Help printers wax?

[Julie Walsh]

I have an old photo with a waxy substance on the back. The owner said that the photo was used for a CD cover and that the substance was used to keep it still. It is not evenly distributed.

I'm framing the photo and I'm not sure if I should even try to remove it. The customer referred to it as printers wax.

Any thoughts on what to do?

 

[Rick Granick]

Before desktop publishing, when graphic artists did physical paste-ups, design studios had a device which would apply wax to the back of a picture or other element to serve as a removable adhesive. This is probably what you are seeing. You'll never get it all off without damaging the paper, so treat it as an object that needs to be held in place by mechanical means. I'm thinking a sink mount or melinex overlay mount might do the trick.
Rick

 

[preservator]

There are many things that can be called wax, but if what is there has done no harm, to this point, it makes sense to leave it in place, since removal may entail risk.



Hugh

 

[Julie Walsh]

Thanks everyone!

 

[Julie Walsh]

update

I ended up removing most of it with a plastic scraper (the type used for applying polyfilla on your walls). Worked like a charm; came off like wood shavings!

There will always be a trace of the substance on the back; I used photo corners to hold in place and the customer loves it!