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Removing price tags
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silver_beetle
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 8:00 am

I recently bought some items at Half-Price Books and a got good prices on them, but they all have price tags on them! What method do you recommend for removing them without damaging the covers? Thanks.

FormCritic
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:47 am

I would leave the pricetags on, silver_beetle.

Consider the price tags to be like destination stickers on an old sea trunk.

I managed to rub the sticker off my Half Price Books copy of the Nyambe D20 hardback by rubbing it off and using a little soap on the last bit. But, that was a glossy hardback...not a fragile module.

Mark

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Sea-to-sky-games
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:24 am

Lighter Fluid.

Beyondthebreach
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:43 am

Here are a few old threads that discuss it in greater detail:

http://www.acaeum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=799&highlight=price+stickers

http://www.acaeum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2394&highlight=price+stickers

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JohnGaunt
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 7:47 pm

MShipley88 wrote:I would leave the pricetags on, silver_beetle.

Consider the price tags to be like destination stickers on an old sea trunk.

But, Mark, the HPB stickers are as ugly as sin --- computer-printed date and price on a white sticker. Blech.

I managed to rub the sticker off my Half Price Books copy of the Nyambe D20 hardback by rubbing it off and using a little soap on the last bit. But, that was a glossy hardback...not a fragile module.

Hardbacks, strong; other paper, weak.

I have often rubbed the ink from covers that I thought were more durable, even d20 stuff. Yeah, I've ruined more than my share of books by experimenting and slowly learning that lighter fluid (untried by me) may be a good alternative to whatever I choose to use.

dbartman
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 9:43 pm

As mentioned, there have been a few threads on this topic in the past but I'll throw out a bit of what I do.

If the item in question has a semi-glossy to glossy finish, I use a solvent called Energine. It works perfectly! You can find it at retail and hardware stores.

To remove stickers, sticker residue, stains, and other sticky substances...:

1. Gently daub it onto the sticker with a cotton rag.
2. Once it has soaked in for a bit, gently peel the sticker off.
3. Follow up with a gentle rubbing with the cotton rag to remove any remaining residue.
4. Done!

Note: This will also work for the older non-glossy covers but it can potential remove some of the color, so be careful! Also, bear in mind that with the more porous covers, the sticker will have, more than likely, already stained the cover permanently. It might be better to leave it on in this case. I personally remove them anyway.

Sea-to-sky-games
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 9:50 pm

Note: This will also work for the older non-glossy covers but it can potential remove some of the color, so be careful! Also, bear in mind that with the more porous covers, the sticker will have, more than likely, already stained the cover permanently. It might be better to leave it on in this case. I personally remove them anyway.

I'll second this. It can be done on paper-like surfaces.. but you don't want to use too much. A Q-tip is pretty useful here.

Frankly, though, I don't mind if I lose a bit of color if I can get that white blight off the page.

Zenopus
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:26 pm

MShipley88 wrote:
Consider the price tags to be like destination stickers on an old sea trunk.

I agree with Mark. I have/had some modules I bought at the store Games People in Gastown in Vancouver, Canada in the late 80s and I could always readily identify them by the price tag on the cover. I sold two on Ebay recently (downsizing) but still have the third (Monster & Treasure Assortment). Now a soldier in Iraq has at least one of them (B7, IIRC).

When I returned to Vancouver in 2000, the store was still there and still had a box of old modules. Most were expensive (over 20 Canadian dollars) but I bought the cheapest - an X1 in shrinkwrap - and opened it! This was fun because I didn't have an X1 and hadn't read through it about 10 years or more.

Sea-to-sky-games
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Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 12:33 am

When I returned to Vancouver in 2000, the store was still there and still had a box of old modules. Most were expensive (over 20 Canadian dollars) but I bought the cheapest - an X1 in shrinkwrap - and opened it! This was fun because I didn't have an X1 and hadn't read through it about 10 years or more.

That store closed down this past November and had a liquidation sale (75% off).. and then sold the rest to Liquidation World.

I actually picked up an AC5 there for $10 back in 2001 (among many other things).. not sure what boxes you were looking in.. they had lots of good stuff:)

There is another location in North Vancouver that might still be open whenever you end up there next. I've drained it of anything particularly interesting.. but if they have a liquidation sale there's probably a lot of 2e stuff worth picking up.

Badmike
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Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 12:37 am

silver_beetle wrote:I recently bought some items at Half-Price Books and a got good prices on them, but they all have price tags on them! What method do you recommend for removing them without damaging the covers? Thanks.

I like to tear at them with my teeth, worrying them back and forth like a rabid weasel on crack. Gets the sticker off everytime...

Mike B.

Ok, actually, HPB stickers put on fairly recently should easily come off with a fingernail....it's the old stickers you have to worry about.

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robarlis
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Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 4:59 am

Using a hair dryer works quite well too - not too hot a setting, move it over the top of the offending label, and you should find the adhesive on the label starts to soften, carefully peel with fingernail.

silver_beetle
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Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007 7:37 am

robarlis wrote:Using a hair dryer works quite well too - not too hot a setting, move it over the top of the offending label, and you should find the adhesive on the label starts to soften, carefully peel with fingernail.

I think I'll try that, then go to a solvent. Thanks for the advice.

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