Was wondering if anyone else was using the BCW Comic Extenders? Also if anyone had anything good or bad to say about them?
Here is some more information about them:
The BCW Comic Book Extenders will help prevent yellowing, retards the aging process, and absorbs and neutralizes the contaminants in comic book pages. These 10 mil sheets go inside the book, next to the paper and inkone fourth of the way in from the front and back covers, only two sheets per book are necessary!
Combined with our 2 or 4 mil BCW Comic Mylar Bags and our BCW Certified Acid Free Backing Boards for stiffness and proven acid- neutralizing quality, you can't do any better to preserve your valuable collection. BCW Comic Book Extenders will extend the life of your comic and are an inexpensive alternative without sacrificing quality protection.
- Helps prevent yellowing - Slows the Aging Process - Absorbs and Neutralizes Contaminants - 10 mil thick sheets and Coated on 2 sides - Only two sheets per book are necessary! - Use with BCW Current Poly & Mylar Bags
We were - but it's an easy question with a simple answer: avoid like the plague.
These are not the same thing as the acid free backer boards these go inside the book and are suppose to neutralize similar to the ones bill cole also sells (Life-X-Tenders Plus) or microchamber do you have any references about these products? I could not find them on the page that you posted reference the wood and was wondering if there was any information specific to these items?
Registered: 10/20/07
Posts: 15407
Loc: Vernon Hills, IL
Originally Posted By: ComicDoc
Originally Posted By: mschmidt
We were - but it's an easy question with a simple answer: avoid like the plague.
These are not the same thing as the acid free backer boards these go inside the book and are suppose to neutralize similar to the ones bill cole also sells (Life-X-Tenders Plus) or microchamber do you have any references about these products? I could not find them on the page that you posted reference the wood and was wondering if there was any information specific to these items?
The BCW Extenders supposedly work like microchamber paper (the same paper CGC inserts in each slabbed book) which serves to neutralize the acids that are released as the paper in a comic book ages.
But where microchamber paper is a thin, almost-translucent sheet of paper, BCW Extenders are rigid boards almost as thick as a regular backing board. Inserting something with the heft of a regular backing board multiple places in a comic book is a recipe for disaster - over time, the BCW extenders are certain to cause undue strain on the staples which can lead to the staples popping through the paper. They're an absolutely awful product, and, quite honestly, it baffles my mind that BCW still continues to market them.
Life-X-Tenders Plus are 9mil thick (compared to the 10mil thickness of the BCW Extenders) which means that they're still too thick as well - no matter what Bill Cole says.
There's no reason to give either of these two products a second glance - just use regular, ol' microchamber paper and you'll do just fine.
Oh, and btw, BCW's "acid-free" backing boards aren't acid-free by any stretch of the imagination - the only true acid-free boards on the market are the half-backs/full-backs sold by E Gerber and the Thin-X-Tenders, Thick-X-Tenders & Life-X-Tenders sold by Bill Cole
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Thank you once again for a very insightful and informative answer. I have used mylars and acid free boxes since the 80’s and I am always looking to improve the way I store and preserve my books.
I did have the same concerned and wonder about the board thickness and whether it could possibly strain the staples and cause a “pop” which would be a bigger issue than the aging process that I wanted to retard (slow down).
The boards are definitely thinner than backer boards but are much thicker than microchamber paper. I tried them originally because I have not been able to find at decent prices until I found that "Frame it again Sam" does sell them at a decent price (but a lot more than the extenders). Do you have any other suggestions for purchasing microchamber papers?
I did correspond with the person who was supposed to be the technical expert on the boards and this was his response:
"Bienfang Acid Free Board This specialty Board is totally acid-free. This product features facing paper with a ph between 7.7 and 8.5. It's also made with a calcium carbonate buffer that provides many years of protection against pollutants that cause paper to become weak, brittle or yellow with age."
Our Extenders are coated with calcium carbonate on both sides. I have our products tested when they arrive here from the mills. I run three test "Elmendorf tear test", a hot extraction pH test, and an Alkaline Reserve Test. At the lab the samples are conditioned to standard TAPPI temperature of 73 F and 50% relative humidity. During the last test done in Aug, 2006 we tested Our Standard Board (Current and Silver), Extenders (Silver), and a competitive board from the major distributor of current comic books boards.
Alkaline reserve. Nearly all alkaline paper contains calcium carbonate as a filler. The average paper contains at least 2% and occasionally as much as 30% filler by weight. The standard requires only 2%. This calcium carbonate, an alkaline reserve, keeps the pH of paper and board from declining as time goes on. Even alkaline papers will eventually become acidic, without an alkaline reserve.
Ours cost $3.40 for 200 theirs $186.00 for 200...Gee maybe I should raise my price. I would test some else board but they are to expensive.
Thanks
Dana Kellum Manager Internet Sales
I would be very interested in your thoughts on his explanation as you have a much greater depth of knowledge in this area than I do.
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Registered: 10/20/07
Posts: 15407
Loc: Vernon Hills, IL
Originally Posted By: ckb
What boards are $186 for 200?
I'm assuming that Dana is referring to the Life-X-Tenders Plus manufactured by Bill Cole - they're $132 for 200 on the BCEMylar website ... which is insane.
_________________________ Looking for: Neil Gaiman rarities Cerebus #1 in VF/NM or better
Registered: 10/20/07
Posts: 15407
Loc: Vernon Hills, IL
My problem is solely with the thickness of the BCW extender itself - if they were selling it as a backing board, fair enough. But they're selling it as an insert, telling people that "these 10 mil sheets go inside the book, next to the paper and one fourth of the way in from the front and back covers" which, due to the weight of the board, is just a terrible idea.
In regards to their "current boards", however, they're being just as misleading as all the other standard backing board manufacturers - what they failed to mention is that the "8.01 pH" they measured on their current board is from testing the shiny (eg. coated) side. If they'd tested the other side of the board, the results would be very different.
Anyway ... if you're looking for other supplies of microchamber paper, I can recommend either PM'ing board member grinin or buying straight from http://www.conservationresources.com/ - both of those should be cheaper than Frame it Again, Sam.
Edited by mschmidt (01/15/1106:18 PM) Edit Reason: Removed erroneous information
_________________________ Looking for: Neil Gaiman rarities Cerebus #1 in VF/NM or better
