Has anyone ever trimmed the excess linen off of a linenbacked poster?

[Monster_A_GoGo]

Hi there. I don't get on the forum much any more, but I have a question. It may sound very silly, but I am serious. Has anyone ever trimmed the excess linen from a linenbacked poster before? I have a few posters that have had the lined trimmed away and others that have not. I am noit a fan of linen backing, but sometimes you have to get what you can get. But the excessive linen makes it extra fidducly to frame.
I am thinking about trimming the extra linen off--but and so dang afraid I'll accidentally knick/cut/damage the actual poster in the process. Does anyone have tips? Is there some sort of special tool I should use (aside from scissors, of course)?
THANKS!

[BruceH]

Consider leaving around 1l4 or 1l8 of an inch all around. That protects the edges and still allows it to fit in the majority of 27x41 frames.

And consider using a metal yardstick or other long metal piece to hold the poster in place and then use a razor sharp box cutter to "score" the edge of where you want to cut while it is under the metal edge (being super careful to not move the metal, of course).

I think a scissors is a bad idea, because they lack sufficient sharpness.

[Neo]

+1 to what Bruce said. 

On most videos of the highly esteemed linen backing/restoration expert PosterFix, Mr. Cloutier trims the excess linen this way on most of his videos:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/boy-1LfZqXQ?start=500" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/boy-1LfZqXQ?start=500</a>

[marklawd]

Oh my goodness! I have one of these Back to the Future posters - there are supposed to be three others in the world from a print run of 40 - one sold for $9000 5 years ago and the owner entrusts his copy to Posterfix???

Mark

[Neo]

Interesting info. about the number of those made/known to exist.  It's a really cool design, with the old and new school elements, etc.  I didn't watch the linen backing of this copy but I'll have to check it out.

[Monster_A_GoGo]

Oh my goodness! I have one of these Back to the Future posters - there are supposed to be three others in the world from a print run of 40 - one sold for $9000 5 years ago and the owner entrusts his copy to Posterfix???

Mark

Is Posterfix not such a good company for restoration? I have a few I am looking at getting patched up eventually (maybe) down the road. Thanks
PS Anything arrive your way in the mail???  CHEERS!

[Monster_A_GoGo]

Consider leaving around 1l4 or 1l8 of an inch all around. That protects the edges and still allows it to fit in the majority of 27x41 frames.

And consider using a metal yardstick or other long metal piece to hold the poster in place and then use a razor sharp box cutter to "score" the edge of where you want to cut while it is under the metal edge (being super careful to not move the metal, of course).

I think a scissors is a bad idea, because they lack sufficient sharpness.

Hmm. THANK YOU! I trust your judgement--the poster king--implicitly. By now I have dozens of linenbacked pieces. Those that are trimmed already are fine--but, unless I want to shell out MORE money to buy MORE frames (I already have more than 200 frames---and storing them all is such a mess.) the excess makes it impossible. I have purchased a frame or two so I can display some of them (PSYCHO comes to mind), but the other just sit in tubes... It's so frustrating.

THANK YOU, though!

CHEERS!

[Monster_A_GoGo]

+1 to what Bruce said. 

On most videos of the highly esteemed linen backing/restoration expert PosterFix, Mr. Cloutier trims the excess linen this way on most of his videos:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/boy-1LfZqXQ?start=500" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/boy-1LfZqXQ?start=500</a>

Zowie! He is so quick about it, too. I'd be freaked --worrying I'd damage the poster. Thanks for posting. i've NEVER seen/heard of that BACK TO THE FUTURE poster before.

CHEERS!

[50s]

Sometimes over time the linen can fray and if trimmed to the edge then frays under poster causing support probs, though I don't recall any of mine fraying

[Monster_A_GoGo]

Sometimes over time the linen can fray and if trimmed to the edge then frays under poster causing support probs, though I don't recall any of mine fraying

That’s interesting and good to know. I haven’t noticed any fraying on mine. But… I will keep an eye open for that possibility. Thanks!

[Charlie]

That’s interesting and good to know. I haven’t noticed any fraying on mine. But… I will keep an eye open for that possibility. Thanks!

For me it’s more like taking the bumpers off a bumper car. Why back it and re expose the edge. It also means that you are touching the poster with oily fingers now when you move it around instead of the masa. Also means if old silver fish or other pest nibble on the edge they are now nibbling on the actual poster. I also think it makes it more prone to delaminating…

[Monster_A_GoGo]

For me it’s more like taking the bumpers off a bumper car. Why back it and re expose the edge. It also means that you are touching the poster with oily fingers now when you move it around instead of the masa. Also means if old silver fish or other pest nibble on the edge they are now nibbling on the actual poster. I also think it makes it more prone to delaminating…

That is a very enlightening way of thinking about them. THANKS!

[Charlie]

Bumping this to gain additional opinions. I’ve started a small frame shop and got into a discussion with a long time framer about trimming the linen. He suggested trimming to 1/8” or 1/16”.  My argument was that at auction years later (perhaps sold by the children who didn’t want it) that it may not go for as much as one having more linen left on the edge. And that 1/16 is likely not enough to prevent delaminating during handling.

This framer stated he contacted IVPDA members and two reputable poster dealers. IMO IVPDA members are usually European travel poster dealers or wanting to add some street cred to their shop. It’s not like they have to prove they know anything.

I know Bruce had some opinions. I suggested 1/4” which is the common size of the rabbet on moulding.

I really don’t see a reason you couldn’t add a nice fillet and leave 1/2” to 3/4”.

[50s]

Hi Charlie, I have lots of linen backed posters, most of the larger variety (3sht, 6sht, 2F, 4F, but many 1 sheets too). Also Thierry hates "French Grande"

The linen backer of these, who was also a poster dealer, always allowed 2 inches excess on each side for all posters. I store these rolled in a tube, often many together and I am surprised how crumpled some can get and I am grateful for that excess. The added crumpling probably happens if all posters are not rolled and aligned exactly flush on the one end they stand on (I don't have space lie them flat plus they might get waves in them like that). I wouldn't want excess linen any less than one inch on each side (I am happy with the two I have) and thus would not let a frame trim less than to 1". Sometimes a poster looks nice with a matt around the poster and larger excess linen I assume can be under it. If there weren't many other posters for sale I wouldn't think the selling price would be affected if it was trimmed very close to the edge, otherwise for me yes affected. European linen I believe is a thin linen and I can imagine that may fray easily.

[crowzilla]

I think 2" on each edge would bother me for some reason.

Most of the West Coast backers use .75" on each edge and that seems to work pretty well.