The products I use to clean and press are listed on my website at improvecollecting.com/recommended-comic-book-collecting-supplies/ Be sure to sign up for my newsletter while you are there! I am developing tools to make collecting better and will be announcing it to my email subscribers in the future.
Me too! Thanks for the kind words, I am glad it's over.. when I started this channel my goal was to avoid any negativity and keep a positive vibe.. but sometimes, collecting comes with some pain and I thought airing this ordeal might help others avoid it. I mean the guy claims (on his homepage) to have been doing this for over 40 years and his about page says he got into this because he got tired of paying people when he could do a better job himself. Does this meet the definition of ironic?
I am beginning to buy more top loaders for my books instead of sending them out for grading. It allows for more money towards better books. And I don't have the anticipation or disappointment associated with the process.
@Justin Scales that's exactly what I'm doing mate. Being in the UK it's even more complicated getting comics graded. CGC have a London office but don't actually do the grading there, the books get sent over the pond and back. 😳
I know that you are keeping the “ineffective” presser confidential. Is there a way you could share with us so we won’t use that person. Maybe state the region, city or state the presser is in?
If you have presser in mind, just let me know and I'll tell you if it isn't them.. you can email me at improvecollecting@gmail.com or hit me up on instagram @improvecollecting
Yeah, no regerts about this.. because pressing is such a rewarding hobby BTW, I am cracking some of the slabs this presser supposedly worked on.. so far, half don't look like they were touched.. some have added defects :(
Horrible pressing results for sure. Glad you're done with that guy. Just my opinion, but I actually think CGC was pretty generous on these 5 books, considering the pressing issues, esp grading that XM 207 at 9.2. Would love to see some step by step as you CPR any of these books, not just before & after pics. Suggest you mention the issue numbers as you're showing books.
I already have a bunch of CPR videos in the works. And sorry about the numbers didn't even realize I failed to do that! I'll watch out for it in the future, thanks for the heads up
All that wavyness is just from pulling it "hot off the press". When i started I learned that mistake just to get books done. Now I leave them in the press minimum 3hr to cool down and no issues since. Seems like the presser you used to use is going for quantity and not quality.
I recently purchased a green label CGC daredevil #5 from 1964. I was disappointed when I learned about green label CGC s. But nonetheless I love this book. I paid 100 for a qualified 4.0 grade. I think unfortunately there's too much emphasis on grades.
@@ImproveCollectingComics Well there's always going to be a degree of subjectivity to it, to be fair. It is better than in the old days when one shops NM was another shops VF+.
Reversion is a real and ugly thing, all books should be cold pressed after the initial heat press for a period of time. The more intense or serious the flaws, the longer the cold press. Rick from immaculate comics has some great insights on pressing.
I sent a book for pressing through CGC. It was never pressed but came back damaged. The staples were perfect but when it came back they were hollowed out.
OK that ASM 252 is absolutely ridiculous and I think it’s time you called out that presser or at least mentioned him in the comments so we know to avoid using them. The only presser I would trust would be the comic book presser on Instagram. Never heard a bad thing about that guy
Anyone can message me on IG or email me at improvecollecting@gmail.com and I'll let them know if a presser they are thinking of using isn't the one I used
cheaper if you buy a good press and do it yourself as well as master the cold press process. The monies they charge and time you have to wait is nuts on any level of crazy.
