Anybody soak and iron a box before?

[The Count | 526]

I have a brutal Game Gear box that I'd like to try to soak in water and iron to see if it can be made acceptable. It features heavy creasing, some water damage, a few tears, etc. I know it'll never be in great condition, but I bought it more for an experiment. Anybody here try this before that could provide tips?

[m308gunner | 352]

I have had pretty good success with using an iron, but never soaking. I use the iron for steaming and pressing. Let me see if I can find the youtube video...

 

[austin532 | 467]

Soaking it is just asking for problems. I'd even hesitate to use steam on it.

[oops | 85]

1 hour ago, austin532 said:

Soaking it is just asking for problems. I'd even hesitate to use steam on it.

dont knock it till you try it

[a3quit4s | 4,096]

Wait soaking boxes in water is a real thing? There is no way that can be good for them!

[Bubbapauls | 250]

I've ironed old toy boxes with good results. I never put the iron directly on the box/paper. Each box is different though. What does the Game Gear box look like?

@The Count

Edited March 23, 2020 by Bubbapauls

[Philosoraptor | 468]

I've ironed creased boxes as well, but I usually put them in a shirt and don't put the iron straight on the box. I'd really hesitate putting any type of liquid on a box.

The best I've ever done is have a box with creased sides do a better job retaining a box-like shape, but I wouldn't say that ironing makes the box look any better or does anything that putting a damaged box in a plastic box protector wouldn't also do.

FWIW, I've also found that it works better on boxes with gray insides than white ones. The artwork on boxes with white insides seems easier to damage, especially around the creases, and the box itself didn't hold it's shape as well after ironing. This is true of both Game Gear and GBA boxes, in my experience.

Whatever you choose to do, good luck.

[Jeevan | 8,910]

I have a few boxes that have seen better days for sure, but I guess I don't care tooooooo much about it.  I really like to buy nicer versions of boxes anyways, so no need to really do much to them.........That being said, i am newer to the scene and can spend a little more to buy what i "want" and in decent shape since i am really just doing the nostalgia thing for now.

[Tanooki | 4,932]

I'd never soak.  I've had success though doing some strong improvement to boxes though.

My last attempt was last year and quite successful, sorry no pics though.  Virtual Boy Golf I got a set of 6 boxes/inserts in the mail from an ebay listing, but the USPS decided to kick the crap out of one side of the box and because of it Golf got flattened and dented.  I got a decent refund on the damage issue, so since I knew I'd replace it anyway I went for it.

Ironing board, iron (with steam feature), plain white t-shirt.

I popped the box out as flat a possible.  I folded the shirt entirely flat to both sides of the box.  I then decently moistened the shirt using the warm water from the irons mister.  Then I started with event movements ironing and even spraying the hot steam feature through the bottom vents to for a minute or so.  Then, I unwrapped it, then turned the box over and tipped the fold to the other way the box can slide (think left to right.)  I repeated the process.

Removed the shirt from the box, the box was obviously not dry, but it was not soaked nor wet enough to bubble the ink from the stock cardboard/paper Nintendo used, and that stuff was the N64 era cheapo thinner type.  While it was still softer than dry I carefully re-folded the flaps back into place.

All sides and flaps were no longer curling, bulging or twisted in any form.  The only remaining damage was where the compression had blown parts of the sides out enough to cause like old face wrinkles, and those were flat, but where the wrinkleds peeked the white through the red/blue ink on most that VB box was about it.  Sure it wasn't perfect, but it took a crappy 3 to a nice 7.5 in quality more or less.  I hadn't done it in years but have in the past with some jacked up NES/GB/SNES era stuff.  The key is NOT to soak it, a totally and completely non-wrinkled flat white shirt so it doesn't stick, cause dents, or transfer color.

[The Count | 526]

It obviously looks much better in a box protector, haha.

[docile tapeworm | 4,198]

that one beat up box

[TDIRunner | 2,731]

I've ironed money before, but never boxes.  I can see how it might work under certain circumstances if the right precautions are taken.  That box looks bad enough that I wouldn't be too worried about making it worse.  

[Tanooki | 4,932]

That can be flattened again.  The blown corner in the front bottom where it looks spread out, that I'd hit first.  I'd get it a bit wet and try and compress it down with a finger and thumb a bit first, then go the ironing way as it should make the layers stick back together a bit easier.  All those white creasing lines that split the ink are a lost cause, but a lot of the rest can be made flat again.