Vintage water slide decal tips

I found a NOS water slide decal today that was made in 1967. It looked perfect but after soaking in water for a few minutes it cracked into about 20 pieces. I manged to slide them all off but the results were less than perfect. Should I have used warm water? Is there a secret for these older ones? thanks

 

Use them for wall art and find new ones for use.

 

Maybe Muttley will chime in - he's got quite a collection.

BUT..

They are over 40 years old... I'm not surprised they're falling apart.

 

real hot water and a few drops of vinegar

 

Spray them with clear to strengthen them.

 

I think that it is more how the decal was stored. All the decals on my car are 1962 or earlier, and I was very careful, but they all came off without any problem. I let them get wet enough to soak through the paper and slid them off very carefully onto a misted surface. The water was warn, not hot.

 

Best method if you think the decal is going to come apart, is to spray clear lacquer over the decal. Then trim to the original clear coat (which should have yellowed over the years like all good clear lacquer), soak in water and apply.

 

Waterslides use a lacquer base ink. Use Testors clear (nice mild lacquer) fog a couple thin coats to keep it together, then trim. Luke warm water & tons of patience.

No proven reason why some last forever and others crumble at the sight of a water dish.

 

try getting them just wet enough to SLIDE off the paper. Dampen them then let them sit for a while.Don't soak them so long so that they float off.

 

I got some oldies on OK then later once they had seen some sun they cracked and crumbled off.
The next time that i put a batch on i coated the backs with clear contact trimmed to the same shape. solved it for now.
Something to consider.
Kyle

 

If the decal you are trying to use has any cracks in it forget about using it, they will fall apart. This is how I do it. The vast majority (99% of the ones I've tried) still work fine............heres a pic of my old tool cabinet to prove it.



All of these were applied within the last six months and all are 40+ years old.

 

I have a couple of decal sheets from the '62-'63 Monogram 1/8 scale kits that still look good.. Hope I don't have problems with them!!....

 

do any of you know where i can get some REED CAMS stickers, i've got a reed cam in my 31 and i'd like to find 2 stickers, thanks

 

x2 on the clear lacquer coats. Mist them on from a distance, building up slowly. A really wet coat might melt the decals. Gary

 

Great info dudes, I have some oldies I want to use and this is invaluable info. Thanx so much. ~Sololobo~

 

I have also had good results with clear over the decals.

 

I have not tried much with older decals. I have made new decals recently though and Krlyon Crystal Clear worked very well with the ink-jet stuff I did.
captmullette, if you can find a JPG image of the sticker you can probably make a decal.

 

A bit OT.. but does anyone have any decals or images from Horsepower Engineering in Pasadena. Muttley?

 

No, I dont have any from Horsepower Engineering. You Can see my collection of decals here.

 

Iv printed my own decals for a gas pump I restored
When you print your own (on water slide paper) you have to clear coat them.
I would think that was part of the manufacturing of all new and old water slides.
Id bet (like others have said) that clearing old cracked ones will work fine

 

Is this the Horsepower Engineering logo?

 

i once heard that painting them with clear fingernail polish works.

 

Muttley,
The decal collection is Awesome!!! I looked at all 12 pages and really enjoyed the flashback. Thanks for posting !!!

 

Where do you get blank decal paper so you can print water slides at home?

 

I just make sure it is soaked really well and that the surface it is going onto is nice and moist to, and you have to be very gentle as you try to get rid of air bubbles. MY guess is it was just a bad decal or it was stored poorly.

 

I have used the injet paper from here:
http://www.papilio.com/