Thanks! CCS has mixed reviews. I think if someone had books that didn't need too much TLC they'd probably be fine to use, and certainly much better than no press at all
Dude I love your vibe. Not judging--people should do what they enjoy, but I just cant watch another video of someone flexing with their 9.8 key that's worth thousands of dollars. I mean, I'm happy for them but ever since I lost my 18,000 book collection in a fire in 2011, I've focused on what I call, "Keys To Me." Basically, this means that I seek out books that I remember buying as a kid in the 80s then into the 90s as an adult. . Back then, whether I was buying books in a drugstore, bookstore, 7-11, or later buying via mail with Westfield Comics (and now DCBS online), I had a real sense of excitement for a lot of those books. The covers blew me away, the stories were great. And 95% of those are going to be just "average" books that don't generally garner any attention because they aren't the first appearance of anybody. And I've also come to love low-to-midgrade books. Sure NM is great but for me, a well-read book has character. And they're much easier on the wallet. Anyway, love your channel. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for the comment, awesome stuff! I agree completely! I have an entire long box of books that I call my "cool box".. not necessarily big keys, but just covers or stories that I loved as a kid. I will feature more of those books in the future, thanks for the reality check.. I gotta be sure not to focus only on the mainstream "keys".. I mean, key to me might not be key to someone else.. but a personal key is just as important
@@ImproveCollectingComics Not trying to check you at all. I totally buy into "collect what you love." And I envy the folks with those amazing slabbed keys. But I'll never convince my wife to drop thousands of dollars on a Giant X-Men #1. She's super onboard with my collecting but that would be a bridge too far. I mean, would I like to have one? Hell yes. But the money I'd spend on that could get me so many other books that would unleash those collector endorphins that I'm apparently addicted to. So having recently found you, I immediately noticed your obvious love for those less common books. Wish we were neighbors!😂
Can't believe you had to deal with that kind of pressing work. I press, and sell books all the time. Even if youa re not a professional you can still improve the book with some slight tlc.
@@ImproveCollectingComics Dammer...if the presser is adding damage its costing you money on every point deduction...the way people value a 9.8 over a 9.6 is bad enough let alone a 8.5 compared to a 9.8 in value...crazy but it sounds like your done with that guy...props for not publicly bashing him
It's funny that you posted this comment today, I just got done sorting out the books I am going to press myself and re-submit.. there are 16. I'll be doing a hispress/mypress results video about it :)
You are entitled to compensation if the books weren’t pressed correctly. My friend makes me take pics then send me post pressing pics then sends them to cgc. If the books looks worse than the original I would expect compensation. If a dry cleaner ruined an expensive suit would you just let it go?
I appreciate your view, and I do agree that it is obvious that I should just try to get my money back. I know I could probably take the time and get compensated, but honestly I can't stomach going through that process. I just chalk it up as an occupational hazard or whatever, and am just moving on from it.
@@ImproveCollectingComics it’s owed to you it’s compensation. If your employer kept shorting your check you would speak up right? Your time has a monetary value I would consider contacting him/her.
CGC is all over the place. I have about 10 big keys I'll soon send off to a clean and presser in London. Been over a year waiting due to his backlog. He's got a good rep but I don't trust CGC once they get books. This why I'm not seeing my hulk 181 to be reholdered due to cracked slab.
The guy I used has (had?) a stellar reputation.. known as one of the pioneers in pressing. So I would advise sending test books first to whoever you choose to make sure they actually do a good job. I learned my lesson the hard way. And I don't blame you on the 181.. the less touches on a book the better.
Brother I respect you, I personally think you need to let everyone know who this persons name, what happens if the next person sends to him, Shame on this person who is pressing, let him know you are putting his name out there
In hindsight, it's definitely better to use anyone but the service (Disservice?) I used.. but I am enjoying pressing my own books now and don't foresee myself ever using a 3rd party again
Can't wait to see your repress/grade on that 252 .. i bet you can get that up to 9.4 ... what a joke this guy was .. i'm no pro presser , but jeeezus thats horrible
You really need to air this bad comic presser out. Taking the “high road” in this instance is a mistake. Your channel is becoming popular very quickly (congratulations) and I think you owe it to your followers to inform them who this bad presser is. He is effectively stealing money and he’s profiting from your silence. Say his name Sir. Say… his… name.
I do appreciate your view, but I think it would add a bunch of negativity to the channel, this guy is literally considered the GOD of pressing by message boards. :( His home page claims he has been doing this for over 40 years (which is maybe a red flag? has pressing been around that long???). Ironically, his website also says that he got into this because he was tired of paying people to do a job that he could do better. As a compromise, I will help steer anyone clear of him that reaches out to me... If anyone emails me or messages me on Instagram I will tell them if the presser they are thinking of using is NOT him, but I won't publicly out his company. I hope you'll respect my decision.. I really was torn on this and put a lot of thought into it
@@johnnyburger7409 when I was a kid in the 80s I ironed my wrinkled/creased comics too. I would place a towel over the book and used steam. Then I would remove the towel and replace it with a t-shirt then dry iron my books. It worked great.
