Tankobon Debinding

[blud]

A question for all of you out there with experience on the subject. Are there any good non-lethal methods for removing the pages from the glue?

The first tank I scanned I took a knife and cut off the spine, it was messy, and very difficult, but it worked. More recently, today I tried a microwave method. I cooked one book and it worked perfectly, the pages practically fell off the glue like a dream. The second book engulfed in a fiery disaster of flames when I took it out of the microwave. No injuries or significant damage, but it seems that there was a small glossy page in the book and that's what caused the blaze.

Spoiler!

This basically shattered the dream of filling up a period of time where D.Gray-man scanlations were very low quality. I still have a box full of raw volumes though so I'd like to know how you do it. I know there's gotta be someone out there who's scanned a manga book before.

In before "Rip out the pages or cut them with scissors lol!" I'd like a method where the smallest risk to the pages is involved.

[Syaozen]

Do you ever feel anguish or some form of sentiment when tearing up these books? Or do you not have a collector's value...or maybe you do, a 2nd copy of each that you erode away? Or perhaps you just prefer them to be within your vast space of multimedia?

Because I don't think I'd ever have the heart to tear up perfectly good manga =/

[blud]

At first maybe, when holding an original tankobon in my hand was interesting. But not really anymore, the ones I rip apart are in Japanese, maybe if I could speak the language I'd be a little hesitant. Besides, behind every decent looking manga you read online is someone sacrificing their copy for the greater good - whether its a tank or a magazine like Shonen Jump.

I have a small (albeit growing) collection of English volumes that I wouldn't tear apart.

[NPG]

Microwave should work.

Just make sure there's no metal in it...

[Kushieda]

I've used an iron before for other soft covers. Basically place a cloth of some kind (dish towel, cloth diaper, whatever's available) between the iron and the binding, then let it warm up. The cloth is to help prevent you from actually singeing the book should you keep the iron on too long. The soft covers I was doing though had about a 2 inch binding, so a tankobon may be a little difficult with this method.

If you want to use a knife, then I'd suggest clamping the book down, then using a clamped straightedge and a razor of some kind. it would require a bit of setup, but would be worth it if you were to do it a lot. I could post pics of one if you want an example of this method.

[g7_gomitat7]

Microwave should work.

Just make sure there's no metal in it...

I'd have to agree with NPG here.
The fire probably came from metal.
Seriously, what else could have started that mess?

[blud]

Oh the fire was definitely from a plastic insert, there was melted plastic oozing around the source of it all. I have yet to open up a tank and see something metal come out of it.

Thanks for the iron tip jja I'll give it a try.

[Mr.E]

The best method've heard of is using a hair dryer... turn it onto the highest heat seting and sloooowly move it up and down the spine, works like a dream ^_^

[Tyki Mikk Kyou]

LOL! Micro-waving, ironing and hair-drying a book!? Just what on earth you people are trying to do? Too bad the picture won’t load.

I never really scan pages like this before but I use this method when I want to keep nice pages of the unwanted Shounen Jump magazines (I would never do this to my tankoban). I bend the spine 180 degrees a few times in different places. Then I rip out the pages. They will come off with a nice edge similar to crenellation. But this only works for the pages that are close to the place where the spine is bent. Otherwise, they will end up ripped everywhere. Hence why I have to bend it in various places and it’s kinda time-consuming. At first you might still get ripped pages but after a few times, you will get better.
This still might not be the best method though...

At first maybe, when holding an original tankobon in my hand was interesting. But not really anymore, the ones I rip apart are in Japanese, maybe if I could speak the language I'd be a little hesitant. Besides, behind every decent looking manga you read online is someone sacrificing their copy for the greater good - whether its a tank or a magazine like Shonen Jump.

I have a small (albeit growing) collection of English volumes that I wouldn't tear apart.

I value my Japanese tankoban more than the English ones. Only because I can find translation online and the English versions are not as good. