DKPA Basic Phialtely : How do I Start ?

Start by getting sources for your stamps. Offices get a lot of mail. Ask parents, relatives, friends to get you stamps from their office. Ask them not to detach the stamps from the envelopes. This is important. Their enthusiasm may spoil your precious item. Religious Missionary Offices have a collection of foreign stamps. Join a neighbourhood philatelic society and ask the members. Everyone will help you out with a few free stamps. Look out on the internet for free stamps. Finally, Ask Us for Some :=). Send us a self addressed envelope and we will send you a few stamps.

	Now that you have a collection of envelopes with stamps store them in a box (Shoe Box ? - may not be good thing for your collection but it helps). Start early on the weekend and sort through your collection. Good envelopes with interesting cancellations and stamps are more valuable than single stamps. Do not tear them till you get an expert opinion. Cut out the envelopes around the stamps. Take care not to spoil the stamp. If two stamps are attached do not cut them in the middle.
	Separate out the stamps stuck to coloured envelopes. Pour a little luke warm water in a tray (anything from the kitchen will do). It should be shallow and wide. Float a few stamps stamp side up, at a time. Watch the water. In case some envelope gives out colour remove the stamps, change the water and do not float the culprit again. Leave it for later. Envelopes which give out colour should be treated separately one by one.
	You will find that the stamps peel off easily after about 45 minutes of soaking. Some of them would have separated by themselves. Peel off the stubborn ones using stamp tongs (tweezers). If you find that you fingers do a better job go ahead and use them. There are no rules here. Just experiment with soiled and torn stamps at first. Wash away excess gum at the back of the stamp with water and a water colour paint brush.
	Lay the stamps face down on a clean white blotting paper. Paper napkins also can be used. Do not use printed coloured paper. They may colour your stamps. The stamps will tend to curl up. Do not panic. Its Okay. Move the stamps once in a while so that they do not stick to the paper.
	Place the curled dried stamps between some heavy books. The telephone department provides some heavy books in major cities for the use of philatelists free of cost :=). A fat dictionary will also do. Once your stamps are flattened out they are ready for your album.