This old binder in St. Louis told me he never wears gloves when handling acid-free paper.

He said the natural oils from your hands help condition the fibers, but after my last project turned a weird shade, I'm starting to think he was just messing with a rookie, or is there some truth to that?

2 comments

2 Comments

lee.cole2d ago

Read a study from a museum conservation lab that said skin oils are pure acid and cause permanent damage over time. That old binder gave you terrible advice, maybe as a prank or from outdated training. The weird shade on your project is likely the start of that oil-based decay. Always wear nitrile gloves with acid-free paper, no exceptions. Your hands have salts and grease that paper absorbs like a sponge.

felix3852d ago

Pure acid" sounds like a huge stretch, honestly.