ARCHIVAL STORAGE

Lineco's 1 mil acid-free translucent tissue paper has countless applications in museums, archives, and libraries - including stuffing, interleaving, and separation wrapping. The tissues have a 3% calcium carbonate buffer added to prevent acid migration to the tissue itself.

BOOK REPAIR

Linco's Transparent Mending Tissue is a unique combination of a strong, very thin, acid-free tissue, coated with an acid-free adhesive. It is easy to use, non-yellowing, and widely accepted as a truly archival repair tissue. While repairs with the tape are permanent, it may be removed with common mineral spirits.

Lineco's White Neutral pH Adhesive's polyvinyl acetate (PVA) formula was specifically designed for preservation materials. It has excellent lay-flat properties, is fast setting, clear when dry, re-moistenable with water, and will not become brittle with age.

CLEANERS - Adhesive Removers

Just a few drops of Un-Du will safely remove self-sticking adhesives including stickers, price tags, scrapbook stickers, double-sided tape, velcro, duct tape, invisible tape and more. With Un-Du's attached nylon tool, there is no more need for dangerous (and damaging) razor blades or scrapers. Use Un-Du with confidence on fine wood, brass, paper, photos, textiles, ivory, etc.

CLEANERS - Book & Paper

Absorene Book & Paper Cleaner is a soft, pliable dry cleaner that works like an eraser by drawing dust, dirt, smoke and film from surfaces. It is used by museum curators, archival restoration experts, and libraries to clean old manuscripts, prints, oil paintings, books, papers, and tapestries.

Lineco's Document Cleaning Pads contain a soft grit-free powder that absorbs and cleans surface dirt from paper. The pads are recommended for cleaning dusty, dirty, or moldy paper items. To use - twist the pad over the paper to produce a thin layer of cleaning powder; then, gently rub the pad over the area to be cleaned; finally, when the powder changes color, carefully brush the residue away with a soft-bristle brush.

Lineco's Document Cleaning Powder is an economical 2lb cannister of the same soft grit-free powder contained in Lineco's Document Cleaning Pads. Recommended for any collector with large holdings of maps, stock certificates, letters, or other ephemera.

Renaissance Groom/Stick Paper Cleaner is a permanently tacky, non-hardening, processed kneadable natural rubber. It is a gentle, non-abrasive, non-staining, absorptive cleaner of paper and many other archival materials. Graphite, carbon, charcoal, chalk, crayon, dry powder colors, mould spores, dust, dirt, and grease are cleanly lifted off surfaces and held in a 'molecular trap.' Groom/Stick can continue to collect and hold foreign matter until the rubber is several times its original weight.

CLEANERS - Dry

Cleans soot, soil, dust, dirt and grime from paper, cardboard, book bindings, oil paintings, wood, leather, etc. Use dry, never wet. Remove dirt and grime with an even sweeping motion, beginning from the top of the surface being cleaned. Exert only moderate pressure. When the Wonder Sponge becomes saturated with dirt and grime, wash with soap and water and allow to dry thoroughly before reuse.

CLEANERS - Leather Dressings

A safe penetrating cellulose-based consolidant for leather affected by red rot (powdery deterioration). Will not harm paper or other book materials. We have found it particularly good for reconditioning badly dried out leather book bindings.

Pecard softens old leather, giving it a lasting suppleness. It results in a shine that can be gently buffed (on non-flaking surfaces only). Pecard greatly slows further deterioration of cracking or flaking leather. The dressing is a paste which is of such density that the leather will only absorb as much as it needs.

Gemmary Leather Dressing is a blend of anhydrous lanolin and pure neetsfoot oil, using the New York Public Library formula; it contains no waxes. This dressing is particularly suited for use on instrument field cases and carrying straps.

CLEANERS - Metal

Harrington's Metal Polish Wadding has been formulated to clean brass/copper/silver/chrome/tin and similar metals with a non-abrasive solvent on cotton wadding.

