Mending

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Splits, tears, and rips are some of the most common forms of damage that conservators face when repairing paper documents. Luckily, mending these types of damage is relatively easy, and one of the most common methods to do so requires only wheat starch paste and lens tissue paper. This is what students in the Treatment Techniques utilized to mend the tears they encountered.

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As its name implies, wheat starch paste is an adhesive made from wheat starch and water. Conservators favor wheat starch paste because it is a very strong adhesive, very smooth, and can be thinned out quite easily. If water is added to the wheat starch paste, it becomes sticky again, meaning that it can make the conservator’s work reversible. It also does not yellow or damage the paper as it ages.

Lens tissue paper is ideal for repairing torn paper because it is unbuffered and has a neutral pH. It is made of the both strong and soft fibers of the abacá plant.

To mend a simple tear in paper, first check to see if each side of the tear lines up evenly. Then, measure the tear and cut an appropriately size, shape, and color piece of lens tissue paper to match the tear. Next, carefully apply a thin layer of wheat starch paste with a brush to one side of the tear. Then, apply a thin layer of wheat starch paste with a brush to the lens tissue paper and place it on top of the tear. Rub the lens tissue paper with a folder tool and silicon paper to help the paper adhere to the tear and prevent any damage to the document. Then, press the tear down with a blotter, glass, and a weight. After letting it dry, then cut any remaining edges of the lens tissue paper.

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Sources and Useful Resources:

https://www.talasonline.com/Greens-Lens-Tissue?quantity=1&Form=104