Arcare polyester pockets are the choice of professionals due to; glass-like clarity – ideal for viewing and display, the BoPET material is inert and acid-free (unlike PVC), incredibly strong and durable and will withstand regular handling, and will not discolour or become brittle like cheap PVC pockets.

Available in all common print and paper sizes such as 4×6″, 5×7″, A5, A4, A3, A2, A1.

Retail packed in packs of 25. Product codes starting PP.

Acid-free tape is perfect for a multitude of uses in conservation. At 20gsm, it is thinner and more translucent than other tapes, but very strong due to the long Kozo fibre construction. A feathered edge can be achieved with tearing.

• Extra-long 40mm x 60 metre roll (2.4m² total coverage) most of our competitor’s products are much shorter.
• Acid-free (6.5 – 7.8 pH) 100% Kozo fibre with no adhesive
• Made in Japan for Arcare

Use for; making hinges for a wide variety of art with appropriate adhesive, making mounting corners, picture framing, repairing works of art on paper, book repair, wet strength makes it suitable for wet repairs.

Product Code: J46 – In retail box.

Made from inert, clear, acid-free, polypropylene designed to fit A4 paper size 297 x 210mm (PA4) and A5 paper size 210 x 148mm (PA5). 91 micron sheet.

The multi-hole binder pockets have a soft clear high quality feel and offer excellent protection from dust, scratches, tearing and fingerprints. If you have binders that are in constant use then this product will be ideal. The smooth surface allows you to flick through the pages with ease.

• Archival quality, inert and acid-free with no PVC
• High clarity archival polypropylene pages superior to budget pages
• Packs of 100, or bulk packages of 1000
• Multi-hole punched for 2, 3 and 4 ring binders
• PAT passed

PA4 100 no. A4 Pages Retail Packed – Bulk 1000 packs available

PA5 100 no. A5 Pages Retail Packed –
Bulk 1000 packs available

The patented design includes an anti-clogging air-tight cap and wire system preventing contents from going off in the nozzle or bottle.

Can be held between fingers like a pen or pencil to provide a consistent flow of adhesive or other fluid with minimum pressure.

The durable LDPE bottles and stainless steel tips can be used with water based adhesives, liquid acrylics, paints or dyes, liquid wax and many other liquids of varying viscosity (cannot be used with cyanoacrylate (CA) adhesives).

• Standard (0.8mm Yellow) or fine (0.5mm Blue) tips available
• Standard tip bottle 37.5ml sold singularly
• Fine tip bottles 29.5ml in packs of three
• Reusable and durable LDPE bottles with stainless steel tips

Retail packaged in ziplock bags. 

Product Codes:

A41 Fine tip bottles 29.5ml in packs of three

A42 Standard tip bottle 37.5ml sold singularly

These white erasers leave no residue, the material collects in strands away from the paper’s surface.

Available in packs of 10.
Shipped in a box.
44 x 18 x 12mm each eraser.

Product Code E10

Arcare neutral pH adhesive has been independently tested to ensure it meets the standards conservation professionals require.

Four other PVA adhesives, considered conservation standard by their manufacturer/retailer, were used in testing for comparative purposes. Tests were performed to determine the following; pH, Opacity, Off-gassing (Oddy test). A summary of the test and its results are detailed below:

pH

Arcare pH adhesive was tested to show a pH of 5.9 (with an accuracy of +/- 0.05 pH). The other adhesives tested ranged from 5.8 – 6.2. All of the adhesives tested were considered safe for use with organic materials.

Colour and Opacity

The range of adhesives were tested for their colour and opacity using a chromaticity meter. Cast at a thickness of around 1.5mm and dried to create a sample thick enough to register a reading (it’s accepted that this is much thicker than when actually used in conservation).

The image below recreates the difference in values provided by the test results using the L* a* b* values recorded (including the corrected background value).

Arcare PVA colour and opacity comparison

Arcare PVA, although displaying an average colour change value of Eab 17.56 against a white background, was also one of the least opaque when measured against a black background. Combining the two figures gives an overall performance figure.

Oddy Test

The Oddy test is a qualitative test for off-gassing, performed by observing corrosion in three metallic tokens (silver, lead & copper) sealed in an oven over 28 days at 60°C. Each metal detects corrosion in a different set of corrosive agents and a ‘Pass’, ‘Temporary use’, or ‘Fail’ grade is applied according to the level of corrosion perceived.

(P) Pass / (T) Temporary Use / (F) Fail

Of the five adhesives tested, Arcare pH neutral PVA adhesive was one of three which did not fail any of the tests.

