Box art salvage

I don't like destroying/hiding the beautiful labels inside the lids. Any tricks for removing them in one piece and re-applying? Thought about steam, but they are paper so I think they would tear. Heat?

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  • It seems that the enzyme treatment used to remove wall paper (Zim something or other from the hardware store) should disolve the glue as well as it would on wall paper (I've had good luck with this stuff for wallpaper removal).
    A blunt putty knife worked under the edge helped with difficult spots and gouged in less than a blade.
    Good luck.
    PRH

    Bluesheart said:
    Well, I tried. Hair drier worked like magic on the outside labels and the trim part of the inside one. The main inside one was a different story (San Cristobel, with the flying parrot). Heat applied for 1/2 hr but it would not budge. Tried steam, bad idea! Then I soaked the whole label in goo-gone, let it sit for a few hours, still would not lift at all. I don't know what they glued that puppy in with, but it was the good stuff! I finally just pulled a big tear through the middle so I could get it off my to do list!! I have a Gloria Cubana that seems to be the same type of inside label, I may just flip the top inside out on that one, except it is curved at the edges. Hey, I'm not complaining, just updatin'.

    Bluesheart said:
    OK cool, I will try that first. Thanks again.

    John Sims said:
    You don't need a razor blade with the hair dryer trick! Just get the edge curled up ever so slightly and work it slowly if you want to save and re-use them. Takes time but well worth it...
  • You can also find unused antique cigar labels all over eBay. I live in an area that was a huge cigar producing area in the early half of the 20th C. Antique stores everywhere have these labels.
  • I have some vintage boxes that hide nice labels on the inside, I just flipped the lid...
  • Well, I tried. Hair drier worked like magic on the outside labels and the trim part of the inside one. The main inside one was a different story (San Cristobel, with the flying parrot). Heat applied for 1/2 hr but it would not budge. Tried steam, bad idea! Then I soaked the whole label in goo-gone, let it sit for a few hours, still would not lift at all. I don't know what they glued that puppy in with, but it was the good stuff! I finally just pulled a big tear through the middle so I could get it off my to do list!! I have a Gloria Cubana that seems to be the same type of inside label, I may just flip the top inside out on that one, except it is curved at the edges. Hey, I'm not complaining, just updatin'.

    Bluesheart said:
    OK cool, I will try that first. Thanks again.

    John Sims said:
    You don't need a razor blade with the hair dryer trick! Just get the edge curled up ever so slightly and work it slowly if you want to save and re-use them. Takes time but well worth it...
  • OK cool, I will try that first. Thanks again.

    John Sims said:
    You don't need a razor blade with the hair dryer trick! Just get the edge curled up ever so slightly and work it slowly if you want to save and re-use them. Takes time but well worth it...
  • You don't need a razor blade with the hair dryer trick! Just get the edge curled up ever so slightly and work it slowly if you want to save and re-use them. Takes time but well worth it...
  • Thanks for the swift replies and great tips. Everyone is soooo helpful in the Nation! Love it! I think I'll try some of both first, heat and razor blade, and save the goo-gone as my fall back position.
  • I was trying to get one off, one piece or not I did not care, and used goo-gone and a razor blade. Sure enough it came off nice and neat in one piece and after drying for a day or so it was good to reuse. Believe me, that was not my original intent!
  • Use a hair dryer. It's not too hot that it burns the label, It won't damage the labels and makes them peel of very easily. Just take your time removing them and the labels are completely salvageable. Works for all sorts of labels, even the price/bar code stickers.
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