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Full disclosure: I'm a stamp collector, have been for 25 years of my life.

I lived in Pakistan when I started, and I've been through termites, monsoons the works in weather there.

My collection is only on stockbooks, it makes it easier to organize and carry around.

I own more than a 100 of them since I collect world wide. I also collect used rather than mint stamps.

I recently got an email from Glen Stephens and his sale of his stock books. In it he writes that:



This is highly disingenuous to Asian stock books. All my stock books are Chinese made and the oldest of them is 23 years and its still running stock. The stamps have been perfectly preserved, no damage on them.

Especially in Pakistani weather, which is more humid and worse than anything in Australia, they have persevered very well. They are perfectly made and I've loved them.

In contrast stock books from West Germany have been the bane of my existence. They are commonly found with bent pages, ripped inter leaf sheets, sticky sheets which rip when you try to open them, those little rows are stuck and opening them rips the entire thing to shreds.

Aside from the physical defects most within a month or so lose their tightness and start dropping stamps like its raining.

I do not know what Glen is taking about because so far Chinese stockbooks are a god send for me and my collection and I've found none of the defects that he talks about.

For the sake of clarity he should put in "This is my experience" or something so that he does not mislead people from these stock books which work.

I can see this going well.

_________________
With kind regards, Jim

Well our Pakistani friend is of course entitled to his opinion, no matter how wrong it might be.

Just do not ever try and sell your 'valued collection' to ME please, that is all I will beg of you! The mind boggles.

German made stockbooks these days can be very low in cost - I am offering them now for $A15 apiece for 32 page books - which is where you saw my comments -

http://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=35382

And at that price are half the cost of Hagner sheets. Which is why they are selling so well.

Chinese made books are, and have always been for the 30+ years I have been a dealer, a total and unmitigated DISASTER for storing stamps or covers - or anything else..

They were sold here by the millions literally by supermarket chains in the 1970s and 1980s - mostly KMart and Woolworths.

They cost $2.99 each for a great deal of that time. How do I know - as many I buy still have the little yellow price tag top right cover.

"Flying Eagle" was one the of best sellers of these truly wonderful books.

Sadly in country areas it was the ONLY type of stockbook on offer, so that is why so many were sold.

Near every kid's collection ever formed here from the 1970s is housed in these horrible things.

Now for our Pakistani new member friend - and others - lets have a little eduction lesson here.

Cardboard is wood pulp. Trees are pulped into chips, and the slurry is pressed into cardboard.

Cheap cardboard is left untreated. i.e. it is highly ACIDIC. Anyone with a modicum of common sense knows that stamp products stored in any Acidic Medium means a death sentence for them.

More expensive board is bleached, to lower the acidity and PH level of the board. Bleaching costs money. The German makers used that board, the Chinese did not. Simple as that.

Stamps stored in a humid climate like Eastern coastal Australia, or most parts of South East Asia are in a very HUMID environment.

i.e. there is a heap of moisture in the air for months each year.

Moisture and stamps are also a death sentence combination, as it breeds mould or rust or foxing. Moisture absorbed from the air to acidic board, is essentially creating a weak acidic bath.

So lets see - so far we have these wonderful "Flying Eagle" books 'protecting' your stamps via the weak acid BATH they create Clever stuff. But it does not stop there.

"Flying Eagle" books were too cheap to use glassine strips to hold the stamps in place.

Glassine is a well proven PH neutral paper substance that the Germans have used for decades for that reason. It protects stamps.

But it is expensive. "Flying Eagle" were sold for $2.99, so nothing costly could be used, so they settled for a thin PVC plastic film.

PVC is of course also a disaster to store stamps in, (we NOW realise) but do we think "Flying Eagle" cared?

The thin strips of PVC plastic also had another neat feature that all the $2.99 buyers seemed to like.

It contracted i.e. SHRUNK when it got damp. As of course occurs in humid climates.

So those 8 or 10 strips across each page shrunk over time - and got "tighter" but the cardboard did not.

