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Blew $80 on a comic grading kit and it was a total waste
I got into grading my own books a few months ago and bought one of those kits with the micro-tools and magnifying glass for $80 on eBay. Told myself it would save me money down the line. Five books in and I realized I was just making scratches and marking up the covers, not even catching real defects. The magnifier was too weak and the gloves kept tearing. Took one of my silver age copies to a shop in Austin and the guy there showed me what I missed just using his bare hands and a $5 jeweler's loupe. You don't need the fancy setup, just good lighting and practice. Anyone else get burned by those overpriced starter kits?
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willow_ellis25d ago
Did you ever try just swapping the magnifier for a cheap loupe? I picked up a 10x on Amazon for like $8, and honestly it showed me more than that whole kit ever did. I also stopped using gloves altogether, just wash my hands real good before handling anything, and my books are way cleaner now. That kit really is just a trap for folks who want to feel official, but the basics work better every time.
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