Did you say CGC pressed these? How can they mark down a book for reasons that come out when pressed when they pressed it! That is messed up if so. They should repress and grade for free.
Lousy pressing jobs, great, just great, I have like 5 books sitting on a shelf in Sarasota waiting for some subpar presser to ruin them.... I bought a press only a few months ago (right after my last submission) and I already can avoid the sort of waves you have on your books.
Just got my books back. My copy of ASM 149 STILL has non color breaking creases on it! And the grader’s notes (yes,I got them for this one) noted: stain. STAIN? The book should have been cleaned!
That ASM 252 looks like it wasn't entirely under the backing boards or the aluminum plate and the top stuck out. From what I have seen it looks like some of your books were pressed at the same time in the same press with different books. Some of the waviness looks like they were steamed and then cold pressed but not under enough weight for a long enough time. I would definitely request at the very least a partial refund and I would name the presser. Think about it this way if the guy did an awesome job and you thought his work was outstanding would you tell people who did it for you then? If you would promote good work then it is totally fair to warn of shoddy work.
I think you may be right. And I won't name him because he is considered a God in the industry by many and this would devolve into a finger pointing affair. However, if someone emails me I will let them know if their chosen presser is not him. improvecollecting@gmail.com
Going from 8.0 to 9.0 on ASM 252 is no longer worth it. Your book does look higher than the grade of 8.0. It would be interesting to investigate why it got an 8.0 regardless of the value of the book.. Maybe update us here on what happened if you decide to open it.
Hi, thanks for the comment! I did crack and press it, but it only came back an 8.5 due to that crease at the top. It was worse than it looked through the case. It's still a decent grade bump, but yeah.. definitely not cost-effective.
The current ones seem kinda meh for sure. I say, either give us a huge variety or nothing. If nothing else, for logistical reasons. If I have 10 books to submit and only want 2 labels, they separate out the two custom label books and charge me double shipping. No thanks. Every time I think about getting a custom label, I realize there is no label for some of them and just go standard on all.
If you plan on selling your books I would suggest not getting custom labels. I would personally never buy a custom CGC label and would even pay a little more if my only options were a custom label and a traditional label. By getting a custom label you instantly cut your market in half.
I have been using the same presser that you are for a decade and the reason I continue is I get fantastic results. It is extremely rare I get a book back at a grade that is less than I expected and if it happens it is usually because of something I missed. It took me awhile to learn to become a far more accurate grader. Consider this: If I am using the same presser as you, but I am getting fantastic results it suggests that maybe the issue is you and your grading and how you choose which books to send. I mean no offense to you Improve-Collecting, I am trying to help you. Going forward my recommendation is that you should drop your estimated grades by at minimum 1 grade point or I suggest even 2. Books you think could be 9.8, grade them as 9.2-9.4 with potential to hit 9.6. You grade the book as an 8.0 then change it to a 7.0 or 7.5. Adjusting how you grade will also help you make better decisions on what books to submit. Currently you submit books that you grade as an 8.0 thinking the book will absolutely improve with the press and clean. I suggest you reconsider that way of thinking and assume that quite possibly the book will not improve. I am also not convinced you can solely blame the presser for the issues you are seeing as the poor level of quality control going on with CGC currently who really knows what is happening to your book while on site. Lastly, CGC is not perfect, I have many examples of books that they have graded 9.8 that I *know* are not. You could crack and submit many times and continually get different grades on different days, they are not consistent. If you ran a business that grades comics you might prefer to cater to the crack-press-resubmit crowd = profitable. I hope this helps you, keep posting I enjoy your channel a lot.
