Booboo of major proportions in latin

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Rozmataz

Rozmataz

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Jun 13, 2002
Posts
2,773
Location
Fingerlakes Region of NYS
Oh boy - I feel so terrible. I've done it now. I cracked a seal on a diploma from Amsterdam.

It is all in Latin and I can't decypher it to find out what university it even is... to try to replace the broken seal.

I know I will have to contact the customer for this information in order to repair/replace.

Oh, I really have that pit in my stomach over this one...

Any sympathy and suggestions welcome - really welcome...

roz
 
Tough break! Sympathy is about all I can offer...

When you speak to the client just let them know that the "broken - rustic" look is back in...? oh - and that getting a replacement should be fairly simple, if need be get the contact info and arrange it yourself.
 
If you don't want to tell the customer, I would enroll in the same school, graduate and then swap out seals.

I was hoping to give you a little smile. We've all been there and know this is a crappy thing to deal with but, there is a lot worse things that can happen.

When you fess up to it and make things right, I'm sure the customer will appreciate your customer service and profesionalism.

Take a deep breath then get back into the trenches. Good luck.
 
I would try to pass the buck. I would tell her it was obviously inferior. Try to make her feel bad about owning such a worthless piece of junk. Tell her all those people in Amsterdam are on crack. If you have any employees blame them. My motto is LIE, LIE, LIE. DENY, DENY, DENY!

Good luck!
 
what kind of seal? One of those gold things or a real wax-type seal? Me, I'd call a Catholic University--and Loyola comes to mind since I'm a grad from there--and go buy a seal to match it then have it engraved with whatever Latin sayings the Jesuits tell you.

You say "cracked the seal" and I envision a wax thing. That's my idea. Or fly to Amsterdam and get another one It's pretty there this time of year. PLUS one of the few countries where you can still legally drink absinthe.

If you don't know, don't ask.
 
Maybe the customer won't notice....start a lively conversation when the customer shows up and take it from there....


But seriously, if you really want to replace it, call the Dutch embassy or consulate and see if they can point you in the right direction. I always had a good experience with Dutch people; always friendly and helpful.
 
A rather large orange wax seal (quite brittle I must say for wax) with the university's "latin" seal for a PhD...

Actually I just pushed it back together - and it doesn't look all that bad... unless you are really really up close... If it were mine - I'd leave it... but it's not mine - so I shall take/make all efforts to replace - meantime - they have something they can look at...

This all happened because the customer wanted the ribbons that are attached to the seal pulled a little tighter to take a hardly noticeable --- I don't know what to call it - out of the ribbon. The ribbons were not lying completely flat because whoever affixed them to the seal wasn't perfect - but I was supposed to make it look perfect. Now I have made a perfect mess... oh boy...
 
I know that absinthe was really popular with Toulouse Lautrec, Degas and VanGogh, in Paris. considered a must amoung the atists there. I know Lautrec used it in his work and I think I read that Van Gogh cut off his ear while on absinthe? It was an hallucinagen.
 
Absinthe "The Oil of Wormwood"

MMMMMMM boy, sound delicious!

Hey Kathy, they got Google out there in Colorado yet?


The last I heard, Van Gogh and Gaugan, longtime drinking buddies, were having a bit of fun playing with some sabers when Vincent lost his ear. The story about longing for his love was made to cover up the bloody results of a sophmoric prank. Yeah, that's the ticket.
help.gif
 
The situation Roz reported is a classic example
of how the best intentions come back to haunt the
framer. If the client wants some part of the item
to be framed changed, the client should be encouraged to do that changing. If framers make
no changes in the items in their care, their
headaches are fewer.

Hugh
 
To be honest Wally, my absinthe education came from watching Moulin Rouge.....I assumed as I always do, that it was based on hard cold facts.....
 
I also remember hearing that Van Gogh cut off his ear because he had tinnitus(sp?), ringing in the ears....so, in conclusion whether it be sabres or rinign in the ears, I am willing to bet he was sipping some absinthe at the time....

Sorry Roz, Michael started it.
 
Roz,
Orange wax you say?
Can'tcha just whip up a batch of putty to match and just tuck it in a little bit here and there?

C'mon, I can't be the only one to have thought of this!

edie the workingputtymagiceveryday goddess :eek:
 
Roz said

"Actually I just pushed it back together - and it doesn't look all that bad... unless you are really really up close... "

Ron Eggers said

"Use non-glare glass."


I think we have a winning combination!

The best advice came from Hugh. If the customer wants it changed, let the customer change it. That way we don't get into these situations.


Don't feel bad, we have all been there.
 
It's wax, isn't it? Why can't you just get a box of Crayolas, select a color that matches, melt the matching Crayola down, use the melted wax like glue, stick the thing back together? Then very carefully, use what is left to even and touch things up. Howz that for a great idea?

John
 
Ask a silly question, get a boat load of silly anwers!

I'm sorry that this happened Roz. Good luck with the fix. Best thing is to talk all the choices over with your customer, and let them help you come up with the answer. They might be fine with it being glued back together.
 
This is one of those time where it's great being very best friends with a few members of the SCA.

Talk to your customer. A replacement seal can be had.
 
What did Jay Goltz say in that class I took, something about customers saying "could you just...".

Sorry to hear of your problem. Hope the customer is understanding.
 
If it looks pretty good "pushed back together", why not glue it together and very carefully apply heat with a heat gun being extremely careful not to get a MELTDOWN.

Of course, even if this works you should inform your customer...

Dave Makielski
 
Oh that would make me verrrrrry nervous. Heat gun + wax = Big problem bigger? After I changed my underwear, I'd fess up - about the mistake, not the underwear.
 
Do you know what is worse than ruining something by trying to do something the customer wanted outside of the framers experience, is to ruin it even more by trying to fix it. : )
 
Nona - so true.

Amy - I am not one to sweep something under the carpet... and at this point - the customer has not been available... so I am in limbo til I have a conversation. Meantime, I got my "laundry" taken care of.

tick tock...
 
I'd talk to the customer and discuss fixing the current seal. I would imagine that you could take it off the paper and reheat the back a bit to reseal it together and then let it set a while without messing up the front of the seal. You could probably replace the seal, but my guess is that it would cost a lot to have another seal made unless you could get one from the university.
 
WITH THE CUSTOMER WATCHING....

gently lift the two halves with a spatchula or bamboo knife.

Flip over and stitch together the BACK with a heated spatchula. Let rest then see if it hold together enough to be gently handled.

If so.

Reheat the spatchula, and place the seal on the top of the spat which is being held about 1/4" above the final location... when you feel the wax slew, then slide out the spat as you lay the seal on the location.

Evidently, wax seals are common in the Society for Creative Anacronism, and broken seals are just as common.. so are "healed" seals.
 
Baer... that's wild - how can I practice - so I am not a nervous wreck in front of the customer!?!! Roz
 
I would not count entirely on this techinque as sealing wax was also traditionally used as a method of ensuring that sealed documents had not been tampered with.

Of course there are always those engaged in covert activities who were/are highly skilled in circumventing anti-tamering devices, but....are you feeling lucky today???


Rebecca
 
Roz.. sent contact.

basically, get some seal wax... make seal.... break and repair... with a little absenthe, the work goes long and the evening short. :D

There are some very nice people to get to know. Some amazing resources....

Some even work for amazingly well know museums. :D
 
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