Now you do not have to be a Physics Professor to now that this will warp the pages, and that is what one finds on near all "Flying Eagle" type books.

Warped and buckled pages - so that stamps are so tight on 1 side so you cannot move them, and they fall out on the other side when you turn the pages. Brilliant stuff.

The Europeans use linen hinging for securing all pages to the spine. i.e. when you open out 2 pages they lie perfectly flat. And will so do 1000 times as linen is fabric. It will stand the wear.

"Flying Eagle" type books did not run to such niceties. They simply bound the cardboard pages together at the spine. So the pages do NOT open out flat, and after a 100 or so openings, the paper often tears at the spine making the book useless.

Unlike our Pakistani friend who might have a few of these gems, as a dealer I have bought and handled and turned the pages of TENS OF THOUSANDS of these disasters over my 30+ years as a full time dealer.

There is more rust/toning/foxing to stamps caused by these "Flying Eagle" books than any other storage medium ever marketed, and that is a FACT.

Whether anyone in Pakistan or India, or Malaysia or Sri Lanka agrees with that or not, it remains a FACT.

Chinese made stockbooks are, and have always been, a total disaster to store stamps in, and that is advice from a professional.

In the same period I have handled 10,000s of German made books. I personally sell 1000s a year in fact.

These comments below are from someone from another planet from where I live as they are just not true - in fact these words sum up the "Flying Eagle" type books, not the German 'Lighthouse' ones.

Who knows what he was using, but they were not made by 'Lighthouse' who are renowned for their quality.

Thank you for the condescending reply.



I do not plan to sell it to you or buy from you with that attitude.

.

I do not know if this "flying eagle" brand is the only one you get in Australia, but unlike that, I use "Tiger Stamps" brand that is commonly available in Pakistan.



Then you problem is not with the Chinese stock books, but with KMart and Woolworth's buyers who order the factories to produce these books for a cheap price. You get what you pay for.



Thank you once again for the condescending reply. I do not need to be educated on the process of how stock books are created. I understand them well enough.



You assumption on this is wrong again. I do not own whatever these "flying eagle" brand is.



No it does not. You are only talking about your region of Australia not for the whole of Australia and are just expressing, what in the academic world is called an OPINION. Do you sufficient scholarly work to prove that the "Flying Eagle" brand not just in Australia but the entire world function as you so describe? I do not think so.



Professional to who? Me? I don't consider you any sort of professional, just some store keep wishing to sell his stock on his opinion. I do not see any published work done by you that makes you any sort of "professional".



How nice, disregarding my opinion as being "crazy". The fact is that these stock books were Lighthouse and expensive ones at that. They are not suitable for the environment of Pakistan and compared to the Chinese made stock books I have had much more success at keeping it free from warping, being damaged or industrial defections.

I'm sorry that you toot your horn over these ones made in Germany, but the fact is that environments in Pakistan is not conductive to these stock books and rather the Chinese stock books are much more effective.

Once again I state that this is only your opinion nothing else.

These are Flying Eagle stockbooks (I don't know if the ones Glen mentioned are the same - there might be different types):





I previously had my world collection in these albums - most of the mint stamps became toned. Fortunately I didn't have any 'good' stamps there - my Commonwealth and Malta stamps are now in ring binders (I intend to transfer the world stamps into these pages as well... someday ).

_________________
My wantlist for Malta Revenues

Again you are entitled to your opinion.

As to my published works, here are 150 or so detailed pieces, to spend your weekend reading - you may actually learn something about stamps -

http://www.glenstephens.com/column.html

I have been Managing Editor, Executive Editor, Managing Director, Board Member - even sole owner and publisher, of monthly and well respected internationally circulated glossy colour stamp and numismatic magazines.

As to being a "professional" I have been selling stamp full time for over 30 years.

As a valid comparison, the average Medical or Dental Specialist does 6 or 7 years study to be qualified.

You soak cheap Kiloware it seems from your blog.

Lets read comments from other members as to whether they share your love of Asian Stockbooks, over Lighthouse ones.