I appreciate your comment, and I understand that he has an avid following. Don't take my response as defensive, because it's not.. I am only reporting exactly what happened to me. The proof, if that's what you want to call it, is documented in my videos. The absurd waviness, numerous huge spine ticks and bends, and divots that are easily pressable. By the way, when was the last time you used him? He may have only recently started doing bad work. Maybe his quality has significantly declined due to him being overloaded because of the comic boom? This is just a guess, but since I only saw positive reviews before I used him, it looks like he used to be very good at this. I am an extremely conservative grader, by the way... as you can tell by my grading videos. If I think it's a 9.6, I say it's a 9.2 to 9.4, If it "might" be an 8.0, I assume it's a 7.0 to 7.5. Also, I only submitted most of the books I did because they were childhood books, and I wanted them only handled by the best. Still very upset and distraught that the "best" is so lackluster. :( Which is why I will probably only ever let myself clean/press my books going forward. Oh, and if I publicly state his name.. I am sure I will get tons of people commenting and defending him, which is one of the reasons I won't out him. I don't want this to devolve into that kind of pointless back and forth. Nothing personal to you, of course.. I value your input and opinion greatly.. and totally get that he's your guy . I am hopeful that he somehow reads between the lines and finds out about my experience, so he can take a step back and work on his quality again.
@@ImproveCollectingComics You didn't need to publicly state his name it is extremely easy to figure it out based on your comments. I received 2 boxes within the last 2 weeks and I was absolutely satisfied. I agree that we don't want to turn this into something, I just find it very strange that all of the books that I have sent through that presser have come back as expected or even higher. How can our experiences be so different? In any event I wish you the best on your comic pressing journey.
The waviness IS a pressing fault. If you remove it off a hot press while the book is still warm, the still present moisture curls the pages. If the presser allowed the book to cool while under the press for several hours, this would not happen.
@@SuperMoleRetro this presser uses 2 sets of presses in his process. One side is hot press, when done he removes the book from the hot press and puts it directly into a cold press on the other side. Well hopefully Improve-Collecting finds what he is looking for.
The products I use to clean and press are listed on my website at improvecollecting.com/recommended-comic-book-collecting-supplies/
Be sure to sign up for my newsletter while you are there! I am developing tools to make collecting better and will be announcing it to my email subscribers in the future.
Congrats on the 9.8 of UXM #207! You've certainly sold me on the aesthetics of the cover on this and other videos.
Cool, it's an awesome book. Thanks!
Dang it on that 252! I'm glad that part of the journey is over now with that presser. You handled it way better than I would. Great labels
Me too! Thanks for the kind words, I am glad it's over.. when I started this channel my goal was to avoid any negativity and keep a positive vibe.. but sometimes, collecting comes with some pain and I thought airing this ordeal might help others avoid it. I mean the guy claims (on his homepage) to have been doing this for over 40 years and his about page says he got into this because he got tired of paying people when he could do a better job himself. Does this meet the definition of ironic?
I am beginning to buy more top loaders for my books instead of sending them out for grading. It allows for more money towards better books. And I don't have the anticipation or disappointment associated with the process.
I totally get that, and could see myself one day going that direction
@Justin Scales that's exactly what I'm doing mate. Being in the UK it's even more complicated getting comics graded. CGC have a London office but don't actually do the grading there, the books get sent over the pond and back. 😳
I know that you are keeping the “ineffective” presser confidential. Is there a way you could share with us so we won’t use that person. Maybe state the region, city or state the presser is in?
If you have presser in mind, just let me know and I'll tell you if it isn't them.. you can email me at improvecollecting@gmail.com or hit me up on instagram @improvecollecting
Don’t put him on the spot like that. That shouldn’t be what this channel is about
Love your videos bud. Keep up the great work!
Thanks!
The presser is not letting the comic cool down long enough after a press with all that waviness.
These are the exact same results that got me into pressing my own books as well.
Yeah, no regerts about this.. because pressing is such a rewarding hobby
BTW, I am cracking some of the slabs this presser supposedly worked on.. so far, half don't look like they were touched.. some have added defects :(
Horrible pressing results for sure. Glad you're done with that guy.
Just my opinion, but I actually think CGC was pretty generous on these 5 books, considering the pressing issues, esp grading that XM 207 at 9.2.
Would love to see some step by step as you CPR any of these books, not just before & after pics.
Suggest you mention the issue numbers as you're showing books.
I already have a bunch of CPR videos in the works. And sorry about the numbers didn't even realize I failed to do that! I'll watch out for it in the future, thanks for the heads up
ASM 252 is one of my fav covers. It’s the colors, the purple and blue buildings. Of course the homage. Sorry about your experience.
Yeah doesn't get much better than 252 :) And thanks!
