Linen tape gum not sticking - self-sticking alternative?

[Tony Egan]

I was matting some prints yesterday and the gummed linen tape I was using seems to have lost its stickiness and would not bind with the mounting boards? I had not used the roll for about 6 months. Is it possible for the gum to "go off"? I tried wetting it with water and saliva but there seemed to be a loss of tackiness in the gum compared to when I last used it. Anyone else experienced this or have any tips about where I might be going wrong?

Also, anyone used the self-sticking linen tape and have any thoughts/opinions as to its archival-ness or pros/cons compared to gummed linen tape. Thanks

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

From what I've read, the self-adhesive tape isn't as widely accepted as archival. I haven't had tape go off, but what you could do is use archival rice or wheat starch paste to make the tape stick. I think the adhesive on the tape is rice paste. You can get it from Lineco.

 

[Richard Wasserman]

Are you wetting the tape sufficiently? I am currently using a roll of linen tape that is at least 3 years old and it woks fine. It does take a fair amount of water to activate the adhesive, I don't think licking it would be enough, plus there is the yuck factor to take into consideration.

Richard Wasserman

 

[Whiteymorange]

I don't think licking it would be enough, plus there is the yuck factor to take into consideration

...and then there is the point that your saliva is certainly not archival.

 

[Tony Egan]

Hmmm - by the time I tried the 4th strip I was almost drowning the tape in water. Another theory is perhaps the humidity in the matt boards was very high and could have been a contributing factor? It had been raining for almost a month in Sydney and my garage/storage area was probably 80-90% humidity over that time. Thanks for your input.
Having seen the Sienfeld cheap wedding invitations episode a few times I am quite reluctant to use the licking method - apart from any questions about the archival-ness of my spit...

 

[mmcclellan]

I've used linen tape from Light Impressions that was several years old, in wet and dry climates, and never had a problem with stickiness. Maybe it's just a bad roll?

Self-stick anything, though, does not seem to last so I would hesitate to go that route. Just get a new roll and start over.

As for licking, if you're doing many prints at once . . . . yewwww.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

And then, I see you're holding a medium format camera in your avatar, so you must be licking the tapes at the end of the roll (unless it's Fuji--finally someone's using self-adhesive tapes). Could it be healthy to ingest all that adhesive?

 

[Tony Egan]

I sold that old Yashica D a few years ago David, but I now have a Mamiya 7. It's part of the satisfaction of MF photography to lick that little tab, strap it down, and think to yourself another 10 great shots in the can...well maybe 2 or 3.... alright I'll settle for one good one then!

 

[Ross Chambers]

Tony, I just grabbed a short strip of mine (which came from Freestyle and was somewhat cheaper than Oz suppliers), wet it liberally and it seems OK. I guess our weather up the hill is similar to Sydney suburbia. The adhesive smells foul, nothing like that piquant TriX tab and I certainly wouldn't lick it. The otherwise not very helpful Eckersleys have rice past adhesive.

Regards - Ross

 

[Tony Egan]

Thanks Ross - I'm pretty sure I bought mine from Freestyle also about 18 months ago. I will try again this weekend after some drier weather this week and see how I go.

 

[MurrayMinchin]

I've been using this stuff for about 15 years to hinge over mats to the mat the photograph is mounted to;

http://www.lineco.com/item.cfm?itemnum=L533-1055

No problems yet.

Murray

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Oh right, pro's and con's: The stuff is wicked easy to use - just pull out as much as you need, cut it, tease a corner loose from the backing paper to separate the tape from the backing paper, apply, and burnish tape with a thumbnail. The only con I've encountered is when I ripped the tape instead of cutting it, because it let fly a small cloud of linen fibres.

Murray

 

[panastasia]

I've used linen tape from Light Impressions that was several years old, in wet and dry climates, and never had a problem with stickiness. Maybe it's just a bad roll?

Self-stick anything, though, does not seem to last so I would hesitate to go that route. Just get a new roll and start over.

As for licking, if you're doing many prints at once . . . . yewwww.

The same tape I use (several years old), never a problem. I don't lick it, though, I use a wet sponge.

 

[Vaughn]

The linen tape will fail if it is stored near a source of formadahyd (bad spelling) -- such as plywood or particle board...especially new board. I keep mine in a ziplock baggie and have used Light Impression's linen tape for years (I buy the long rolls).