Glen

Publishing in your own website does not count as "professional". I could be considered a "professional" on Central Asian Stamps and Pakistan but I don't like to give myself lofty titles when I have no need of them.



Bravo. You seemed to have picked up on one aspect of my hobby. "Cheap Kiloware" I laugh at that.

I live in Tropical North Queensland where humidity is high & winters are cold & wet, it makes sense to buy "Lighthouse" so my stamps will last longer then me.

I have made some errors while talking about stamps and it feels good inside that people here help me correct those errors.

I have made a lot of friends here. I see you have made only two (2) on your blog & they are still waiting for that first article from April 11, 2011.

There is no reason to get upset with people here, they love to help and you be happy with the knowledge going around from people all over the world.

Michael

I have used both types of albums and that is why my shelves are full of Lighthouse and not the chinese ones.

I must admit I have 2 chinese albums which have been fine and they are the only ones I have.

I have never had the kind of problems you talk about Katchem_ash and you should have taken it back for a refund.

Are you sure it was a Lighthouse? I'm talking brand names here not look-a-likes.

I will leave it up to members to guess what I keep in my chinese albums and what I keep in my Lighthouse

Did you even look at the link?

These are archives of printed feature articles which have been published in Linns (United States), Australian Stamp Monthly, Australasian Stamps, Australian Stamp News, and elsewhere globally.

Perhaps you should do a bit of research before making yourself look like a fool.

I might add that Glen was also used as a consultant in the ABC TV/Australia Post production The Stamp of Australia.

I too join in the cry against those Chinese thick Cardboard stockbooks. The pages bend, the inserts shrink, making for very interesting contents when you open the damn things, whereas I have never had any problems with German.

Oh, I did have one German book where there was a problem on opening. I sent it back and got a free replacement.

Norm

_________________
Geelong, VFA Premiers 1878, 1879, 1800, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, AFL Premiers 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009, 2011, .

The Asian stockbooks I own have come in various junk lots from different dealers, including Glen.

What is stored inside them is generally worthless - and in poor condition from being stored in that stockbook.

So I wouldn't put anything decent in them.

Above is a list of reasons why in the long run these are BAD. if you are storing stamps worth 5c each, you'd be better off guy using an envelope .... Less work for you anyway.

What does one do with them all?

Well depending on condition, some I just throw into our rubbish skip as part of our annual household archeology days we have when we clean up everything.

Others I fill up with bulk off paper cheap stamps I have no use for, and sell at a market for $5 - $10 each, sometimes I sell a couple, other times none.

Personally I think Asian stockbooks are a pretty useless way of storage, as they are bad for stamps.

I buy brand new HAGNER sheets, which cost more but "Quality is priceless" sometimes.



Cheers - Tassie

The red piece is interesting. Katchem_ash may simply not realise how bad his stamps are?

Long experience shows me collectors from the sub-continent are in GENERAL not very condition conscious. (Ditto for most China based stamps buyers.) It seems they a genuinely unaware the material is bin fodder for most collectors in the West.

A member here got over $2000 this week for this - creased, with tone spots, and only bearing the cheap low values of the set! The Buyers there do not fazed about poor condition.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ws/eBayISAPI ... true&rt=nc

I am mailed things all the time from the sub continent, despite my buying page stating in the strongest of terms I will NOT accept stamps mailed from there, from anyone -

http://www.glenstephens.com/buying.html

Why? As long experience has taught me most senders mail worthless junk, generally in that are in APPALLING condition, that cost me 50 times more effort to respond to, return and argue about, than they are ever worth.

The backs of the mint are often deep chocolate brown, and the used heavily foxed. Maybe storage in those great Asian stockbooks keeps them looking so nice?

And mint OR used - NOTHING with a missing corner or 2, or crease or tear or dreadful cancel is ever tossed away there it appears. They are all "major rarities".

Nearly all are described glowingly to me as being 'perfect rare stamps" and so on.

The value of this junk in their eyes equates to a small car in most cases, and that makes it worse. So I just do not bother anyone, after returning or dumping the past 200 sendings of it.

