Spine tic removal is your greatest tech, imo. Immacuclean is incredible but tic removal will heal the 9.sicks. It’s all about that BUMP. Speaking of bump, your editing and music is getting pretty slick. “Not the fn eagles man” Regardless what the haters say your content is terrific. You’ve added significant economy to the community. Your dry wit always kills. Thanks for making the best comic improvement videos ever.
Thanks! I appreciate the information you help with. You have been a staple in my learning everything about comic cleaning to deep repairs. Not to mention how you inform about grading issues and everything up front. Thankyou
Hey Rick I like what your doing here. I also like the fact your honest about everything in the process. Thanks for the tutorials information and just general good nature. I never comment on anything btw but felt it necessary.
Rick - What really stands out to me is that many of what look like color breaking spine tics disappear following your press without remaining observable color breaking. Not sure if this is light reflection due to the geometry of the tic, rather than color loss, but it’s impressive and leads me to believe that the amount of observable white (due to reflection or color break) will improve substantially in small tics through this process. Looks great. I watch your video in 1x speed. You always have pearls!
Hi Marc, I actually noticed that too and its not typical. Sometime the entire page shrinks a little, especially if I press the book more than once. (often the right edge of the cover will mov left a bit to indicate this). When that happens it tends to "hide" the color breaks. Sometimes so much that they've almost completely disappeared. However it is not reliable and happens only occasionally.
You deserve the big jump in followers! And dont worry about the pace. I find it very relaxing and peaceful. I play your videos, especially the ones with your washing setup before going to sleep because theyre calming! Love the videos and keep up the good work!
I am so glad to see even people like you screw up from time to time. It makes me feel better. Not too long ago, I was working on the ruffled edge of a silver age Sub-Mariner 1. I wasn't careful enough with the tool I was using, it slipped and I took a small notch out of the top edge above the logo. I felt horrible.
2 min into vid: I greatly appreciate the depth you go into on your videos and enjoy the length. I have only jumped ahead a few times, but I generally watch the entire video when it's of interest. I prefer videos in the 15-20 minute range yet frequently watch many others in the 45 min range.
Your thoroughness is much appreciated, especially to those who want to learn, like myself. Maybe not to the instant gratification crowd. Love the relentlessness...and results
I would venture that the value of this video only goes up with time. Especially as it's ties to that book. That error has shown me the importance of clear gear layout and teflon coating the tack iron. Thank you for everything.
Thanks for taking the time to put these videos together. I watch them all the way through at 1X speed. I appreciate you showing the mistakes too; it's how we all learn. I'm already subscribed and best of luck getting to 5K!
Hey Rick, I ruined my copy of Batman #423 as well when I took a magic eraser (white sponge) to just gently wipe off any loose debris. Lo and behold, the red from the cover started rubbing off. Now I know red rubs off quite easily and I’ll never do that again. So here’s to both of us messing up the same book! Awesome video as always! 🍻
Just a small suggestion about the end of the vid there with the small ask of a like and subscribe. Might want to try that again in another video too. Now in that video, put the small ask after you explain what the video is gonna be about, but well before the end. Generally that last couple bits at the end of a video has a huge drop off in viewers. That great info you are providing is always gonna be the best reason you are achieving more viewership though. Keep up the good work.
It’s good to see (not good, but I think you understand what I mean) you making these mistakes. I learn from seeing mistakes, mine or others. I appreciate it.
Very welcome. I have made a LOT of mistake over the years. Once you start branching out and trying things the perhaps no one has ever tried before it feels like its nothing but mistakes time after time, and the rewards are few and far between. But it gets better and you get better at it!
wow.. i wouldnt dare put any comic in the press without silicone in between every single page.. i guess i have the worst of luck.. ive done it before and the inks always transfer.. im using a SEAL press w steel boards too.. Keep up the good work.
Love your videos. I do NOT find your presentations boring or skip through your content. I'm not watching your channel to zip from the start to see the end result. I am watching to learn some of your tricks so I can improve on my abilities. It's a shame your damaged the book. We all make little mistakes. I've messed up a couple books making boneheaded mistakes. The thing about mistakes is to learn from them so you don't repeat them. I personally don't think sending the book back in would result in your desired question. The damage would likely keep your book at a 9.2 or possibly lower. Plus you'd have to wait for up to a year to get it back. Just curious, is that book a 1st print? I just bought a 2nd print with similar spine tick issues I haven't tackled yet.
