Reapplying poorly placed stickers

mlhammer

Does anyone have any tricks to removing a sticker and reapplying, after a significant period of time? I recently purchased a lot of sets from 2000-2010 range, and the stickers look like they were applied by my 4-year old, while blindfolded... I'm dealing with sets like Town Plan, and Joker's Ice Cream Surprise, so purchasing new stickers is not an option, and unfortunately stickers really make the sets in these two instances. I'm hoping someone has experience with using a glue or something else to repair the adhesion. Thanks!

rancorbait

Reapplying them doesn't work, at least not in my experience, especially with sets that old. They will likely only come off in several pieces leaving behind sticky residue, which can be very difficult to remove. I'm sure using glue wouldn't look any better. Have you checked Bricklink for Stickers?

vwong19

FYI Bricklink going rate for Town Plan sticker is about $25 http://www.bricklink.com/search.asp?itemID=78145&colorID=0&invNew=N

Joker's Ice Cream Surprise stickers are pretty difficult to get...

I don't have any good experience with reapplying stickers.... or applying stickers in the first place.

luckyruss

^^ For #7888 ? One available, $200!

I've had some success in moving small stickers on older sets - so things like the number plates on tiles or police signs on panels. Although it depends on how badly they were applied - if it's close to the right place but not straight the sticky residue works in your favour. I look for the loosest corner and try to get something thin and metal underneath it (a small blunt pallet knife), and then lift it off applying pressure with the pads of my fingers on top of said corner - avoid using your nail because that invariably causes some creasing or folding to the edge of the sticker and that corner then never reattaches.

However, that is unlikely to work with either longer stickers or those on the window panels for something like Town Plan- for this kind of set it might justify paying the going rate. I have an old #4561 set and tried to move one of the long train logo stickers (across most of a 1x16 brick) but it just disintegrated - I did then just bricklink a new sticker set (to be fair a couple of others were missing anyway hence I didn't mind experimenting with the first). I've never resorted to gluing back again.

Last option I've used is to buy the stickered parts individually on BL - depending on whether you want all of them, that can often be a cheaper than the sticker sets themselves - but if you are particularly fussy about it helpful to ask for actual pictures because you never know how they've been applied!

yys4u

I personally don't have experience with removing old stickers but at an old internship I had we used to use a heat gun to remove shipping labels off boxes and then reuse the boxes. The heat gun would turn parts of the label black though, so that would be useless. Point is, since then, I've always used some form of heat to remove minor stickers like price tags and such, whether it be my breath as I slowly peal away the stickers, or a hair dryer. As mentioned above when I mess up with a sticker I always carefully pry off an edge with an X-acto knife, so maybe you could try a combination of slowly prying off the sticker with the knife and a hair dryer to lift the sticker?

Canuck26

There is a product available called Undo. It is available at Walmart and is usually merchandised in the craft section. It is also available at craft stores like Michaels. It is primarily used for scrap booking. The bottle has a plastic "label lifter" on it. You just pour a drop or two on the sticker and it loosens the adhesive allowing you to reposition the sticker by sliding it or by taking it right off. There is no adhesive left behind. I have used it several times and have have perfect results. My stickers have to be perfect and this makes it possible.

madforLEGO

@Canuck26, Interesting. And it does not wipe out any of the coloring/print on the sticker to be removed? Because those Town Plan movie stickers are a bit colorful.

I have an exacto knife and use a specific blade to remove, place, and reset stickers. (I use this one http://www.amazon.com/X-ACTO-Blades-X-Acto-Knives-Packs/dp/B00304S9AQ/ref=sr_1_56?ie=UTF8&qid=1390665092&sr=8-56&keywords=xacto+knife+blade but I am thinking this one is better for smaller stickers http://www.amazon.com/American-Safety-Razor-66-0518-Blades/dp/B000BQSFJQ/ref=sr_1_55?ie=UTF8&qid=1390665092&sr=8-55&keywords=xacto+knife+blade and this better for larger stickers
http://www.amazon.com/American-Safety-Razor-66-0518-Blades/dp/B000BQSFJQ/ref=sr_1_55?ie=UTF8&qid=1390665092&sr=8-55&keywords=xacto+knife+blade

The keys, if doing it this way, are to very slowly remove the sticker and do not bend it too much, or you risk causing flaking of the design on the sticker (or causing curling). Also do not dig into the plastic when removing it or tearing the sticker. It is fraught with danger and takes a bit of practice, but I have found it is the best way to also apply stickers, for me.

On really old stickers, you may be better using something like a hair dryer on the piece to remove the sticker, this may soften the sticker adhesive enough to keep it on the sticker and not part, though I have never tried this.

Brickfan50

Maybe this is a good alternative: go to a print shop or copy shop (or whatsoever it's called in your country) and make a good photocopy of your tile with sticker on new adhesive paper. You can even multiply it on one sheet of paper so you have a backup if applying fails at the first (or second) attempt.
It will also make applying the sticker very simple: put the new sticker sheet face down on a flat surface, remove the back paper and place your tile on the adhesive site. Then cut (with a sharp knife) along the sides of the tile and you end up with a wonderful stickered tile!
(BTW: I work in a print shop and am doing this regularly for customers ;-)

mlhammer

Very interesting potential @Canuck26 with the Undo product. I was afraid of lifting the whole sticker off and damaging it, so the idea of loosening and simply sliding/adjusting is ideal if it really works.

Btw, at the time of posting, there is 1 lot on BL for Joker's Ice Cream stickers @ $200. Ridiculous...