Glen

My stamps bad? You Glen are the epitome of haughtiness and frankly a disgusting individual. My stamps are neither torn, nor have "brown spots" nor are they damaged. I only collect used and the few new pieces I do have, have their gum like it was new.

Your ideas of Asians collectors show nothing but a racist individual.

Your incapacity to even read what is being said is becoming legendary already. Just as you did not understand that Glen is a published writer, and has been in stamp magazines for more than 30 years, since you did not bother to so much as click on the provided link, you need to check out our membership profile.

We have many members from India, Pakistan, China Japan, Phillipines, Malaysia and other Asian nations who get along quite happily with so-called "racist" Glen and the rest of the Board. Can you find one comment on this or any other thread that can be implied as racist? Of course not!

And Moderators are instructed to remove everything which can be construed to be racist (not that we need reminding)

Chinese stockbooks as mentioned on this and many other threads on the Board for the past 5 years are a self destruction machine. It has nothing to do with where they come from (I happily wear a $15 Chinese watch which has been functioning perfectly for a couple of years) it has everything to do with the quality of cardboard, or should I say lack of quality.

As Homer Simpson once said when he was being tried for something...

play the race card, come on, play it


You are playing it like Homer tried to, but to an empty hall.

_________________
Geelong, VFA Premiers 1878, 1879, 1800, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, AFL Premiers 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009, 2011, .

This is indeed a sad day to call someone racist, especially when many of our friends here are from Asian Countries and we respect each other, please don't use that word on SB.


I don't feel good at all.


Michael

This post is just for the benefit of the opening poster who is convincing himself that Asian albums are the best way to store stamps.

I hate racism and there sure isn't any here.

Oh, BTW, one of our Moderators, who was asked by Glen to become a Moderator before I was is Malaysian - crosscrescent, or Andrew to those of us who know him either through the Board and/or through personal contact.

Norm

_________________
Geelong, VFA Premiers 1878, 1879, 1800, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, AFL Premiers 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009, 2011, .

So, let's take a look at the record. Since I buy a lot of junk lots, I will probably be over represented here, but, here we go:

Posted 27 June 2007


Posted July 19 2008


Posted Nov 30 2008


Posted on Jan 31 2009


Posted Nov 23 2009



Posted on 2 May 2010


Posted June 3 2010


Posted on September 3 2010


I could go on if you like...

Norm

_________________
Geelong, VFA Premiers 1878, 1879, 1800, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, AFL Premiers 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009, 2011, .

Whenever someone's losing an argument and plays the raaaaacism card, I always fondly think of Godwin's Rule

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_rule


Scott

Not because I live in Germany, but I prefer Lighthouse stock books (Lindner or Hawid are my second choice). I had several chinese stock books (can´t remember the brand) and the quality of the books was not very good. The stamps- even here in Germany- were not good- brown spots and so on.

_________________
Truth is the daughter of time

I think that the prosecution can rest. Here is where our members come from:






Norm

_________________
Geelong, VFA Premiers 1878, 1879, 1800, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, AFL Premiers 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009, 2011, .

I have a couple of rusty stockbooks exiled to the naughty cupboard.

One is a Chinese stockbook that I've had for over 20 years and shows very bad toning around many of the stamps. I've moved the stamps around before taking the photos so the rusty auras could be seen.



I should really burn the whole thing!

I also have a Davo stockbook (made in The Netherlands) of roughly the same vintage. It hasn't been immune to the Sydney weather. There is some spotting within the book but it didn't photograph well, but does show up on the top of all the pages.




The take home message here is that both cheap-and-nasty Chinese stockbooks and more expensive European ones will all succumb to the ravages of a warm humid climate.

The only way to avoid this is to buy albums with slipcases (or move to the mountains )

I didn't invent this bright idea, I'm pretty sure that Glen has been spruiking this for at least a decade or more. In fact that is why I now only use albums that come with a custom slipcase, I listened to good advice.

Lighthouse have a big range and I'm sure other European manufacturers would offer similar products.