A penetrating oil than can creep into openings as small as one millionth of an inch. Kroil loosens frozen metal parts, disolves rust and gummed oil, displaces water, provides lubrication, and prevents rust.

LIX Office Machine Cleaner Concentrate No. 12A was used by many companies to clean mechanical and electric (non-electronic) typewriters, adding machines, calculators, check protectors, etc. Directions for use: Strip the machine in the usual manner before cleaning (remove all motors, electrical wiring, rubber parts, etc.). Mix one part concentrate with six parts Stoddard's Solvent and submerge machine in or spray on the prepared solution. Allow 15 minutes or longer for cleaning. Remove from the solution, rinse with hot water, blow dry, and lubricate with a light oil. The prepared solution can be saved for reuse by storing in an air tight container.

Renaissance Metal De-Corroder is an amine complex of hydro-oxycarboxilic acid in an aqueous solution. Treatment selectively ruptures the bond between base metal and corrosion layer, reducing rust to a sludge which is easily wiped or brushed away. Even prolonged immersion over several days has no significant effect on sound metal, giving the conservator complete control over the process, which is completely stopped with a water rinse.

Renaissance Pre-Lim Surface Cleaner is a blend of Neuburg silica chalks in a water/white spirit emulsion. It is mildly abrasive paste for non-scratch cleaning of many surfaces, especially metals and enamels. Pre-Lim prepares the surface perfectly for the use of Renaissance Micro-Crystalline Wax Polish as a protective and visually-enhancing finish. Not recommended for use on lacquered brass surfaces.

CLEANERS - Soap

Vulpex Liquid Soap is supplied as a dense concentrate of potassium methyl cyclohexyl oleate. It has been used successfully in all branches of professional conservation for the safe and controllable cleaning of materials ranging from feathers, textiles, oil paintings, and leather to wood, metals, shell, ivory, and stone. Vulpex attacks and emulsifies dirt, fats, fatty oils, mineral oils, waxes and hydrocarbons; the resulting dirty emulsions are stable and easily rinsed away. For normal aqueous cleaning, one part Vulpex to six or seven parts water is sufficient; as a spirit soap, one part Vulpex in ten to twenty parts solvent will be found effective.

DE-ACIDIFICATION

Archival Mist deposits a safe permanent alkaline buffer to gently neutralize acid in all types of paper. Package contents will protect approximately 25 square feet of paper when used as directed.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL

A clean and convenient way to prevent mold and mildew damage in sealed spaces. Simply place bag in display cases, drawers, or storage boxes. The 8" x 3 1/2" x 1 1/2" bag contains 8oz of inert silica gel that adsorbs and retains moisture until saturated. Works best in approximately 3 cubic feet. Re-activate by heating at 250 degrees. Do not inhale vapors. Limited quantity available.

FINISHES - Lacquer & Shellac

In the Bulletin of the Scientific Instrument Society, No. 10 - 1986, Paolo Brenni of the Museo di Storia dell Scienza in Florence discusses "The Cleaning and Relacquering of Brass Scientific Instruments," including his favorite recipe for instrument lacquer, also used by the Landesmuseum in Zurich. We are offering the critical ingredients for this recipe (except for the ethyl alcohol and the saffron) in sufficient quantity to make one full batch (plus some extra if you want to adjust a bit). A copy of the article can be supplied with any order.

Shellac is a secretion of the lac insect. It comes from India in a variety of forms, containing wax or waxfree, in various shades from pale yellow to red garnet. When dissolved in alcohol, it is used, along with other resins and colorants, to make finishes for woods, metal, and leather. Lemon shellac is the lightest color grade of natural shellac flakes containing wax and is called for in many recipes for antique finishes.

FINISHES - Natural Resins & Gums

Manila Copal is a natural resin from the Agathis dammara tree, in the form of translucent whitish lumps. When disssolved in alcohol or other organic solvents, it is used to make printing inks and copal varnishes. In its dry form, it is used in the manufacture of gilding powders.