Painful to see the damage to the ASM 252. Looking forward to your before and after pressing video. Great video as always 👍
Thanks 👍 And I hope they didn't cause a color break in the 252.. guess I find out once I get to it in the queue and crack it
@@ImproveCollectingComics Fingers Crossed!!
Congratulations on getting a 9.8.😀👍
Thanks! 😁
@@ImproveCollectingComics your welcome. 😀👍
All that wavyness is just from pulling it "hot off the press". When i started I learned that mistake just to get books done. Now I leave them in the press minimum 3hr to cool down and no issues since. Seems like the presser you used to use is going for quantity and not quality.
And his website says he leaves it in the press 24 hours.. seems highly unlikely?
@@ImproveCollectingComics Yeah, from what youve shown from your books on all your other videos, he probably rips them out when the timer dings.
@@ImproveCollectingComics He has 2 sets of presses: one side is hot, the other is cold.
I recently purchased a green label CGC daredevil #5 from 1964. I was disappointed when I learned about green label CGC s. But nonetheless I love this book. I paid 100 for a qualified 4.0 grade. I think unfortunately there's too much emphasis on grades.
I am going to learn to press myself. That is insane
Agreed.. the worse thing is that the 252 looks worse than when I sent it to the presser...
Sometimes I feel like CGC is too harsh, the only thing I like about CGC is the custom label. Great video man!!
Totally agree, except if you get lucky and get a more lenient grader. The lack of transparency and consistency sucks
@@ImproveCollectingComics Well there's always going to be a degree of subjectivity to it, to be fair. It is better than in the old days when one shops NM was another shops VF+.
Here's my thoughts: Everyone who buys a 9.8 wants a harshly graded 9.8, and everybody who gets a book graded wants a 9.6 pushed into a 9.8
The difference between a 9.6 and a 9.8 is slight. Personally I feel like there are too many 9.8s floating out there.
Great comment.
I’d love to see a demo on small stain cleaning 🙏🏻
I'll add that to the list, thanks!
Cool comics
Give pgx a try .. their press and clean is much better than cgc … been trying them and been happy 🤷🏻♂️ accurate grading and much cheaper😊
I actually got a book back from PGX a few weeks ago and the pressing was great!
Reversion is a real and ugly thing, all books should be cold pressed after the initial heat press for a period of time. The more intense or serious the flaws, the longer the cold press. Rick from immaculate comics has some great insights on pressing.
For sure, I love his channel
I sent a book for pressing through CGC.
It was never pressed but came back damaged.
The staples were perfect but when it came back they were hollowed out.
Ouch :(
Ouch is right.....it was a raw copy of X-Men 100 30¢ variant signed by Stan Lee.
@@User8vfjhejf No it was not pressed. The minor issues on the cover are still there.
OK that ASM 252 is absolutely ridiculous and I think it’s time you called out that presser or at least mentioned him in the comments so we know to avoid using them. The only presser I would trust would be the comic book presser on Instagram. Never heard a bad thing about that guy
Anyone can message me on IG or email me at improvecollecting@gmail.com and I'll let them know if a presser they are thinking of using isn't the one I used
@@ImproveCollectingComics same handle on IG?
cheaper if you buy a good press and do it yourself as well as master the cold press process. The monies they charge and time you have to wait is nuts on any level of crazy.
Definitely, but it does take a lot of practice
I bet your mom would like that ASM #316 for Christmas!! Especially because of the ketchup stain.
LOL indeed... more like I mail it to my brother with a note "LOOK WHAT YOU DID.. LOOK WHAT YOU DID, 7.5???? GEEEEE THANKS!!!"
Great video
Thanks!
It is nearly impossible to find 9.8 candidates on those x-mens 143-220. I've been trying on EBay but i would have better luck on WhatNot probably.
Dude i’ve only been pressing for about a year and i’ve got it down pat, even cleaning and using a humidity chamber. You need to dump that presser
Already done.. and getting decent at it myself.. it's also hella lotta fun
Why don’t you use CGCs pressing service?
Great video by the way!