Scott

Yes lets take a look by me directly scanning stamps that have been in various ages in my "Tiger Stamp" brand Chinese stock books:

Stamps from 20 years old:







Stamps 15 years old:







Stamps 10 years old:





Should I go on? I don't see any of the crap that you "claim" to happen.

Not haughty, and not racist, but a statement of sad fact, speaking from 30 years painful experience after 100s of clueless sellers from the sub-continent have mailed me bin fodder assuring me this garbage truly is worth $1000s.

Collectors often have no idea, as the stamps all around them are also foxed and tatty, so they assume that is all that exists. Seeing you appear to only buy kiloware, maybe the cruddy older stuff has not crossed your path yet.

However I still bet you would be astounded if a real dealer sat next to you, and looked at your books of stamps that YOU feel are fine. That is often the case - with collectors from a range of backgrounds.

MOST collectors cannot see mild foxing - it just does not gel with them.

You attack my comments on Asian stockbooks, and attack the quality of "Lighthouse" books, yet not a single post above agrees with your very curious point of view.

That is not racism, but in this case REALISM.

Take a look at your OWN huffy posts before hurling around insults.

Your website has not been updated for 12 months yet you have the arrogant cheek to post this -

I don't consider you any sort of professional, just some store keep wishing to sell his stock on his opinion. I do not see any published work done by you that makes you any sort of "professional".

I'll let others here judge your unique level of impact on the stamp world versus mine, based on your blog page and wave of support it has been garnering from your peers -

Its called a life Glen, maybe you should live it. I certainly did not have any plans to make the blog a permanent fixture, I did it because I was in the mood. I really don't care what comments you direct at my blog since my stamp life excludes it and has excluded it for more than 2 years. If I feel like writing again I will and I'll make sure to give you a big fat email to announce the re-start of my blog.

Besides, all your doing it directing traffic at my blog. Great going, should I pay you for your advertisement?

So, having seen what you scanned, where do you keep your valuable stamps?

I do have Chinese stockbooks where I keep duplicated junk, but my real collection belongs in real Stockbooks. And as beautiful downtown Lara has rather benign weather, I do not have the issues that tropical and sub tropical areas have.

Norm

_________________
Geelong, VFA Premiers 1878, 1879, 1800, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, AFL Premiers 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009, 2011, .

You are the one who calls it DAILY and added it to your signature line here.

Well then, maybe you should change your current signature -

The Daily Stamp Collector:- http://dailystampcollector.blogspot.com

to -

The Almost Yearly Stamp Collector:- http://annualstampcollector.blogspot.com

A slow day in blogland.

_________________
Stick with stamps

But still a huge range of German stockbooks in your shelf (15. May 2010) or did you replaced them?

Joke beside: Sometimes you get a "defective" stock book- even of Lighthouse. Lighthouse has got a cheaper range of books in a very high quality and it happens that you get a book with a defect.

But you can use what you want and if your experiences told you that the chinese stock books are good then use them. It´s your free will.

_________________
Truth is the daughter of time

Visitors at the moment. I hit enter on this some time back and it has sat in behind a new post or three for some time.

I find that word comes out in a debate when you don't have anything else to hang your hat on.

In my line of work when I take someone to task for behaving, criminally, abysmally or stupidly, in many cases the first words out of their mouth are: "You'e only picking on me because I'm .................." Insert race or colour there.

Playing the victim when you are in the wrong is very popular these days in a politically correct society where we do not dare offend anyone with the truth.

_________________
We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.

Folks - rather than discussing a clearly dead-in-the-water blog about kiloware, lets stick to member comments on their personal experiences with Chinese stockbooks and Lighthouse stockbooks.

A good idea this topic was raised as correct stamp storage cannot be over-emphasised.

I am doing the monthly Expert talk next month at a large Sydney Stamp Society on just that topic - "poor stamp storage" - if anyone cares to come along and discuss it in person!

Glen

What a pity - too far away for me ....

_________________
Truth is the daughter of time

All I know for a fact, is that there is a reason those cheap Chinese stockbooks cost about $10 and not $60 like all the proper archival quality well known branded ones do and it has nothing to do with being racist or any of the rest of whatever that rant was that started this thread.

