Hello I recently received this cel: http://kuroitsubasa4.rubberslug.com/gal ... mID=338093 The mouth layer is stuck to the main face/body layer but it can be peeled away. Slightly lifting it up to test its hold on the cel was enough to separate the bottom half, though the mouth is still firmly stuck. However, even though that area came up fairly easily it took pieces of the traceline with it I'd leave it alone, but there seems to be a bit of oily build up or something from his nose up into his hair that I'd like to clean (It has a bit of rainbow-y sheen to it). So my question is this: Is it better to damage the trace line by separating the layers, then clean it and insert a divider, or should I just let it be and allow the remaining traceline to stay firmly stuck in cel-layer-limbo along with the oily build-up? (I wouldn't consider sending him to a restoration lab or anything as he was not an expensive purchase nor do I have a HUGE emotional attachment to the cel, but I do love the shot and I would like to do my best to keep it in good condition) Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!
Not too sure what to say about the stuck layers I guess in the end its up to you, I did want to let you know that that oil substance is very common on old cels that have been stuck together for a long period of time. Some call it a moisture build up. People have told me that the moisture is from the cels being stored in a certain degree enviorment then being flown from overseas to a totally different degree enviorment and the shift in the temperature causes that build up. Sometimes it goes away on its own however, if it really bothers you I have heard that a low heat hair dryer blown between the cel layers will help get rid of that substance. Please note I have not tried that so be carefully if you decided too. If you decided to try it please post it and let us know what happens.
I think the "oily substance" is an optical illusion. In my experience, sliding a thin piece of paper between the unstuck parts of the layers makes it go away. I think it is just a thin bubble of air caught between the layers, which creates a moire pattern that looks like the surface of an oil slick on water. But I don't think it is anything more. Perhaps Matt is right in that it is water vapor or humid air. But in truth I'd opt for the "primum non nocere" (above all, don't do anything that might damage the cels) approach.
A couple of thin strips of microchamber paper slipped between the layers in a place where they don't contact cel paint might help soak up the humid air, if that is what it is. I've done this for cels that I suspect are prone to developing vinegar syndrome, and it doesn't hurt. (Of course it makes the cels look weird, but if I were going to take the book to a con I'd remove the strips first and put them back when I returned.)
Thanks Matt and sensei. I think I'll just leave it alone for now. I tried to get rid of some oil early on but it seemed to reappear. I'll have to look into that microchamber paper. I can try the blow dryer but I'm not sure how much air will make it to the problem area simply due to how the cels are stuck together (which also complicates the 'slipping a paper in between' method). Either way, I'll keep an eye on it. Thanks again
KuroiTsubasa4 wrote:I'm not sure how much air will make it to the problem area simply due to how the cels are stuck together (which also complicates the 'slipping a paper in between' method).
Try cutting the paper into a thin wedge. That way you can often get the tippy end almost anywhere. (Except where the paint from the top layer completely surrounds a spot, and then you're out of luck.) In any case, I don't think it is a serious problem, though of course it does detract from the image's appearance. Good luck and let us know how what you do works out.
I recently received this cel: http://kuroitsubasa4.rubberslug.com/gal ... mID=338093 The mouth layer is stuck to the main face/body layer but it can be peeled away. Slightly lifting it up to test its hold on the cel was enough to separate the bottom half, though the mouth is still firmly stuck. However, even though that area came up fairly easily it took pieces of the traceline with it 
I'd leave it alone, but there seems to be a bit of oily build up or something from his nose up into his hair that I'd like to clean (It has a bit of rainbow-y sheen to it). So my question is this: Is it better to damage the trace line by separating the layers, then clean it and insert a divider, or should I just let it be and allow the remaining traceline to stay firmly stuck in cel-layer-limbo along with the oily build-up? (I wouldn't consider sending him to a restoration lab or anything as he was not an expensive purchase nor do I have a HUGE emotional attachment to the cel, but I do love the shot and I would like to do my best to keep it in good condition) Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!
