restoration methods ...

Warning: Avoid soaking Kobans in water, as severe curling occurs with some papers (Thin bluish-white paper, 1888 brown gum coated paper). Placed in water, they rapidly form cylinder shapes. This is very annoying... Place such a stamp very carefully to dry on glass, printed side up. Water occlusion on glass will immediately help stabilization. Then when moderately dry, very carefully transfer the stamp to a hingeless mount until fully dry.

PRINZ UHU Hinge Mark Remover is excellent for clearing paper adhesions and old hinges. Carefully applied with a fine brush, it can also be used to clear debris from mint stamps. It does not disturb gum surfaces. Be careful however, not to get solution on the stamp face itself. Other hinge remover solutions can react with inks, and should avoided. All red or crimson inks for koban are somewhat fugitive, so I buffer with fresh white blotting paper to printed side down.

The softer koban papers (JSCA C and D) should be cleaned only with shovel-nose stamps tongs, (smooth round surface towards the stamp); or a fine artists brush. Paper thickness can vary on given stamp, so again be very careful. Let these stamps soak longer in solution, before attempting a cleanup. .

Stamps can be placed in a Desert Magic drying book (blotter paper with vinyl interleaves).

As you work, note what is revealed. Vertical or horizontal wiremarks, etc. Place similar stamps in a group on a separate page of the drying book, or glass. Make copious notes of your observations; this speeds sorting later.

Avoid gum removers... If you have to rehabilitate a hopeless or heavily gummed stamp that is in danger of cracking, the PRINZ UHU Hinge Mark Remover can again be used to relax the paper and gum. Saturate stamp, then replace in either a hingeless mount or drying book until completely dry. Be careful as certain inks (reds) are unstable using this technique. Test first with damaged or faulty stamps.

Clean the watermark tray each time you use this method before moving to another stamp. This avoids depositing fine debris to other kobans. ... also spores that are the cause of "foxing", will not be transferred to other items.

Mildew stains and pencil marks can be removed with PRINZ UHU Hinge Mark Remover also.

For other products, read instructions fully, and experiment first with damaged or faulty stamps. Do not use with fully gummed stamps. Inks can diffuse...

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Forgeries .... be very careful with 12sen koban ... rose colour is highly fugitive, and full saturation will weaken colour considerably..

also note, most forgeries arrive well-stuck to backing papers of different types ... ex "tourist sheets" or "booklets" ... thin, soft papers were used to print many dragon and cherry blossom F, so be very careful handling these ... rice-resin glues are most tenacious ... use PRINZ UHU Hinge Mark Remover, and caution with tongs...