We may have found the only member who has never had a problem with his cheap stockbooks in a humid and hot climate. Didn't all those stockbooks have white pages? What are many of your stamps doing with black backgrounds and for how long did you keep them in Pakistan and under what conditions did you store them?

If you want to mouth of at the rest of the worlds collecting knowledge and known experience at least show and explain some better evidence instead of insulting those that disagree.

I can talk from vast experience as I own about 8 different brands of stockbooks and can with complete honesty say that the cheap Chinese ones are the worst for storing stamps long term.

When the Chinese chose to produce a good quality archival one I'll be happy to try it out.

_________________
Greg - Looking for Goulburn Australia Cancels and Grangemouth Scotland Cancels and Covers
Member of the S.T.A.M.P Club for Slightly Twisted And Mad Philatelists - Motto: "Bring back the lick!"

Those are the defective Lighthouse or other German brands that I replaced last year when I went back to Pakistan. There is no method of returning them back to the seller and I'd rather not waste my money on shipping them back to Germany. Now I have all my stamps in chinese stockbooks.



All stamps are valuable to me. I haven't cataloged them all yet but when the expensive ones show up, I'll certainly let you know.



That is the scanned stamps with the cover open as opposed to the cover closed which produced white backgrounds. I will not damage my stock books tryign to scan them.

Yes all with the exception of one or two are white pages.

It was a scanning process which produced the black backgrounds. The ones in white is with the lid closed as opposed to the lid open (black stripey backgrounds).

I lived all my live in Pakistan, I only am in Canada for my studies and once their over I'll return. Therefore they have been there the entire time I've collected them. The conditions were that they were kept in a book shelf. No temperature controlled devices. The climate is rough for the weak Lighthouse and other German brands, but relatively light and easy going on Chinese stockbooks.

Well given that Glen lives in a huge house overlooking Sydney Harbour, has a lovely partner (Norm, sucking up to Margo), makes at least four overseas trips per year, for weeks at a time, including South America, Northern Europe, Antarctica and all the "normal" places, he is probably not doing too bad as far as "having a life" goes.



So, if you don't want to do it, delete it.



Trust me on this. I have not clicked on your blog, and if the quality of information that you have provided here is the same as that on your Blog, I never will.

At least Glen's articles on his Home Page are articles that have been published in respected Philatelic Media for the past 30 years, which you apparently refuse to acknowledge, and refuse to apologise for your ignorant comment about him being "unpublished"

Typical stuff! When in doubt, ignore your mistakes pretend you never said anything, and try another approach, and is one of the most annoying things about some internet trolls.

You have the capacity to do this more than most people. It is popularly called the Gish Gallop (look that up on Google if you know how to find Google)

Yes, you can ignore your mistakes and pretend they never happened. Unfortunately for you, they are a permanent record here, so anybody can work out what you are.

Norm

_________________
Geelong, VFA Premiers 1878, 1879, 1800, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, AFL Premiers 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009, 2011, .

I am asking the moderators to please consider locking this thread.

Do we really need to keep it open?

I personally find him very insulting and feel very uneasy reading his tripe.

I also feel that he is not interested in any one elses opinion so why bother with him.

I doubt very much if there is one person who agrees with Katchem_ash regarding his preferred brand of stock books.

I agree he is entitled to his opinion. However I disagree entirely with the way he is deliberately insulting to any one else who has a different opinion to his.

I feel that Stampboards would be a better place without him.

_________________
Ken

Typical.

My stamps prove that Chinese Stock Books do work but they rather do as the three monkeys do, see no evil except the Chinese Stock Books, speak no evil except the Chinese Stock books, hear no evil except the Chinese stock books.

No, they are not the only evil. Just one of many evils which this Board attempts to educate people about. I could post scans of stamps which did come from Chinese stockbooks which shows exactly what can happen as far as toning and damage goes.