Thanks! CCS has mixed reviews. I think if someone had books that didn't need too much TLC they'd probably be fine to use, and certainly much better than no press at all
Dude I love your vibe. Not judging--people should do what they enjoy, but I just cant watch another video of someone flexing with their 9.8 key that's worth thousands of dollars. I mean, I'm happy for them but ever since I lost my 18,000 book collection in a fire in 2011, I've focused on what I call, "Keys To Me." Basically, this means that I seek out books that I remember buying as a kid in the 80s then into the 90s as an adult. . Back then, whether I was buying books in a drugstore, bookstore, 7-11, or later buying via mail with Westfield Comics (and now DCBS online), I had a real sense of excitement for a lot of those books. The covers blew me away, the stories were great. And 95% of those are going to be just "average" books that don't generally garner any attention because they aren't the first appearance of anybody. And I've also come to love low-to-midgrade books. Sure NM is great but for me, a well-read book has character. And they're much easier on the wallet. Anyway, love your channel. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for the comment, awesome stuff! I agree completely! I have an entire long box of books that I call my "cool box".. not necessarily big keys, but just covers or stories that I loved as a kid. I will feature more of those books in the future, thanks for the reality check.. I gotta be sure not to focus only on the mainstream "keys".. I mean, key to me might not be key to someone else.. but a personal key is just as important
@@ImproveCollectingComics Not trying to check you at all. I totally buy into "collect what you love." And I envy the folks with those amazing slabbed keys. But I'll never convince my wife to drop thousands of dollars on a Giant X-Men #1. She's super onboard with my collecting but that would be a bridge too far. I mean, would I like to have one? Hell yes. But the money I'd spend on that could get me so many other books that would unleash those collector endorphins that I'm apparently addicted to. So having recently found you, I immediately noticed your obvious love for those less common books. Wish we were neighbors!😂
Can't believe you had to deal with that kind of pressing work. I press, and sell books all the time. Even if youa re not a professional you can still improve the book with some slight tlc.
Yeah, it was really disheartening.. I supposedly chose the best too :(
yeah no way that last spidey book was pressed...
That top bend wasn't there when I sent it in :/
@@ImproveCollectingComics Dammer...if the presser is adding damage its costing you money on every point deduction...the way people value a 9.8 over a 9.6 is bad enough let alone a 8.5 compared to a 9.8 in value...crazy but it sounds like your done with that guy...props for not publicly bashing him
Please let us know the name of the presser if he’s a popular presser so we don’t have to go through this. Thanks
I did a video about it: ua-cam.com/video/hpg2PEPi3Yc/v-deo.html
Yeah, dump the presser. There are a lot of good ones out there. I'd be cracking them too....
It's funny that you posted this comment today, I just got done sorting out the books I am going to press myself and re-submit.. there are 16. I'll be doing a hispress/mypress results video about it :)
That happens when u don't leave it in the press long enough or too much steam or moisture
Thanks for the info. I think you are right!
You are entitled to compensation if the books weren’t pressed correctly. My friend makes me take pics then send me post pressing pics then sends them to cgc. If the books looks worse than the original I would expect compensation. If a dry cleaner ruined an expensive suit would you just let it go?
I appreciate your view, and I do agree that it is obvious that I should just try to get my money back. I know I could probably take the time and get compensated, but honestly I can't stomach going through that process. I just chalk it up as an occupational hazard or whatever, and am just moving on from it.
@@ImproveCollectingComics it’s owed to you it’s compensation. If your employer kept shorting your check you would speak up right? Your time has a monetary value I would consider contacting him/her.
CGC is all over the place. I have about 10 big keys I'll soon send off to a clean and presser in London. Been over a year waiting due to his backlog. He's got a good rep but I don't trust CGC once they get books. This why I'm not seeing my hulk 181 to be reholdered due to cracked slab.
The guy I used has (had?) a stellar reputation.. known as one of the pioneers in pressing. So I would advise sending test books first to whoever you choose to make sure they actually do a good job. I learned my lesson the hard way.
And I don't blame you on the 181.. the less touches on a book the better.
I get 9.8 all the time. Change your presser. Try probably the best in the biz “the comic Doctor “
Trust me
I appreciate the recommendation. I actually do all my own pressing now and results have been really good so far.
Brother I respect you, I personally think you need to let everyone know who this persons name, what happens if the next person sends to him, Shame on this person who is pressing, let him know you are putting his name out there
Isn't it best to have CGC themselves press the books since they are the ones grading them. It's an option when submitted.
