I actually just successfully removed 27 UNUSED new style self adhesive type stamps. They were .44 stamps that I had stuck on envelopes for my baby shower.....but I never did mail the thank yous out...OOPS!!! I tried and tried to find an answer anywhere on the net to show me how to remove these so I could actually get my money out of them by using them on any mail I may send out in the near future.All I could find was the soak method that COULD damage the stamps and it just seemed wayyyy too time consuming for me as a business owner and a mother to a young child....as far as myself....I need to do things as quickly as possible and I am sure there are many many others just like me that need a quick and easy solution.
Here's how i removed them with 100% satisfactory results. They even still have adhesive on the back. That allowed me to be able to stick them onto something until the time comes when I may need to utilize them....although I am sure I will go ahead and get the glue stick out once I am ready to use them to ensure they stay put and my mail doesnt get returned to me all because my stamp fell off.
1. before beginning locate some type of paper that will allow you to stick your unused stamps on until the time comes for them to be used. I was able to locate some labels that I had used but still had the slick paper backing that the labels were attached to and this worked perfectly for me to stick my stamps on without having to worry about them getting permanently stuck to the paper and therefore useless. So once you have found some type of slick paper then
2. Plug your clothes iron in and I put mine on the next to highest setting as far as the amount of heat I wanted to use. Irons differ quite drastically so this may be a trial and error for each of you depending on the way your iron functions.
3. I got a nice, flat surface (actually a cutting board from my kitchen) to ensure it was level and in turn would allow my iron to disperse equal amounts of heat to each area.
4. So I have my slick paper to stick my stamps once they are removed, a flat surface to lay the envelopes, i want to remove the UNUSED stamps from, on (cutting board) and I have my iron now heated and ready to go.
5. I took my first envelope and laid it flat on my cutting board, put my iron directly onto the area where my stamp was and in a fairly quick manner I moved the iron up and down and side to side on top of the stamp I wanted to remove.
6. After maybe 5-7 seconds of heat I remove iron and peel the right upper corner of the envelope back just a bit to assist in exposing the corner of my stamp. **If you do not have fingernails I suggest you also get you some sort of object to assist you in lifting the stamp once you are done heating it with iron. If the corner of your stamp is not lifting any at all then go ahead and place it back onto the flat surface and repeat the iron process. I have fingernails. So I just begin with the corner that is exposed and start peeling my stamp up and away as I am simultaneously peeling the envelope down away from the stamp. But in a very careful way as to not rip my stamp. This can be done fast but also done effectively too. Just kind of go with the flow. Meaning once this stamp has reached a high enough amount of heat it will be rather easy to peel. So just start peeling and keep going until your stamp is removed.....Kind of a weird statement....but, try to peel quickly enough so as the stamp is still heated enough to release from the paper but peel slow enough that you dont just rip it off of the paper or even worse rip your stamp in half.
7. It needs to be done fairly quickly from the time you lift your iron to when you peel your stamp away and get it stuck onto your slick paper. It took me approximately 15-20 seconds for each stamp from start to finish. If you get this done fairly quickly then your adhesive is still warm and will cooperate much better. If you have a stubborn corner on a stamp simply lay envelope down and heat only the area you are having trouble lifting.
Just about every post I read said this was not an easy task for the new self adhesive stamps. I have to now disagree. As this was so very simple for me to do and I already had everything I needed on hand. Just as many of you will have too. The entire process for all 27 stamps took me roughly 8-10 minutes.....which to me was worth it. This method HAS to be faster and more effective than the soak method. It was for me anyways. So get busy utilizing those stamps you bought for your thank you notes, or your holiday cards that got out of sight and out of mind and are useless to you now.
**I have not tried this on the older type stamps but I am assuming this would work with that type of glue also. Maybe even easier than with the self adhesive.
I am attaching a photo of my stamps after I removed them all from envelopes and stuck them to label paper.
From what I have gathered and read on the net IT IS ILLEGAL TO RE-USE A STAMP THAT HAS WENT THROUGH THE USPS MAIL SERVICE....CANCELLED OR UNCANCELLED.
HOWEVER, FOR THOSE WHO MISTAKENLY PLACED A STAMP ON AN ENVELOPE OR EITHER CHANGED YOUR MIND ON SENDING THAT PIECE TO THAT PERSON YOU **FROM WHAT i UNDERSTAND*** ARE ALLOWED TO REMOVE THAT STAMP AND PLACE IT ON ANOTHER PIECE OF MAIL. YOU CANNOT USE TAPE TO COVER THE STAMP DUE TO THE MACHINE NOT BEING ABLE TO CANCEL THE STAMP PROPERLY.
IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS PLEASE CONTACT EITHER USPS AND DOUBLE CHECK IF WHAT YOU ARE WANTING TO DO WITH YOUR REMOVED STAMPS IS LEGAL OR SEEK SOME TYPE OF OTHER HELP BEFORE YOU GET YOURSELF INTO TROUBLE.
THIS IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND ONLY TO SHARE WITH OTHERS HOW I SUCCESSFULLY REMOVED MY STAMPS. I HOPE MANY OTHERS HAVE GREAT SUCCESS WITH THIS METHOD ALSO!!!