Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by David Alan Stevens on November 30, 2009 at 7:31pm

Hey Bluesheart!
There is a way to remove those labels. Go to a well stocked art supply store and ask for a can of Bestine. It is a fluid that is sold for thinning rubber cement. This stuff is like magic. Moisten a clean cotton cloth and wipe across the paper label. Be not afraid. The Bestine will NOT damage or smear the ink in any way. Nor will it hurt the wood. It will almost immediately evaporate out of the paper. You may have to re-apply a number of times for the mild solvent to soak through the label and loosen the adhesive. Stamp collectors use this stuff to remove very valuable stamps from envelopes. It will also not wrinkle the paper or damage it in any way. Then it should just be a matter of re-gluing the labels where you want them. Hope this helps!

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Permalink Reply by Paul Doug on December 1, 2009 at 3:40am

Bluesheart thanks for asking this question and David thanks for the answer. I hate to hide those pretty labels inside a box. Even if I don't use them on the outside the box they are nice to brighten up the work shop. I've bought several just because I like them

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Permalink Reply by Nathan King on December 1, 2009 at 9:51am

Does this work on paper covered boxes, wooden ones, or both? Cuz it sounds almost too good to be true!

...now if I could just find a well stocked art store nearby...

Thanks David!

David Alan Stevens said:

Hey Bluesheart!
There is a way to remove those labels. Go to a well stocked art supply store and ask for a can of Bestine. It is a fluid that is sold for thinning rubber cement. This stuff is like magic. Moisten a clean cotton cloth and wipe across the paper label. Be not afraid. The Bestine will NOT damage or smear the ink in any way. Nor will it hurt the wood. It will almost immediately evaporate out of the paper. You may have to re-apply a number of times for the mild solvent to soak through the label and loosen the adhesive. Stamp collectors use this stuff to remove very valuable stamps from envelopes. It will also not wrinkle the paper or damage it in any way. Then it should just be a matter of re-gluing the labels where you want them. Hope this helps!

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Permalink Reply by David Alan Stevens on December 1, 2009 at 2:12pm

Hey Nathan...! I have used bestine to remove paper that was glued to cardboard. I think it was shop drawings stuck to cardboard with spray adhesive. Bestine also works to remove the paper protective coating from plexi glass. I spray glue mount paper templates and paterns to wood all the time and then remove them for re-use with bestine. I'm tellin' ya... This stuff is like magic.

Nathan King said:

Does this work on paper covered boxes, wooden ones, or both? Cuz it sounds almost too good to be true!

...now if I could just find a well stocked art store nearby...

Thanks David!

David Alan Stevens said:

Hey Bluesheart!
There is a way to remove those labels. Go to a well stocked art supply store and ask for a can of Bestine. It is a fluid that is sold for thinning rubber cement. This stuff is like magic. Moisten a clean cotton cloth and wipe across the paper label. Be not afraid. The Bestine will NOT damage or smear the ink in any way. Nor will it hurt the wood. It will almost immediately evaporate out of the paper. You may have to re-apply a number of times for the mild solvent to soak through the label and loosen the adhesive. Stamp collectors use this stuff to remove very valuable stamps from envelopes. It will also not wrinkle the paper or damage it in any way. Then it should just be a matter of re-gluing the labels where you want them. Hope this helps!

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Permalink Reply by Mama Mojo on December 2, 2009 at 6:21am

Thanks for the info, David - I have been wondering how to get these labels off without destroying them.... I know some people use a blow dryer, but that hasn't worked well for me.... I'm gonna pick up a bottle this afternoon...

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Permalink Reply by David Alan Stevens on December 2, 2009 at 6:33pm

Hey Lana...! Let us know how the Bestine works out for you. Using Bestine for these purposes is weird. Sometimes the paper you are trying to remove just falls off as if it were never glued to begin with. Other times you have to go with a gentle peeling action. Sometimes it helps to slightly saturate the glue from underneath after you have an edge lifted.
Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Braxton Nagle on December 9, 2009 at 7:07am

Excellent tip!!

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Permalink Reply by David Alan Stevens on December 9, 2009 at 8:08pm

Hey Yall'...
Just to let everyone know... I saw Bestine at a local Michael's craft store. In the art supply section.

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Permalink Reply by Matt Philip on December 28, 2009 at 5:26pm

it's not working for me I've soaked this label maybe 8 times and it's peeling off in tiny shredded bits :( and the bestine was 20 bucks ouch

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Permalink Reply by David Alan Stevens on December 28, 2009 at 8:24pm

Okay... I removed the paper from two boxes without difficulty using bestine. It may be that some boxes use a different glue. I'm very sorry if this information has mislead anyone. I have two more Macanudo boxes that seem to have labels stuck on with a less "gummy" more "hard" adhesive. I was totally unaware of this. The two boxes I did went so well, and bestine has worked for every other type of paper adhesive I have encountered. This includes postage stamps, envelopes, rubber cement and 3M contact adhesive. I would still say it's worth a shot but obviously it's not fool proof. Matt, did you try pouring a little between the paper and the wood?

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Permalink Reply by jim on December 28, 2009 at 10:36pm

A cool looking box is always nice but , aint it better to have a great sounding box?

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Permalink Reply by Matt Philip on December 29, 2009 at 4:03am

yes I tried that, I have a feeling it was carpenter glued on no big deal I'm sure it'll work well for other labels

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