Re: [ARSCLIST] shellac and acidity

[James L Wolf <jwol@xxxxxxx>]

  Regarding shellac, I also agree. But for vinyl is there consensus that
acidic sleees do cause damage? I've opened 25 year-old sealed LPs with
what looks like severe scarring where the sleeve was folded over and
pressed against the vinyl. I haven't been able to study it more closely
but I assume that damage is being done.

James

>>> info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx 05/28/03 08:47AM >>>
I agree with Kurt entirely. I have retrieved records from all sorts of
conditions; I have never come across anything I could identify as
"acid"
damage.  Shellac discs are, as Kurt says, amazingly robust, and I have
just
unboxed a large number of discs in albums which have completely
disintegrated and which are completely covered in a thick layer of
white
mold (10 years lying on damp earth!).  A quick clean and the discs are
as
good as new.  My cleaning methods are not "as recommended" by any
means, but
after 20 years I have not seen or heard any deterioration in any record
so
cleaned.

Stephen Sutton
Director
Divine Art Record Company
8 The Beeches, East Harlsey,
Northallerton, N. Yorks DL6 2DJ, UK
PLEASE NOTE NEW PHONE/FAX NUMBERS:
Tel +44 1609 882062
Fax: +44 1609 882091
web: www.divine-art.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kurt Nauck" <nauck@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, May 26, 2003 4:44 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] shellac and acidity


> I have inspected hundreds of thousands - if not millions - of records
over
> the last 20 years.
>
> I cannot identify a single instance where shellac was negatively
affected
> by acid content in sleeves.
>
> Off-gassing by inks, yes. Mold growth and/or graininess from dampness
in
> the paper, yes. Brittle sleeves crumbling to dust, yes. Acid damage
to
> records, no.
>
> In fact, I haven't even seen what I would call acid damage to record
> labels. (With the possible exception of labels on certain
instantaneous
> discs.)
>
> In my experience, vintage disc recordings seem to be impervious to
the
> effects of acid contained within paper. In fact, I have very often
> witnessed the situation that Alain Carou describes: sleeves or
newspaper
> used to separate records can be totally disintegrated around the
edges,
but
> the paper pressed between the records is intact and much less
brittle. Not
> only does the paper protect the discs, the records protect the paper
- a
> symbiotic relationship, it would seem!
>
> This is why - in my opinion - spending 3-4 times as much for
acid-free
> sleeves is a waste of archival funds, and why I decided not to sell
> Disc-O-Files made from acid-free stock. If a record can survive
unscathed
> for 70 years in a cheap paper sleeve in a barn, attic or basement,
then
> that same record will do just fine in a new, not completely
acid-free
> sleeve on a shelf in an archive or music room.
>
> In my opinion, the real problem with old sleeves is two-fold:
>
> 1)  Dirt and mold (which is why we do not store clean records in old
sleeves).
> 2)  Paper porosity. Sleeves with high rag content (am I using this
term
> correctly?) will trap moisture, and moisture is definitely
detrimental to
> shellac. The old green stock sleeves are good examples of this.
Stored
> indoors in a dry environment, no problem. But left exposed to high
> humidity, porous sleeves tend to hold water, causing mildew and
graininess.
>
> I am open to opposing opinions, and invite comment.
>
> Kurt & Diane Nauck
>
> c/o Nauck's Vintage Records
> 22004 Sherrod Ln.
> Spring, TX  77389
>
> Website: www.78rpm.com
> E-Mail: nauck@xxxxxxxxx
>
> Phone: (281) 288-7826
> Fax: (425) 930-6862
>
>