The first thing you want to do is to rehydrate the paper so that you can unroll it without damage. One of the best ways is to use a mister with a water and glycerine solution. spritz it every hour, very lightly, until the paper softens up enough to unroll it without damage. Then put it in a paper press if you have one, or just roll out several plain white papertowels, towels without a printed picture on it, onto a table top and put the documents down and place several more layers of papertowels on top, then put a heavy piece of cardboard or a piece of plywood on top of that. Place several heavy books or bricks on that and let dry for a day or two. Then frame the documents with acid free matting and be sure to seal the back with paper to keep the dust off. Del the Dragon Associate Emeritus IBSSG Proud Rootsweb Donor V.P. CCH&GS - ------------------------------------- -----Original Message----- From: Carolyn Caplinger <genbuff@atlascomm.net> To: GenTips-L@rootsweb.com <GenTips-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Sunday, August 20, 2000 7:50 PM Subject: Re: [GT] Restoring Old Paper >One other thing. Once you have them flatten out enough, make photocopies to >have to show to family. This will help protect the original certificates. > >----- Original Message ----- >From: <Tennin5@aol.com> >To: <GenTips-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Sunday, August 20, 2000 2:58 PM >Subject: [GT] Restoring Old Paper > > >> I recently aquired some old baptism and birth certificates for my >> grandmother, 1894, and need some help. >> These certificates have been rolled up for many years and are very >brittle. >> Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can flatten these out? And >> should these be framed or just what might I be able to do with them to >keep >> them from any further deteriation? >> Any help would be greatly appreciated. >> Thank you, >> Vickie >> > >