But it does not provide a whole lot of evidence, as I could also post scans of stamps which also came from Chinese Stockbooks which show no damage. In either case, neither of our posts proves anything, as neither of us can actually "prove" where they came from.

Norm

_________________
Geelong, VFA Premiers 1878, 1879, 1800, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, AFL Premiers 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009, 2011, .

Thanks Ken for your suggestion. There is a useful discussion to be had about the relative merits of various storage modes but agree that it is not really occurring here.

Katchem_ash- you have made your position clear as has Glen. It is possible that you have had access to a better quality chinese stockbook than those available in Australia.

I haven't been able to find any info on Tiger brand on google to see if they have glassine strips for example? Pictures of a couple of pages would be helpful.

So far most endorse the german-styled albums but maybe some other members from really humid areas might like to add their experiences?

But ladies and gentlemen keep on topic and play nice or the thread will definitely be locked.

(BTW thanks for the compliment Norm)

I have found Lighthouse stockbooks are prone to foxing/toning also, I had one album that did end up like this-don't know about Lindner though.

Well people get wet too when it rains. And dusty in a dust storm.

Where were you based when this occurred?

For instance in a highly humid place like Cairns or Malaysia or PNG ANY book will be damp most of the year. In Norway it will not be.

Lighthouse adds an anti-fungal treatment to the cardboard, but if damp most of the year, stamps in there will be affected - pure common sense - FAR less so than in a Chinese book in the same location however.

Since I was 8 years old, I have only used Leuchtturm in Switzerland and the past 30 years Lighthouse in Australia!
Never ever had any problems with this brand!

I just came back from a trip to Townsville, where my son lives, hoping that mum and I would move up there to retire....!



......what a beautiful place up there .....but after learning a little more about the tropical climate,

I decided.....that even my Lighthouse books would not be happy up there......I will stay where I am

Peter

Of course people could do the sensible thing and live in Canberra. No rust in stamps here A stamp collectors paradise.

Good for cars also - no rust in Canberra cars.

Only rusted on politicians sent here by everyone else

Rabbit

Utter tripe. There are members here from all nations of the world. No one is treated differently because of where they come from.

_________________
With kind regards, Jim

That says it all really. I can open my German stock books in the middle, and because of the linen hinges, it opens completely flat. I can scan without any damage to the book whatsoever. You have just blown your own argument out of the water.

_________________
With kind regards, Jim

I doubt very much if there is one person who agrees with Katchem_ash regarding his preferred brand of stock books.

This is an online forum, not a Censorship Board for the exercise of banning members who disagree with differing or opposing opinions.

If that were the case there would be very few members who offer dissenting views left.

So why would your opinions carry any more weight regardless of the 'evidence' supplied contrary to "Katchem_ash" ?

Forum is defined as " a meeting or medium where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged".

Whether individuals agree or disagree is totally irrelevant, the forum provides the conduit for the expression of opinions, ideas and beliefs.

A rather ironic time to be discussing the merits of independent thought, freedom of expression and beliefs with Anzac Day just three days away....

Gringo, no one said "ban this member", but lock the thread, as it was quickly becoming just a slanging match and a weirdly slanted racist tone.

From the opening post the tirade was against a person and his opinion.

Fine, have an opinion. However back it up with logic and evidence and don't resort to
name calling.

Besides, the forum may be public, but is privately owned. It might be a mini UN and there will be dissagreements, but there are still rules.

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Greg - Looking for Goulburn Australia Cancels and Grangemouth Scotland Cancels and Covers
Member of the S.T.A.M.P Club for Slightly Twisted And Mad Philatelists - Motto: "Bring back the lick!"

I cannot agree more.

On my bookself there are Chinese albums made in the 1950s (old enough eh?) and 1980s as well as German Lighthouse which I bought 20 years ago.

In theory, yes, Lighthouse is of way better quality, but when it comes to long term storage, it is just as what Scott said, "... all succumb to the ravages of a warm humid climate." Lighthouse does not show its superiority.

Stock books are not meant for long term storage after all. All my worthing-more-than-a-penny stamps are in Lighthouse binder with slipcase.