Stamps are delicate little pieces of paper, so be careful! To remove stamps from an envelop, first cut off the corner of the envelop where the stamp is glued and place this in a small pan of warm water, face down. After a few minutes, the stamp will float off the paper and sink to the bottom of the pan. Allow a few more minutes for any remaining gum (glue) to dislodge from the stamp, then lift the stamp out of the pan using tongs with flat ends, or tweezers. Many new collectors will touch stamps with their fingers, but it is better to handle them with tongs; for even if your hands are clean, oil from your skin can damage stamps. Stamps with the new, "invisible´ gum are trickier to dry because they tend to retain gum after soaking and stick fast to paper when drying. Dry these stamps facedown with nothing touching the back side, and then flatten them later if they curl. Your local library should have available detailed handbooks on stamp collecting and preservation. It is best to use a small strip of thin plastic, gummed on one side, to put stamps in your storage place or recommended stamp album. These plastic strips are commonly known as hinges in the hobby and come commerically either folded or unfolded. Collectors may want to use mounts instead of hinges to prevent air and dirt from damaging your stamps and to keep excess moisture from distrubing the gum. A mount is a small, clear (usually plastic) sleeve into which the entire stamp is placed. All of these supplies make wonderful birthday and Christmas presents!
