How to Fix Baseball Card Corners in 6 Easy Ways

The most sensitive and crucial part of baseball cards is their corners. As they stick out, these corners get easily damaged. If you don’t store them properly, there is a high chance that the cards get folded, sometimes they get discolored, and in extreme conditions, these cards can be torn.

So maintaining the corners of the card in their intact position is crucial. That’s why I am writing this article on how to fix baseball card corners, so that it can help all of you to deal with this situation easily.

But if the corners get damaged, is it possible to fix them? – is a common doubt. 

Yes, you can fix the corners by pressing. Sometimes you need to recolor and in extreme conditions, you need to altar the corners of the cards. 

How to fix baseball card corners? (Real Tips)

The corners of baseball cards easily get damaged and card collectors always keep a special eye on the corners. So if you are going to make any change that will remain permanently on the card, then you need to do it precisely.

So that no one can easily find that the card is repainted or altered. There are multiple ways to treat baseball card corners. Let’s start the actual process of how to fix baseball card corners.

Pressing

If the card is bent or folded and is not in its regular form, you first need to restore it. For it, pressing the card is the most effective way. The easiest way is to use an iron. First, place the card on a plane surface of a wooden table. Now place a clean cloth over the card and make sure that the card is covered properly.

This cloth will save the card from excess heat. Sometimes baseball cards get damaged from excess moisture. To treat it, heat the iron and place it over the cloth. Don’t ever use the iron stream directly here. Repeat this process until the card becomes completely flat and the corners regain their original shape.

But if the corners are rounded off, you need to alter them after this process. Pressing is the most common and easiest way to fix those corners of the baseball cards which are damaged slightly. You can also use various paper flattening machines available in the market. 

Straw and Blower

This is an unethical but very effective way to treat such corners which have just started to deform. You must arrange a simple straw, a pen, and a hair dryer for this process. First, you must place one edge of the straw in front of the damaged corner. Start breathing and leave hot air in that corner area through the straw.

Now quickly take the back edge of a pen and press that corner area of the card. Now quickly take the dryer and blow it for at least 30 seconds. it will remove all the moisture from the space and will ensure there will be no bubbles. This is also a very easy and effective way to fix the corner of the baseball cards.

Indirect Steaming

Direct contact with streams is very harmful to the life of the cards. But Indirect steaming can effectively remove all the creases from the card’s surface. For this purpose, you need to take a bowl, filled with boiled water. Now use plastic wrap and cover the entire bowl and make it as tight as possible.

Now place the card on the top of the wrap and ensure that the card’s face is down. Now, simply wait for one minute. And you can see the magic. All the creases from the card will vanish and the corners will become almost new.

Altering

Altering the card corner is a very complex process and card collectors don’t like to purchase such cards. But, rebuilding is the only way to treat it if there is any rare, old card. If a new card gets torn then you also need to alter it. To restore the card by altering it, you need to find another almost similar card.

Now you need to cut the corner of this alternative card and place it on the main card so efficiently that no one can easily identify whether the card is altered. You must try to avoid altering, because according to many card collectors alteration damages the dignity of the cards.

Repainting

Over time the colors of baseball cards peel off. To treat it you can use a color-match marker. This is also a very complex way of treating baseball cards. Sometimes, after altering the cards you need to give some touch up with markers; so that the finish comes smooth.

Perfect matching of the color and texture is the most crucial thing to keep in mind while treating old baseball cards.

Can baseball cards be restored?

If there are minor damages on the cards, or the corners are slightly damaged, these cards are easily restorable. But those which have torn or large areas of the corners rounded off, these cards need to alter to restore. And it is very hard to hide the alteration marks. Card collectors also don’t prefer to buy such altered or repainted cards.

Will Topps replace damaged cards?

Yes, sometimes the Topps companies replace damaged cards. If your card gets damaged, and if you purchased it in the same year and the company has its stock, there is a high chance of getting a replacement. If the company doesn’t have stock, it will replace your card with another one with the same value.

But, there is no guarantee that you will get the same card. There are no specific rules, it all depends upon the company’s stock, the percentage of damage, and on the card’s age. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion 

The corners of the baseball cards easily get damaged with time.

Storing them properly is the most important thing. If you care about your cards, inspect them thoroughly from time to time, because minor damages are easy to treat. And identifying them in the initial stage is a crucial thing.