Removing photographs from a crumbling album

[Mart 'n' Al]

Every morning while I do 20 minutes on my exercise bike, (calm down now ladies!), I watch genealogy tutorials on YouTube. I came across one this morning from the New England Heritage and Genealogy Society with a really useful tip. It might be common knowledge but I thought I'd pass it on anyway.

If you want to remove photographs that have been cruelly glued into an album, the best way of doing it is to use, apparently, non-waxed dental floss and just hook it under one corner and then saw very gently back and forth and it will cut the glue without damaging the photograph. I haven't tried this but it is apparently recommended by the Smithsonian Institute.

On a slightly different note on one occasion while removing photographs from a badly dishevelled album which was beyond salvaging, I found a wonderful saucy note on the back of the card. The fact that the people in the photograph are still living prevents me from actually publishing the message!

Martin

[MarionE2]

Martin, Thank you for posting this tip.  It's just what I need today.
Marion

[Mart 'n' Al]

Marion, do tell me if it works.

Martin

[Ruskie]

Oh Martin, please tell us what the saucy message says .... just don't mention any names. 

Good tip about the dental floss.

[MarionE2]

Marion, do tell me if it works.

Martin

I just tried the dental floss method on three photos. The two small ones were quite easy, the larger needed a fair bit of sawing back and forth but all three came off in excellent condition. I only had waxed floss in the house so I'll stop at the three, just in case using non-waxed is important.  Very happy with the results.  Thanks, Martin!

[Mart 'n' Al]

I wish the article had explained about the waxed and non-waxed version.  In our cabinet, ours just says (Boots) 'Sensitive'.  I would imagine fine fishing line might do, but I'm not a fisherman.

I just wish my ancestors had left me some old albums on which to experiment!

Martin

[philipsearching]

If you want to remove photographs that have been cruelly glued into an album, the best way of doing it is to use, apparently, non-waxed dental floss and just hook it under one corner and then saw very gently back and forth and it will cut the glue without damaging the photograph......

....on one occasion while removing photographs from a badly dishevelled album which was beyond salvaging, I found a wonderful saucy note on the back of the card......

I can imagine the person in the photograph saying: "Ooooh, Flossie - that tickles" 

I used to detach photos in a similar way using 5 amp fuse wire, heated slightly to soften (but not melt) the glue.  Now I use an old table knife - the long, wide, thin blade warmed in hot water and wiped dry works for me.

Philip

[Mart 'n' Al]

Philip, yes I can share that image.  And you can make sandwiches at the same time.

I've never fished, but I would imagine that you can also get very fine nylon filament as well.

Martin

[ThrelfallYorky]

I've used various things over the decades, to remove heavily glued-on items, quite apart from knives and scalpels, and other everyday tools we all have hanging around:
Fishing line ( can stretch, and you need to have "handles" - I tied it round duffle-coat buttons, works like a cheese wire )
The fine wire sold for bead-threading - treat as above.
Very thin, flexible palette knife - sometimes warmed in hot water, then wiped dry before use
really thin sheet of metal - think it's a french-polisher's scraper, if everyone has their own, I wiggled it between a card mount and the sheet it was all mounted on.
Steam! - in desperation, from the reverse side, but it worked!
Ironing - again on the wrong side - and that loosened everything enough, too.

It's amazing how inventive you can get when you get too determined!