Decals wont come off backing

[o-man]

Got an old Tamiya NSX. For some reason the decals will not come off paper backing. I've let soak in water for 5-10 minutes and still nothing. Help! Please?

Decal sheet says to remove translucent edge, which I don't see in picture below. Thanks for looking.

Edited May 28, 2013 by o-man

[vypurr59]

I would try to use a setting solution. Many brands are out there. Or could these be peel off vinyl?

Edited May 25, 2013 by vypurr59

[MAGNUM4342]

A setting solution won't help old decals come off the paper. At least not in my experience.

[DanielG]

Looks like they have bonded to the paper. I would play around with the branding portion of the sheet to see if I could find some way of releasing them. If all else fails photograph or copy it and make a new sheet (if a replacement is unavailable).

Edited May 25, 2013 by DanielG

[MAGNUM4342]

The translucent portion is the clear surrounding the decals. It has yellowed with age because the glue has degraded. You could try getting them to separate by slipping a razor blade in the edge, but that's not going to help when you try to get them to stick. Those decals are shot. If you can't find a replacement set, you'll need to scan them into a computer at a minimum of 300dpi and reprint them on new decal paper.

[Art Anderson]

Actually, decals are made with three principal products: clear, or colored lacquer for the basic decal film (any colors on top of those are printed in a slow drying lacquer), the "glue" (which almost always is nothing more than clear gelatin (There's always room for Jell-O!), on top of blotting paper (which readily absorbs water, allows the gelatin "glue" to be softened from underneath.

I've had the occasion, over the years when seemingly a decal would not loosen on the paper. For starters, always use warm, nearly hot water, as that seems to penetrate the decal paper more quickly, and the warmer the water, the quicker it will soften and liquify the gelatin. Almost always, I have been able to get them to release by wetting a thumb and forefinger then pinching the decal sheet (soaking wet already, of course!) and squeezing it hard between those two digits. More often than not that seems to force water completly in and through the blotting paper backing, allowing the decal to be slid off the paper and onto the model.

As for yellowing of old decal film--that's the film yellowing, not the gelatin--many older lacquers and most clear enamels will yellow over time, all on their own, again from 60+ years of building models.

Art

[o-man]

Art, I will give it a try. Thanks for the info!

[o-man]

Art!! Thanks for the info, it works!! Absolutely amazing the things you guys know.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Thanks from me too, Art. I had some old ones I thought were beyond hope, and your technique worked. Thanks again.

[Art Anderson]

Art!! Thanks for the info, it works!! Absolutely amazing the things you guys know.

Hey, it's nothing but a "digital" technique!

Art