# HELP! Can this label be saved???



## GLASSHOPPER55 (Apr 13, 2020)

I had an unfortunate accident and broke this 1940 Chicago beer bottle. I would like to salvage the label from it. Anyone know how to successfully save the label or should I just cry, throw it away and move on? It's glued on pretty good.  Thanks!


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## yacorie (Apr 13, 2020)

Try using a hair dryer and see if it loosens the glue a bit


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## Robby Raccoon (Apr 13, 2020)

Moistening where the ends glue together may help. They don't usually put much glue on labels at this point. You may want a razor blade to slip between the paper and glass too as you try to peel.


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## treeguyfred (Apr 15, 2020)

First off - so sorry to see this - it sucks... I know..
I'd say try steaming the label off using a large pot and an inch of water on the bottom place a colander inside the pot, place the bottle in the colander, bring the water up to a slow boil and set a lid on the pot. Don't let the label actually sit in water. Wait about five minutes and check it. pot holders or chefs glove are recommended. best of luck.
Fred


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## GLASSHOPPER55 (Apr 15, 2020)

Thank you Yacorie and Robby for the advice!   I first tried the hair dryer but I think this glue was just too old to budge, so next I saw that indeed the label was glued only on each side (about 1.5 ") so I soaked each side in a tiny bit of water and then using a nice sharp single-sided razorblade and working real close to the glass, I was able to coax the label off without any real damage.  I will find a similar bottle to affix it, although the neck label was destroyed when the bottle broke.   Fred - your idea came after I did the above but it sounds like it would work, I will try that next time. Thank you also!


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## bottle-bud (Apr 16, 2020)

Awesome label! It's cool that you were able to save it.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Apr 16, 2020)

Success! I was gonna say a teakettle. Just steam like treeguyfred said. That and a razor blade like Robbyraccoon mentioned. I have had labels loosen up just putting really hot water in the bottle and letting it sit for a couple of minutes.


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## treeguyfred (Apr 16, 2020)

Super news! Great label, definitely worth saving! Robbybobby's suggestion has worked for me with newer labels.


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## GLASSHOPPER55 (Apr 17, 2020)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> Success! I was gonna say a teakettle. Just steam like treeguyfred said. That and a razor blade like Robbyraccoon mentioned. I have had labels loosen up just putting really hot water in the bottle and letting it sit for a couple of minutes.



Robby, a question. 
Would using really hot water somehow hurt the color on the label? I used room temperature water on the glued ends because I thought hot water may fade the color, i don't know.
I do like the idea of steaming the label off, I may try that on a junk bottle sometime - just in case I ever have another accident, lol.

Thanks again, everyone!


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Apr 17, 2020)

Use the least amount of water possible. Hot works faster and has less chance of saturating and ruining the label with cold. Practice on a crap bottle. I have had labels come off with just hot water in the bottle and no steam. Some, not all glues react to heat. It makes the adhesive gummy again. Trial and error. Water stains are always a problem if the label is older.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Apr 17, 2020)

When i dry the label i take two clean pieces of white paper. On each side and press in a book. Or you could put the label between two pieces of white paper and on low setting iron it. I find i get less wrincles from shrinking .


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## GLASSHOPPER55 (Apr 17, 2020)

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> When i dry the label i take two clean pieces of white paper. On each side and press in a book. Or you could put the label between two pieces of white paper and on low setting iron it. I find i get less wrincles from shrinking .



10-4 Robby great idea!
Here's the rescued label on a 1941 bottle I found in a dump yesterday sans the neck label that got destroyed  when the bottle broke.  I think it came out great.


sans


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## slugplate (Apr 17, 2020)

GLASSHOPPER55 said:


> Robby, a question.
> Would using really hot water somehow hurt the color on the label? I used room temperature water on the glued ends because I thought hot water may fade the color, i don't know.
> I do like the idea of steaming the label off, I may try that on a junk bottle sometime - just in case I ever have another accident, lol.
> 
> Thanks again, everyone!


I've used warm water and it worked just fine. Glues on older labels were usually sparsely applied... especially on return bottles. They stripped the label off of the old bottles, refilled them and applied a new label. It was much cheaper to do it that way than to produce a new bottle each time. However, you did a great job removing it.


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## GLASSHOPPER55 (Apr 17, 2020)

slugplate said:


> I've used warm water and it worked just fine. Glues on older labels were usually sparsely applied... especially on return bottles. They stripped the label off of the old bottles, refilled them and applied a new label. It was much cheaper to do it that way than to produce a new bottle each time. However, you did a great job removing it.



Yeah the label was glued mainly on the l&r sides.


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## JKL (Apr 19, 2020)

Awesome!  Great work saving that label!


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