The Little World

In our case the pudding tastes like old paper and turpentine. Like cooking with the stuff I find in our pantry…

The problems in order:

a. Yellowing of the decal and surrounds.

This one is easy to cure: tape the sheet to a window that gets sun most of the day. Let it sit for 4-6 days and most of the yellowing will be bleached out by the sun’s UV rays. Do not do it on a 40º+ day as you may frizzle things up.

b. Oil contamination

Coat the decal with Micro Liquid Decal Film. When it is set, trim the pattern close to the actual image. Give it plenty of time and it can float off the backing paper very well.

If you try doing it without the Liquid Decal Film it will split, sure as fate.

c. Glassine paper covering sticking to the printed surface of the decal.

Water will not remove it, or the marks it causes, nor will methylated spirit or hot air.

You can successfully remove this in part or whole with ordinary Diggers Turpentine and gentle rubbing with cotton Q-tips. Then it will need a coat of the Micro Liquid Decal Film to strengthen the decal and it can be applied as usual.

d. Backing paper adhesion. If the paper has dried and hardened the water that softens the adhesive may not be able to penetrate and the pattern is locked tight.

Soak the decal for a full minute and then turn it over. Observe whether the back is an even soaked colour. If not, use a knife with a curved blade to gently scrape the dry patch. As soon as you break the paper surface it will flood in and activate the soluble adhesive. Wait a bit longer and it will apply as if it were new.

Note that some decals from Eastern Europe are far too fragile even when new, and will need the Micro Liquid Decal Film coating to have any chance of application. Lay them face-down on a flat surface that will not absorb water. Flood them and put a wet paper towel piece over the back.

Chances are they will be usable if they have not been flexed in the wetting. Wait a long time before you attempt to loat them.