Other Observations

Other qualitative observations made during the tests showed that, once dried, PVA 1 became brittle and shattered when cut with scissors. PVA 3 remained very flexible and was tackier than the other PVA samples after the Oddy test had been performed.

The results of the tests show that Arcare PVA is a consistently high quality adhesive which can be relied upon in a variety of applications.

Testing performed by Bainbridge Conservation – January 2016.

Why fix a tear?

Paper is its own worst enemy. Most paper and card contains lignin, a natural source of acid from the wood used in the pulp. Acid will eventually cause the structure of the paper to break-down, becoming brittle and yellow. If the paper is already torn, this will be a weak point as that treasured item becomes older. It’s important to fix tears to prevent further damage and prevent the page from breaking into fragments. We advise taking the advice of a qualified conservator for repairs on any particularly valuable items.

Why use Arcare archival quality tape?

You must not use anything other than an archival quality tape if you would like to repair a treasured item. Archival tape is acid-free, that includes the backing (known as the ‘carrier’) and the adhesive, so will not cause or accelerate the deterioration of the paper it’s applied to. Arcare archival tapes use a neutral pH acrylic adhesive that will not turn yellow or seep into the paper, it can also be removed (known as being ‘reversible’) by a conservator. You must never use normal sticky tape to fix a tear. Non-archival self-adhesive tape will dry out, leaving a nasty yellow residue on the paper that can’t be removed and will totally obscure and destroy any covered text or image.

How to use Arcare Archival Transparent Mending Tissue and Document Repair Tape

1. Push the tape through the bottom of the box. Once through, peel the release paper from the tape and pass back through the dispenser tab on the bottom of the box, this will make using the tape easier.
2. Cut the required length of tape from the reel including a little extra to make it easier to handle. Ideally, you should hold the tape on the carrier side to prevent fingerprints on the adhesive, you can position the tape holding the little extra length that will be trimmed off.
3. Position the tape over the tear and burnish gently with a bone folder. This works the adhesive into the tear and makes for a stronger repair.
4. Trim the tape flush with the edge of the page using a scalpel or craft knife. Remember to protect anything below the edge you are trimming with a piece of strong card.
5. Repeat on the other side of the page if a stronger repair is required.
6. The finished repair should be barely noticeable.

Which tape do I need?

For narrow repairs – Transparent mending tissue; or for wider repairs, or for a stronger repair – Document repair tape.

Would you like to buy Arcare products? view our where to buy page.

These extremely fine fibres, packed in an extremely dense structure, are non-scratch, non-linting and trap the finest dust particles in the superfine, yet dense structure.

• Excellent tensile and tear strength
• Non-fraying, 400% water absorption and 825% oil absorption by weight
• Performance improves with washing.
• Machine washable up to 100 times at 60 deg. C (wash separately / do not mix with cotton)
• Solvent-free, Binder-free and Reuseable
• No hard sewn edges or labels, a cloth designed for the perfectionist
• Streak free glass cleaning
• Soft, 100gsm, finest grade microfilament structure
• Very absorbent, quick to dry and breathable

• 15mm or 30mm depth
• Acid free
• Attractive fabric finish

The shallow capacity 15mm deep which allows storage for a small selection of sheets ensuring damage is removed from over filled deep boxes of documents. A4 and A3 sizes are also available in 30mm depth.

The lid fits completely over the box base for secure protection from dust and light.

Archival Print Box Sizes (internal dimensions):
A5 Int Size 225 x 160 x 15mm
A4 Int Size 310 x 225 x 15mm
A3 Int Size 435 x 320 x 15mm
A2 Plus Size 610 x 435 x 15mm

Product Code: N15

This adhesive has been independently tested and approved for conservation use, read the test report here.

Excellent lay-flat properties this helps to keep curling or waves in the paper to a minimum and dries clear.

The easy to use polyvinyl acetate (P.V.A.) formula is fast setting, remaining tacky for long enough to be worked before drying completely.

This adhesive was formulated specifically for preservation materials, dries semi-clear and flexible and should not become brittle with age. Adheres to most surfaces. Can be mixed with Methyl Cellulose for a slower drying adhesive.

• Tested and approved by conservators
• Doesn’t become brittle with age in correct storage environment
• Can be used on most non-metallic items
• Resistant to yellowing
• Doesn’t off-gas once dry (Oddy tested)

Three sizes available; 225ml, 950ml & 3.8L

Product Code: J55