Tape removal -- encouragement to newbies!

[Drac of the Sharp Smiles]

About a year and a half ago, I spotted it.... Tape burn starting on one of my most cherished sketches. Others had shown some burn, but they weren't THIS one. That spurred me to jump into tape removal and with Sensei's amazing posts on the topic, as well as some patiently answered quizzes via PMs, I acquired everything needed and started practicing. (Sensei may not be reading right now, but I can't give enough thanks for the advice!) All the while I practiced, I felt it was a race against time to gain the steady hand I wanted to have to take on the sketch set that started it all.

Today, as of immediately now, that sketch is free of it's studio tape and, hopefully, out of danger! I've rescanned it and show it here, the new scan beside the scan I made when I originally bought it in August 2004.



To other collectors nervous about tape removal: Learn from my mistake! DO. NOT. WAIT. Don't wait for it to happen to one of the biggest prizes in your collection. The tape on this sketch stayed stable for YEARS before turning evil, but it was never "safe". I will always regret those burn marks, knowing I had everything I needed to have done something before it happened, but didn't... Tape removal is NOT that hard or scary to do!

I'm currently working on the entire rest of my collection, which is going to take quite a while..... and is leaving me wishing I had been doing this all along as things trickled into my possession. But at least it's getting done now.

Many Sharp Smiles,
--Drac ^_^

PS -- I know I owe replies to several people here and hope to be getting THAT done too this weekend. ^_^;