Unsticking documentation

[SuperNovaSS]

I have a 68 El Camino SS396 that came with the protecto-plate, owners manual, etc. in the original plastic pouch. The problem is it god wet at some point and they re all stuck together. I can sill thumb through the owner's manual and warranty book pages but the cover pages are stuck to eachother and I would like to get them apart. Any ideas? Steam, etc? I have attached a pic for you visual thinkers .

Any input is greaty appreciated,


Jason

[Belair62]

Steam sounds like it may work...........

[SuperNovaSS]

Another picture. I have heard of using steam but have no idea of how the process works .


Jason

[JoeG]

Suspend the open ends of the pages over a steam source---


Mildew is gonna be the real binding agent here---you could even lightly spray a mixteur of water and bleach into the page ends to loosen some of the stubborn mildew as a last resort in conjunction with the steam---My basement had flooded years ago and I steamed so many books and magazines I had a permanent afro for a week....

[SuperNovaSS]

Thanks Joe. I'll get those pics to you Tuesday if you need them.


Jason

[njsteve]

This is the method crime scene technicians use to recover waterlogged documents: Try placing the whole package in a pan of warm water and let it soak overnight. It will begin to separate on its own. You can then gently use a small paint brush to push the pages apart. I used this method with the "paper mache" clump that was my owners manual that was found inside the lower rear 1/4 panel of my Camaro. I got all the pieces unstuck but they were still tiny fragments because a mouse had chewed them all apart years before (the dead mouse was in the owners manual plastic folder along with the clump of papers). Once you separate them all, let them dry slowly in your basement in a non-humid area like near the furnace.

[SuperNovaSS]

Sounds like I have a few ways to go. It you think soaking the manuals will do any damage to the POP? I don't want the tape to fall off. The other interesting part about this car is there is no SMOG but it was sold new in San Jose CA. It this because it is a truck and is commercial?

Thanks for all the advice,

Jason

[JoeG]

True.....

[JoeG]

I've had sucess with steaming documents and a beveled letter opener using a slow rocking motion with the opener--you don't want to lift the print.....Of course you'd want to keep the pages separated until till dry....Good Luck.