space and it does have a shelf life.

@@ImmaculateComics thanks 👍

Hi Alfred, honestly I have had a similar experience with both Altas and Charleston books, but I thought is was just me!

@@ImmaculateComics ok I’ll avoid wet cleaning both publishers. I’ve got a ton of both. Thanks! I popped a staple on a Werewolf By Night this morning and am kicking myself for not practicing with the chamfered board on some throwaways first: I love it for tacking spine tics but I’m unsure about the press. I also got my cold press supplies today and will likely order more to free up the press sooner.

Just a clarification are Atlas and Charleston books or comic books?

the liquid is my immacuclean solution. immaculatecomics.com. The tacking iron is available at any hobby store!

I set mine to 130 so 140 is your best bet!

you know what, Sara. In my hubris, I did not cover what they were. Look for a special video soon about grading and I will also define those book defects in detail.I may even call it "Sara Mode" (nod to Elon), lol. But in short, a spine tick is a tiny fold on the spine from opening the book. Some are "color breaking" which means they have a white line in the middle. A crease is a remnant of a fold in the cover. They can also be color-breaking or non-color breaking. Thanks for the idea and for bringing me back down to Earth from my Nerd-Headquarters!

Well you can buy one form me at my website. But to make one you have to buy a large sheet of SBS card stock, soak it in salt water for a day, then form it in a press, then you polish it, then you laminate it in a press to make it flat again. Or like I said you can buy one at immaculatecomics.com

Thank you for the reply .

@@ImmaculateComics ~~~SBS card stock~~~ ........SBS stands for Solid Bleached Sulfate and it is the highest quality and most expensive paperboard substrate. ........SBS is produced from bleached virgin wood pulp and can be used as a moisture barrier in the liquid and food packaging and high-end packaging where the quality of printed image is required. ........Common uses of SBS are health and beauty packaging, pharmaceutical packaging and frozen food packaging. ~~~Hello Rick! if i have this question, other people will also want to know. Best Regards!

@@ramfree27 that’s a good point. I forget sometimes what others may not know!

That’s immacuclean. HTTPS://immaculatecomics.com

nope not me!

Its immacuclean comic book cleaner. immaculatecomics.com/shop/immacuclean-concentrate/

Yes I have, but that was before I started using the steamer. I have seen it only rarely since then

I actually do review a read through the books I clean in some videos. However they typically get much fewer views overall and I sometimes receive complaints that the videos are too long and don’t support the title if the video. It’s tough Because I fell similar to the way you do but many people just want the tutorial and don’t like the extra talk!

The products used are on my website which is listed in the description

No necessarily but it cam help in small amount certainly

@@ImmaculateComics would a soldering iron work?

@gwarguts no sir, it wouldn’t. But you these work well immaculatecomics.com/shop/tacking-iron-for-spine-ticks/

@@ImmaculateComics i'm new to this, still learning.

@gwarguts I’m glad you are picking it up, and we are * all* still learning!

It’s my Immacuclean solution immaculatecomics.com

I actually just bought it at hobby lobby. I was going to make one with a welder but they are so cheap I didn’t bother. I’ll find a link and post it.

That’s my own invention…. Immacuclean! HTTPS://immaculatecomics.com

I don't purchase them, I actually make them! They are $4 each. if you want some before my website is back up please email me at rick@immaculatecomics.com

Immacuclean immaculatecomics.com

They are formed and not cut. I sell them on my website. Immaculatecomics.com

@@ImmaculateComics Ill check it out thanks

Tacking iron

I set mine to 130F but I have altered mine to allow that setting

Can you purchase a heat iron that gets to 130 degrees? If not how did you alter it?

No it does not work well for foil cover comics. I don’t have a good method for removing spine tics in foil covers comics, sadly

Thanks for the tip! Actually I dimmed the lighting intentionally using a spotlight tool in post editing of it to obscure something onscreen that I didn’t intend to show. But I always appreciate the input!

@@ImmaculateComics very humble way to express the lightning

Thanks for the input. sorry I have kids alseep nearby so I have to talk softly sometimes. I don't monetize my channel, so I don't put much effort or money into equipment and editing. Its a work for me and all free for you. I'm just trying to help but I’ll do better.

Gross indeed!