Damar gum is a natural resin from the damar fir tree, Shorea wiesneri, in the form of pale yellowish brittle pieces with clean edges. When dissolved in pure gum turpentine, it is used to make a very durable, multi-purpose, flexible varnish.

Dragon's Blood is a natural resinous material from, in the form of dark red hard chunks, which when pulverized, turn into a bright red powder. Dissolved in ethyl alcohol, it is used to color varnishes.

Gamboge is a natural resin from the Garcinia hanburyi tree, in the form of dull, dark yellow hard lumps, which when pulverized, turn into a bright yellow powder. Many sources refer to gamboge being used to make a transparent yellow varnish for the coloring of wood, metals, and leather. In the nineteenth century, gamboge was a common ingredient of varnishes, especially metal varnishes used to color scientific instruments.

Gum Mastic is a natural resin from the mastic tree, Pistacia lenticus, in the form of yellowish to greenish lustrous, aromatic, transparent, brittle tears. When dissolved in ethyl alcohol, it is used along with sandarac to make high gloss varnishes.

Gum Sandarac is a natural resin from the African sandarac tree, Tetraclinis articulata, in the form of yellowish, faintly aromatic, opaque tears and broken cylindrical pieces. When dissolved in ethyl alcohol, it is used to make spirit varnishes, and when dissolved in oil, to make cooked varnishes. It is also used in powdered form to clean vellum and to prepare it for writing purposes. Its most outstanding property is its hardness.

FINISHES - Waxes & Polishes

Carnauba is a natural wax from the Brazilian carnauba palm, Copernica cerifera. It is the hardest natural wax available. It is brittle, non-tacky and lustrous with a melting point of 182 degrees. Add up to 50% carnauba wax to beeswax to get a harder coating and higher gloss when polished.

Renaissance Micro-Crystalline Wax Polish is a blend of highly refined micro-crystalline fossil-origin waxes developed by the British Museum and used by restoration specialists world-wide on virtually all solid surface materials - including wood, metal, marble/onyx, shell, stone, ivory, plastics, smooth leather, and even paper. The hardness of a matured wax coating also gives excellent protection against finger marks, which are easily buffed away.

LABORATORY & SAFETY

Made of 100% Egyptian cotton, size medium (fits most men and women). Ideal for handling your photo negatives, stamps, coins, crystal, lacquered brass instruments, etc. and cheap enough to be disposable when they get soiled.

Menda One-Touch Solvent Dispensers have no stopper or cap to remove. Just touch the dispensing dish with a brush, cloth or other applicator and solvent is brought to the surface the instant it is needed. Stainless steel valves seal contents in bottle until used, preventing spills, dripping and escaping fumes. Fluid pumped into the dish cannot drip back into the bottle, keeping stored liquids uncontaminated. Limited quantity available.

REFERENCE BOOKS

Lists tests for fakes, reproductions, damage, and repairs - china, pottery, ivory, paper, textiles, gemstones, glass, paintings, money, prints, etc.

RESTORATION MATERIALS

This scrap elephant ivory is ideal for making small replacement parts for scientific instruments - knobs, drawer pulls, handles, etc. Pieces up to 1/2" thick x 2 1/2" long (call if you have specific size requirements).

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

The Magna-Tip Thin-Bit Screwdriver Set contains 18 extremely thin interchangable bits to fit the extra-narrow screw slots often encountered on scientific instruments - 9 each with blade thickness .020" and .025", and ranging in width from .120" to .360". The set is arranged in a heavy duty plastic case and includes a stubby Magna-Tip handle. Note - you must select a blade that fills the screw slot from side-to-side or it may break on a firmly seated screw.

The Mini-Attachment Set consists of a 3' long x 1/2" diameter reinforced hose and adapter, 2 mini-extensions, a small crevice tool, and 2 small brushes to be connected to any standard vacuum cleaner hose. A very inexpensive solution to the problem of cleaning accumulated dust from scientific instrument cases.