HOW TO USE STEAM GUNS ON COMIC BOOKS

Paper fibers need to be relaxed before you can reshape them. A steam gun (like a small handheld steamer used in conservation work) introduces a controlled burst of moisture and heat. This allows the fibers in the comic cover or interior page to “plump up,” making dents, scratches, and surface texturing like pebbling easier to smooth out. Think of steam as a “softener,” while the tack iron is the “reshaper.”

  1. Setup & Protection 

Always use silicone release paper or copy paper as a protective barrier between the tools and the comic book cover. The book should already be dry cleaned and have a backer board at centerfold with SRP Paper and 65 lb cardstock paper placed underneath cover being treated.

2. Steam Application 

Keep reservoir tank full at all times. Prime water droplets and steam initially away from comic book first before applying steam to book. Hold the steam gun 12 inches away. You don’t want the cover to get wet—just lightly hydrated with mist.

a. Short bursts only, usually a second or two. You’ll see the paper fibers relax slightly (the surface may look a little more pliable).

b. Immediately blot any stray condensation with a clean lint-free cloth—water droplets can cause tide lines or staining.

c. Avoid brand-new modern age comics with thin glossy magazine style paper stock.

3. Tack Iron Work 

With the paper fibers now softened, place the tack iron (low heat, 212-230°F range) over a protective SRP sheet and tap or glide gently on the defect area:

a. Light scratches: Heat and pressure can reduce their visibility by reflowing the gloss slightly and laying down disturbed fibers. Buff with a clean dry cotton round.

b. Finger dents or divots: Fibers realign more easily with the combined moisture and heat. A tack iron and steel ball bearing will remove most divots and finger dents.

c. Pebbling (raised, uneven texture): Steam swells the fibers and the tack iron flattens them out smoothly. Roll a steel ball bearing over the defect a few times to flatten.

4. Final Pressing

a. Once treated, follow the recommended stacking layer and temperature guidelines using the appropriate matching formula from Comic Book CPR: First Edition.  Press immediately.

b. Allow it to cool and dry overnight fully before handling—this “locks in” the smooth surface.

  · Shallow dents/divots from handling or light impact.

· Finger impressions on glossy covers.

· Surface pebbling from water or humidity exposure.

· Minor scratches where color isn’t broken, just gloss disturbed.

· Any area along an edge, spine, or corner where a ball bearing would be dangerous to use

  · Too much steam: Leads to over-saturation, tide lines, or even ink feathering.

· Direct water contact: One stray droplet can cause a stain worse than the original defect.

· Overheating with the tack iron: Causes cockling, warping, gloss dulling, color lift, or permanent burn marks.

· Rushing the cooldown: If the paper isn’t pressed flat while drying, the dent or pebbling will come back.

  1. Color-Breaking Creases If the cover has a crease where the ink itself has cracked and shows white, steam and heat won’t re-bond the color. The paper fibers may flatten, but the break in ink stays visible.

2. Deep Impact Dents / Gouges If the paper is actually compressed or torn at the fiber level, steam won’t rebuild that thickness. The tack iron can reduce visibility, but the depression will always remain faintly.

3. Paper Loss or Missing Fibers Chips, missing corners, or areas where the gloss layer rubbed off cannot be replaced with steam or heat. At best, pressing will smooth the edges of the defect, but the damage will still be obvious.

4. Severe Wrinkling from Water Damage Steam can soften light pebbling, but if a book has heavy wrinkling from long-term water exposure, the fibers are permanently distorted. Tack ironing will only flatten them temporarily before they revert.

5. Detached or Weak Staples Steam and tack ironing involve moisture and heat—if staples are rusty or the paper around them is weak, the process can actually make detachment worse.

6. Gloss Loss / Rubbed Areas Steam can slightly revive gloss by lifting fibers, but if the top layer of gloss coating is scuffed away, it’s gone permanently.

  · Surface-level defects (finger dents, light scratches, minor pebbling) → Good candidates for steam + tack iron.

· Structural or ink-breaking defects (creases, tears, paper loss, color breaks) → Can’t be fixed with this method.

 Steam + tack iron is like a one-two punch for tough defects.  Steam relaxes, the tack iron reshapes, and the press resets.  If done right, it can take a book with distracting dents and make it look dramatically sharper—but it requires a delicate hand and practice on lower-value comics before attempting on anything expensive. 

Think of steam and tack ironing as a refinement tool rather than a miracle cure. They excel at making good books look sharper, but they can’t undo physical or color damage that’s already there.