Thanks for your sage insight Peter, I appreciate you. That book is a first print. I originally got it in my comic book subscription box when it first came out and it got the spine tics from me reading it way back in 1988. I am the only owner that book has ever had.
Yeah its a stinker but I think important to show in any case. Ive made mistakes before and I am certain that's not the last one. Luckily its only about 1.5% of the time these days.
Hey Rick have you considered to work on other people books? I been watching your videos your spine tick removal technique is superb !! I have some books I want to send to cgc and I have zero experience to work on them my self and rather learn on dollar books then my collection to even attempt it. Let me know if you have any interest?
Hi Nicolo and thanks for asking, but I no longer clean and press comics for others. Its not my joy. I much prefer developing products and teaching others! I've cleaned >10,000 books in my life and thats plenty for any one person! check out. www.comicpresser.com
Thanks for the video. Your guys customer service is the best!. I have a question about little wavies I call them. It’s almost impossible to keep the wavies without a full press. I live near the beach and often don’t even have to steam my books. I store them properly bagged and boarded in tubs with dehydration packets to try and get them to go away before having to press. Sometimes that’s the only flaw in the book and it’s annoying to have to press just for that. Different LCS spots are little better but they are still there. Sorry for the long post. I’ve tried a few experiments already but figure you know better than I do!
I’m learning so please keep it up. As a beginner I’m already using the tacking iron to remove the ticks from your example and having great results. I’m not doing super expensive books yet. My only concern is getting a slight line that’s not a color break but where the paper runs along the inside of the cover. It can’t go all the way to the staple. Am I using too thick of appear with 65lb paper? Using a seal dry mount press. The temp control isn’t the best but it’s doing good work so far.
Hi Jake, I'm glad for your feedback and support! You should definitely consider using my chamfered pressing boards and tic attack boards, they are design to alleviate the exact problem you are describing! immaculatecomics.com/shop/tic-attack-boards/
Ok thanks. I’ve already bought the boards but was a bit intimidated to put something that thick under the cover. I’ll adjust the pressure and start with a book that I don’t care about to dial it in.
@@queensmarine6506 well I call them that but I guess technically they are just a thicker paper impregnated with a silicone sheet. Strictly it’s not elite Kraft, it just whatever I could get them to make me.
hi just watched your video and what a great tutorial ,what press do you use as I am about to invest in one and I want to avoid any mistakes and I have just subscribed . thanks Steve g uk
Been hooked on your videos for a while, quick question: I've been pressing a lot of moderns lately and using your reversion stopper, but surprisingly I have had an issue with reversion, ie waviness, spin ticks returning. What is the amount of time I should be leaving the book in the press before transferring to the reversion stopper?
I have the same iron you do. It came with two heads, a curved and flat. I can't tell which head you are using. I am guessing that you are using the flat one only because I don't think you could scratch the cover with the curved (rounded) head.
Also, what temp do you use the take iron on? As well what was the paper you used between the iron and the book itself? Thank you, love the details of the videos you put out
I’m Saving that video For Another time because I’m still not great as doing it and I need to improve myself first. I don’t want people Copying me and ruining their books.
I tried to work on my omega men #3 in a similar way - and I seem to have similar silicon paper sheets (from amazon) - and also 'scratched' the top aside the DC logo... in my case I thought it was because I used the high temp. setting on the mini iron (for sewing) which had no exact temp. and it made the color run(?) - not sure if this is really possible... maybe I also just damaged it with the iron.
@@ImmaculateComics Ain't no thing... I was a little angry at myself for trying it on this book first, but if you don't know it's there you barely notice it... Not planing to grade it anyway... As I found it hilarious and will collect the rest of the run - was a lobo fan in 'my' edgy 90s - didn't expect his first appearance to be any good ^^ btw - just trying to press my first square bound book... Let you know how this turns out
Ugh .. hate when those simple slip-ups happen. Doubt I’d send it in now, given that the parameters of the experiment have been inalterably altered. Had a different slip-up a month back, when giving an old Doom Patrol cover a light clean with distilled water. And when I say “light,” I mean gliding across the surface. Seemed like some yellow dirt was coming up, but upon closer inspection it was actually the cover paper disintegrating onto the cotton round(!). Hadn’t had that happen before and, hopefully, never again.
What's the appropriate temperature for the tac iron? I recently bought one that has the lowest temperature of 100C. Should I return it for owe with a lower minimum?