Comic Pressing

[Penoy]

Hi! Question for you guys who slab a lot. Is it worth going through a pressing service first before sending it in?

I just found a short box that had the whole GOTG Abnett and Lanning run but the 1st issue had some spine breaks.

Obviously the best time to cash in on it has passed but I may be able to trade it in for other issues I'm looking for.

Would you recommend going through a pressing service can this be one of those D-I-Y deals I might pull off?

[Wombat]

I don't think you want to do it yourself. From what I understand it is easy to mess up. I would think first thing to do would be to try and figure out how much value it is going to add. Is it even worth it? You probably want to talk to someone experienced and see what they think and if the books are even good candidates.

[THECLOWN KNIGHT]

Quiropractic service for Comics?.......This world never ceases to amaze!

[moon_knight1971]

Definitely not worth it. DIY place between 2+ comic boards and place under comic book box stacked at least 3 high for a few months.

[Spidey62]

Originally Posted by moon_knight1971

Definitely not worth it. DIY place between 2+ comic boards and place under comic book box stacked at least 3 high for a few months.

That sounds like a joke, and if so, you got me. But...I can't speak for the enhanced value aspect, but the above descibed method seems waaaaay too diy. I believe the proper way includes some slight humidifying and then some heat pressing in an actual presser. Usually costs about 15 - 25 per book. CBCS has an evaluation service where they let you know if they think pressing is indicated, prior to pressing, and/or grading.

I have not used their service yet, but I have had 2 books pressed by a seller before he shipped them to me. Since I didn't see the books before, I can't say whether there was a noticeable change in condition.

[Babytoxie]

This is a new one on me... How does the pressing process work? Any chemicals involved? It seems to me that once a spine is bent , it's bent. Unless maybe something is applied to stiffen/strengthen it.

[Spidey62]

Originally Posted by Babytoxie

This is a new one on me... How does the pressing process work? Any chemicals involved? It seems to me that once a spine is bent , it's bent. Unless maybe something is applied to stiffen/strengthen it.

From my limited knowledge - pressing does not fix many issues. It won't fix spine issues. It is more to get out minor waves/wrinkles/or the like. I have heard it can help with minor creases also. If it would change an 8.5 to a 9.0, that would seem to be worth it. It is not considered restoration or conservation.

My advice to anyone considering pressing would be to pick a book (not an expensive one) that would seem to benefit from pressing, study it, send it for pressing, and examine it when it returns. You may spend $30 with shipping, but you would understand it better before you sent real value books out. So you could spend $30 to save a couple hundy.

[Babytoxie]

Oh, okay. I have heard of general pressing for creases and the like. Thanks.

[DRL]

Info on pressing can be found here
http://www.ccspaper.com/services_pressing.php

What exactly is pressing and how did it begin?

Pressing removes minor defects from comic books, such as dents, folds and bends to make the comic appear flatter and less flawed. Pressing will often enhance the appearance of a comic book.

In a general sense, pressing has been around since the beginning of comic book collecting. Crude and simple methods of pressing were employed in the beginning, with little thought given to long term effects. By the ‘80s pressing became more sophisticated, serving as part of the evolving restoration process. In the ‘90s pressing became linked to water and solvent cleaning (hence the catch phrase “cleaning and pressing”) as general cleaning broke away from the restoration process. Some did not consider cleaning and pressing to be restoration during this time.

That all changed when CGC entered the market in 2000. CGC immediately considered water or solvent cleaning to be restoration. This leaves pressing as the sole technique allowed on unrestored comic books. CCS has developed a process that maximizes the outcome and minimizes the hazards.

CCS is the leader in professional comic book pressing. Our secret, multi-step process has been modified and honed through thousands of hours of research and pressing tens of thousands of comic books.

One misunderstanding about pressing is that it is easy; this is based on peoples’ awareness of unsophisticated pressing techniques from prior decades. It results in poor, ineffectual pressing that can adversely affect your comic books. There are people who claim to press comics today that in fact have very little experience under their belt. Given the many variables involved with pressing-Golden Age vs. Silver Age vs. Moderns, DC vs. Marvel, low grade vs. high grade, tanned pages vs. white pages, the countless combination of defects—there is no simple way to press a book. It is important that you consider who has invested the most time and effort into how to account for these variables to insure your books safely reach their full potential.

Does CGC consider pressing to be restoration?

CGC does not consider pressing to be restoration. Read more on the CGC website. CGC also does not consider dry cleaning to be restoration, which we automatically include in our pressing service. Dry cleaning’s main purpose is to remove dirt or pencil from a cover, particularly in the white areas. Dry cleaning does not remove tanning, stains, pen or marker, sun shadows or foxing. If we feel your book’s grade would benefit from a dry cleaning, we will automatically perform this during the press process.

How do you press a comic?

We get asked this quite often, but our process is a trade secret. It’s a process we have spent thousands of hours developing through research, testing, and pressing tens of thousands of comics. We strive to make sure every technique is safe for the short and long term. Our pressing process does not involve disassembly, nor do we use abrasive materials like chemicals, nor do we perform any work that is considered restoration. The end result is undetectable, with each comic exhibiting a fresh, untouched look and feel.

[Wombat]

Personally If i was going to get a comic pressed I would not use CCS. There are a few people I trust a lot more and have very good reputations.