Vaughn

 

[BWGirl]

Oh right, pro's and con's: The stuff is wicked easy to use - just pull out as much as you need, cut it, tease a corner loose from the backing paper to separate the tape from the backing paper, apply, and burnish tape with a thumbnail. The only con I've encountered is when I ripped the tape instead of cutting it, because it let fly a small cloud of linen fibres.

Murray

I will agree with Murray's findings. I help out a pro matter/framer teach a matting class and that is (for the most part) what she uses for her clients' jobs and in the class. It is archival... but I have to say that I primarily use it to hing the mat to the foam core mount. I use clear corners/clear mount strips to keep the photo in place... not hinge tape.

 

[kram]

Linen tape gum not sticking - I have tried this stuff- its pants (the non sticky sticky stuff-sticks to your fingers, itself but not the photo or board). I now use masking tape.

 

[kram]

I should add the linen tapef I have tried was the one you need to soak in water first.

 

[Tony Egan]

The linen tape will fail if it is stored near a source of formadahyd (bad spelling) -- such as plywood or particle board...especially new board. I keep mine in a ziplock baggie and have used Light Impression's linen tape for years (I buy the long rolls).

Vaughn

Very interesting Vaughan, thanks for this. I intially stored it in a plastic bag but it has been loose for the last 6 months stored in an unsealed chipboard set of drawers. Maybe on to something there. I never thought to google "linen tape" and formaldedhyde but quite a few hits!

 

[Vaughn]

Linen tape gum not sticking - I have tried this stuff- its pants (the non sticky sticky stuff-sticks to your fingers, itself but not the photo or board). I now use masking tape.

I certainly hope you are joking. One, you don't soak the linen tape, you take a clean sponge, wet it, place the tape on the sponge and lightly tap a couple of fingers across the tape -- keeping the top of the tape dry. Too much water and one washes the glue off.

Two...even duct tape or electrical tape (as bad as they are) would be better than masking tape -- but time will teach you that particular lesson.

Vaughn

 

[Doremus Scudder]

Maybe a bit late, but I'll chime in too.

The linen tape adheres as it dries. When it is wet, it will just peel right off. With your humidity there, I would imagine that the tape is simply not drying, and therefore, not sticking. Work in a less-humid environment, or wait to do your mounting till the monsoons stop... (You could test the tape in a dry environment to see if I'm right first though, just to make sure the adhesive is working).

I have had situations where I had to weight the boards and wait for the tape to dry. Maybe this would work in your case as well.

BTW, you do need to wet the tape sufficiently. I use a sponge half-submerged in a bowl of water, and press the tape well into the soaking wet sponge to moisten it. Sometimes I just submerge the tape in a dish of water and let it drip for a few seconds before applying it to the board.

Best and good luck,

Doremus Scudder

www.DoremusScudder.com

 

[kram]

The linen tape adheres as it dries. When it is wet, it will just peel right off. With your humidity there, I would imagine that the tape is simply not drying, and therefore, not sticking.

Yep this is what I found.

Ihave had situations where I had to weight the boards and wait for the tape to dry. Maybe this would work in your case as well.

BTW, you do need to wet the tape sufficiently. I use a sponge half-submerged in a bowl of water, and press the tape well into the soaking wet sponge to moisten it. Sometimes I just submerge the tape in a dish of water and let it drip for a few seconds before applying it to the board.

I agree.

Vaughn -I tried lightly wetting the gum as you stated (and I think it says so on hte box) but no joy and I had to what Doremus Scudder has stated.

I only mount photographs for shows, I do not store them mounted.

 

[fdi]

I am not a conservator, however, when I attend framing seminars I always hear good things about Lineco so that is what my company carries (with quantity discounts at qty 2). We have everything from the self-adhesive to the full museum kit with the wheat starch and rice paper.

http://www.framedestination.com/Tape_Tissue/cat/fatape/

We also have some info about mounting here:
http://www.framedestination.com/picture_frame_mounting.html

We are also having a sale for Apug members on mat board here:
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Well, even though I am sponsor, that is probably more than enough commercial spam for now...hope it is helpful though.

Cheers,
Mark

 

[BusToBedlam]

From what I've read, the self-adhesive tape isn't as widely accepted as archival. I haven't had tape go off, but what you could do is use archival rice or wheat starch paste to make the tape stick. I think the adhesive on the tape is rice paste. You can get it from Lineco.

The Lineco Self Adhesive Linen tape is easier to use than the Gummed tapes that Lineco makes but to remove them, you have to use mineral spirits rather than just dampening with water. One of the primary features of an archival product is its reversibility. As noted above, rice paste starch and un-coated archival hinging papers are the top for strength and archival quality.