thoughts on how to preserve this crumpled paper...

[Pete M]

so I found this in a 90s XJ and it has the codes on the back.  but it's a little bit... crumpled.  and fragile.  any ideas on how to get it into a legible flat piece of paper again?  I'm having flashbacks to an episode of MacGyver, but haven't quite worked up the guts to squirt it with water...

 

 

[Strokermjcomanche]

How about a humidifier in a small closed in area, to make the paper More pliable

[AZJeff]

A warm (not hot) clothes iron will also help remove the wrinkles.

[ghetdjc320]

Somehow it will have to be rehydrated as suggested. The thermal printing type may be another story. First and foremost though, it needs to be flattened. 

[cruiser54]

https://www.sciencealert.com/one-of-the-dead-sea-scrolls-is-even-more-extraordinary-than-we-thought

[Pete M]

this is what I ended up doing.  spritz it with a bit of water, slowly unfold it on a cooking sheet, then carefully compress with a book (with a plastic cover so it won't stick) and let dry.  so far so good.   just got the top bit to do today and then I can put it into a plastic sleeve.  I thought about laminating it, but I fear that if anything goes wrong, it'll go very very wrong.  I'm looking forward to examining the codes on the back.  

[CMMagnussen]

On 12/12/2021 at 9:09 AM, Pete M said:

this is what I ended up doing.  spritz it with a bit of water, slowly unfold it on a cooking sheet, then carefully compress with a book (with a plastic cover so it won't stick) and let dry.  so far so good.   just got the top bit to do today and then I can put it into a plastic sleeve.  I thought about laminating it, but I fear that if anything goes wrong, it'll go very very wrong.  I'm looking forward to examining the codes on the back.  

Ugh.. that orange book is giving me flashbacks.