In hindsight, it's definitely better to use anyone but the service (Disservice?) I used.. but I am enjoying pressing my own books now and don't foresee myself ever using a 3rd party again
Can't wait to see your repress/grade on that 252 .. i bet you can get that up to 9.4 ... what a joke this guy was .. i'm no pro presser , but jeeezus thats horrible
Yeah me too.. I am getting a bunch more practice in first before I try :)
Once again, unacceptable results from a presser. MAN this pissed me off.
Love the old school D&D shirt!!
Yeah for sure.. and I agree! So glad to be done with him
Crack that 252 open now! That's definitely a 9.8 grade with a competent presser! Sorry you had to go through that ordeal and wasted money.
not with light stress lines to cover
@@locutus99 can get a 9.8 with 1 or 2 color breaking spine ticks. Depends how long and bad they are.
@@Sammmmmmmm617 Maybe you *can* get one but you shouldn't. I wouldn't bet on it, and especially not with two.
@@locutus99 well this is by CGCs grading criteria which I was personally trained in. If you have a problem with it, take it up with CGC.
oh me too, Sam what's your last name?
You really need to air this bad comic presser out. Taking the “high road” in this instance is a mistake. Your channel is becoming popular very quickly (congratulations) and I think you owe it to your followers to inform them who this bad presser is. He is effectively stealing money and he’s profiting from your silence.
Say his name Sir. Say… his… name.
I do appreciate your view, but I think it would add a bunch of negativity to the channel, this guy is literally considered the GOD of pressing by message boards. :( His home page claims he has been doing this for over 40 years (which is maybe a red flag? has pressing been around that long???). Ironically, his website also says that he got into this because he was tired of paying people to do a job that he could do better.
As a compromise, I will help steer anyone clear of him that reaches out to me... If anyone emails me or messages me on Instagram I will tell them if the presser they are thinking of using is NOT him, but I won't publicly out his company. I hope you'll respect my decision.. I really was torn on this and put a lot of thought into it
Just google - comic pressing over 40 years. Thats not a common claim
My mom pressed some of my books with her iron and ironing board when I was a kid 40 years ago. I feel she was a pioneer in the art.
@@johnnyburger7409 when I was a kid in the 80s I ironed my wrinkled/creased comics too. I would place a towel over the book and used steam. Then I would remove the towel and replace it with a t-shirt then dry iron my books. It worked great.
Did you say CGC pressed these? How can they mark down a book for reasons that come out when pressed when they pressed it! That is messed up if so. They should repress and grade for free.
No, it was a third party presser
Lousy pressing jobs, great, just great, I have like 5 books sitting on a shelf in Sarasota waiting for some subpar presser to ruin them.... I bought a press only a few months ago (right after my last submission) and I already can avoid the sort of waves you have on your books.
:(
Just got my books back. My copy of ASM 149 STILL has non color breaking creases on it! And the grader’s notes (yes,I got them for this one) noted: stain. STAIN? The book should have been cleaned!
I’d be going after this presser……that’s just terrible, the guy just stole your money
That ASM 252 looks like it wasn't entirely under the backing boards or the aluminum plate and the top stuck out. From what I have seen it looks like some of your books were pressed at the same time in the same press with different books. Some of the waviness looks like they were steamed and then cold pressed but not under enough weight for a long enough time. I would definitely request at the very least a partial refund and I would name the presser. Think about it this way if the guy did an awesome job and you thought his work was outstanding would you tell people who did it for you then? If you would promote good work then it is totally fair to warn of shoddy work.
I think you may be right. And I won't name him because he is considered a God in the industry by many and this would devolve into a finger pointing affair. However, if someone emails me I will let them know if their chosen presser is not him. improvecollecting@gmail.com
Going from 8.0 to 9.0 on ASM 252 is no longer worth it. Your book does look higher than the grade of 8.0. It would be interesting to investigate why it got an 8.0 regardless of the value of the book.. Maybe update us here on what happened if you decide to open it.
Hi, thanks for the comment!
I did crack and press it, but it only came back an 8.5 due to that crease at the top. It was worse than it looked through the case. It's still a decent grade bump, but yeah.. definitely not cost-effective.
