Name for device to wet linen tape - Cowlick?

Jeff Bannow · Dec 4, 2008

While working in the photo lab at school I got to use a neat little device for wetting the back of linen tape. They called it a "cowlick." It was a ceramic wheel that would rotate through a pool of water underneath. It looked a bit like a desktop tape dispenser.

Anyone seen one of these? I'm sure I'm using the wrong name (they like to rename things randomly in the lab.) Google has failed me totally.

I've tried using a wet foam squeegee, and also running water on it, and neither is as easy as the "cowlick."

winger · Dec 4, 2008

I did a search for stamp envelope licker and this was one of the things that came up:
http://www.nextag.com/MARTIN-YALE-AquaBall-Moistener-2499064/prices-html
There are other types, too, but this seemed the closest. If you think this was it, I may buy one, too. Whenever I hinge mats, it's a pain to wet the tape.

Loose Gravel · Dec 4, 2008

I was just talking about these the other day. I thought they were called a 'ceramic tongue'.

brchambe · Dec 4, 2008

It's probably an old envelope moistener. We used to have one in a mail room I worked in thirty plus years ago.

A quick google search reveals that amazon sells some that may work.

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&rh=n:12900631&page=1

BTW, we called our's the "licker".

Brian

Jeff Bannow · Dec 4, 2008

Hey Bethe,

Not quite, but it gave me the idea to search for moistener, and I hit on this which is close - Dead Link Removed

Jeff Bannow · Dec 4, 2008

Some great names for this little device! Looks like it is a ceramic / porcelain envelope or stamp moistener - no wonder Lineco never mentioned it in their literature. eBay and such show some nice vintage ones that would work perfect.

Lee L · Dec 4, 2008

Used one for sealing shipping boxes when I handled repair shipments for customers in a camera shop back in the 70's. We called it a tape dispenser, because we were poor and couldn't afford a nickname.

Lee

Jeff Bannow · Dec 4, 2008

Lee L said:
Used one for sealing shipping boxes when I handled repair shipments for customers in a camera shop back in the 70's. We called it a tape dispenser, because we were poor and couldn't afford a nickname.

Lee

Hey Lee,

I thought about using an actual tape dispenser at one point, but then what would I have named it?

wildbill · Dec 4, 2008

I discovered Lineco Self-Adhesive linen hinging tape and never looked back. I think I paid $12/roll about 2 months ago. No risk of getting a print or mat wet and always sticks the first time.
Item L533-1015
vinny

Nicholas Lindan · Dec 4, 2008

I put a wad of sopping wet paper towel in a 5x7 tray and run the tape over the paper towel. Don't have to clean adhesive goop from the roller or brush.

Lee L · Dec 4, 2008

jbannow said:
Hey Lee,

I thought about using an actual tape dispenser at one point, but then what would I have named it?

How about "The Tape Dispenser Formerly Known As Prince"? You could also just use an unpronounceable cryptic symbol for it.

Lee

smieglitz · Dec 4, 2008

Light Impressions used to sell these. I inquired about buying one a few weeks ago and LI responded they were no longer stocked but they would relist them if there was a demand. So, if a few more of us email them about the item, they will sell them again.

Joe

c_dog · Dec 4, 2008

i agree with Loose Gravel, "ceramic tongue" is what we've always called it. it's a small white ceramic vessel with a roller (not the big packing tape devices)

Phillip P. Dimor · Dec 4, 2008

My parents had one, I always wondered what it was for. Now I know! Seems *much* better than a damp sponge. Ceramic doesn't wear out.
Seems like everything was made better at one time..

glbeas · Dec 4, 2008

Sounds to me you need this:
http://www.uline.com/BL_7260/Pull--Tear-Kraft-Tape-Dispenser

Vaughn · Dec 4, 2008

Nicholas Lindan said:
I put a wad of sopping wet paper towel in a 5x7 tray and run the tape over the paper towel. Don't have to clean adhesive goop from the roller or brush.

I must admit I like just using a small sponge that is set aside just for this use. I can control how wet the tape gets, very cheap and easy to clean.

Vaughn

Jeff Bannow · Dec 4, 2008

Thanks for the help everyone.

When I first went to the store and bought the tape, I tried to explain this device and they looked at me like I was looney. They sent me with a foam brush, which hasn't worked very effectively for me. I guess I was spoiled by my ceramic tongue licker thingie.

dancqu · Dec 11, 2008

A standard meat department tape dispenser.
That is it used to be. Worked to wrap up.
Shrink wrap may have super seeded
tape. Dan

David A. Goldfarb · Dec 11, 2008

They always used to have those at the post office, before self-adhesive stamps.

I've used the self-adhesive Lineco tape, but my impression is that conservators are dubious of any self-adhesive product, so after researching it, I used it only for hinging mats until I used it up, and uses the tape that has to be wet for hinging prints, which I now use for hinging mats as well.

RobertP · Dec 11, 2008

Doesn't Light Impressions sell a self-adhesive linen tape that is archival?

David A. Goldfarb · Dec 11, 2008

I think that's the same one, and while I'm sure it's as good as a self-adhesive product can be and may be suitable for some uses, most of what I've read on the Library of Congress website and palimpsest.stanford.edu about self-adhesive tape is cautious. Here's an article--

http://cool-palimpsest.stanford.edu/byorg/abbey/an/an23/an23-4/an23-409.html

michaelbsc · Dec 11, 2008

jbannow said:
Anyone seen one of these? I'm sure I'm using the wrong name (they like to rename things randomly in the lab.) Google has failed me totally.

You just don't know how to Google yet. It takes practice, but anyone can learn it.

Below are what you want. (Good grief, does it show my age that I recognized immediately what you were talking about. Are these really obsolete? HEY! Where did all this gray hair come from? And who is that old fart in the mirror?)

I used "ceramic stamp moistener" and got this eBay search string http://collectibles.shop.ebay.com/i...doZCollectiblesQQ_pcatsZ966Q2c1QQ_sacatZ28019

that leads to these items (at least today - two weeks from now the items will be no longer available and the search string will have who knows what.)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-IDEAL-S...yZ165618QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Postage...3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66:2|65:1|39:1|240:1318

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-IDL-Sta...3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66:2|65:1|39:1|240:1318

Jeff Bannow · Dec 11, 2008

michaelbsc said:
You just don't know how to Google yet. It takes practice, but anyone can learn it.

Thanks for the links.

I couldn't find it via Google because I didn't know the real name - now it comes up easily of course.

michaelbsc · Dec 12, 2008

jbannow said:
Thanks for the links.

I couldn't find it via Google because I didn't know the real name - now it comes up easily of course.

You're just not old enough. When you get decrepit the young kids of the day will marvel at your stories that you actually had to plug things in with *WIRES* to get them to work.

MB

JBrunner · Dec 12, 2008

wildbill said:
I discovered Lineco Self-Adhesive linen hinging tape and never looked back. I think I paid $12/roll about 2 months ago. No risk of getting a print or mat wet and always sticks the first time.
Item L533-1015
vinny

I to have discovered this, and never looked back.

Name for device to wet linen tape - Cowlick?

Jeff Bannow

winger

Loose Gravel

brchambe

Jeff Bannow

Jeff Bannow

Lee L

Jeff Bannow

wildbill

Nicholas Lindan

Advertiser

Lee L

smieglitz

c_dog

Phillip P. Dimor

glbeas

Vaughn

Jeff Bannow

dancqu

David A. Goldfarb

Moderator

RobertP

David A. Goldfarb

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michaelbsc

Jeff Bannow

michaelbsc

JBrunner

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Name for device to wet linen tape - Cowlick?

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