The dyes used in cloth typewriter ribbons are held in place by fats & waxes
(e.g., neatsfoot oil,mineral oil, oleic acid, montan wax, paraffin wax,
etc.)
so it is not surprising to find that they have bled over time.

Modern plastic typewriter ribbons don't have that problem, but I have no
idea how long accession/catalog numbers would remain on cloth tape.

Writing numbers out by hand may not be as neat as typewritten numbers (I'm
one of the few people who can read my writing) but they should last longer
if good inks are used.

Jack

>Date:    Wed, 15 Apr 1998 11:56:00 EDT
>From:    Felicia Pickering <[log in to unmask]>

>A warning to those using typewriters to type accession/catalogue numbers
>on cloth tape.  We have 10 and 20 year old, etc. typed tape labels where
>the typewriter ink has bled/blurred badly.  After we saw that we went
>back to writing the numbers on instead.  That way you can better control
>that the ink you are using is stable and permanent.
>
>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>*  Felicia Pickering    *
>* [log in to unmask]  *
>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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