Not much for the custom labels, Maybe one or two of them.
The current ones seem kinda meh for sure. I say, either give us a huge variety or nothing. If nothing else, for logistical reasons. If I have 10 books to submit and only want 2 labels, they separate out the two custom label books and charge me double shipping. No thanks. Every time I think about getting a custom label, I realize there is no label for some of them and just go standard on all.
If you plan on selling your books I would suggest not getting custom labels. I would personally never buy a custom CGC label and would even pay a little more if my only options were a custom label and a traditional label. By getting a custom label you instantly cut your market in half.
I appreciate the tip, and I agree.. I'd probably only get custom labels for my own enjoyment from now on
Ebay sold listing say otherwise..
I have been using the same presser that you are for a decade and the reason I continue is I get fantastic results. It is extremely rare I get a book back at a grade that is less than I expected and if it happens it is usually because of something I missed. It took me awhile to learn to become a far more accurate grader. Consider this: If I am using the same presser as you, but I am getting fantastic results it suggests that maybe the issue is you and your grading and how you choose which books to send. I mean no offense to you Improve-Collecting, I am trying to help you. Going forward my recommendation is that you should drop your estimated grades by at minimum 1 grade point or I suggest even 2. Books you think could be 9.8, grade them as 9.2-9.4 with potential to hit 9.6. You grade the book as an 8.0 then change it to a 7.0 or 7.5. Adjusting how you grade will also help you make better decisions on what books to submit. Currently you submit books that you grade as an 8.0 thinking the book will absolutely improve with the press and clean. I suggest you reconsider that way of thinking and assume that quite possibly the book will not improve. I am also not convinced you can solely blame the presser for the issues you are seeing as the poor level of quality control going on with CGC currently who really knows what is happening to your book while on site. Lastly, CGC is not perfect, I have many examples of books that they have graded 9.8 that I *know* are not. You could crack and submit many times and continually get different grades on different days, they are not consistent. If you ran a business that grades comics you might prefer to cater to the crack-press-resubmit crowd = profitable. I hope this helps you, keep posting I enjoy your channel a lot.
I appreciate your comment, and I understand that he has an avid following. Don't take my response as defensive, because it's not.. I am only reporting exactly what happened to me. The proof, if that's what you want to call it, is documented in my videos. The absurd waviness, numerous huge spine ticks and bends, and divots that are easily pressable.
By the way, when was the last time you used him? He may have only recently started doing bad work. Maybe his quality has significantly declined due to him being overloaded because of the comic boom? This is just a guess, but since I only saw positive reviews before I used him, it looks like he used to be very good at this. I am an extremely conservative grader, by the way... as you can tell by my grading videos. If I think it's a 9.6, I say it's a 9.2 to 9.4, If it "might" be an 8.0, I assume it's a 7.0 to 7.5.
Also, I only submitted most of the books I did because they were childhood books, and I wanted them only handled by the best. Still very upset and distraught that the "best" is so lackluster. :( Which is why I will probably only ever let myself clean/press my books going forward.
Oh, and if I publicly state his name.. I am sure I will get tons of people commenting and defending him, which is one of the reasons I won't out him. I don't want this to devolve into that kind of pointless back and forth. Nothing personal to you, of course.. I value your input and opinion greatly.. and totally get that he's your guy . I am hopeful that he somehow reads between the lines and finds out about my experience, so he can take a step back and work on his quality again.
@@ImproveCollectingComics You didn't need to publicly state his name it is extremely easy to figure it out based on your comments. I received 2 boxes within the last 2 weeks and I was absolutely satisfied. I agree that we don't want to turn this into something, I just find it very strange that all of the books that I have sent through that presser have come back as expected or even higher. How can our experiences be so different? In any event I wish you the best on your comic pressing journey.
The waviness IS a pressing fault. If you remove it off a hot press while the book is still warm, the still present moisture curls the pages. If the presser allowed the book to cool while under the press for several hours, this would not happen.
@@SuperMoleRetro this presser uses 2 sets of presses in his process. One side is hot press, when done he removes the book from the hot press and puts it directly into a cold press on the other side. Well hopefully Improve-Collecting finds what he is looking for.
@@Thynqikan Would really love to know who this is. Do you know where they’re based from?!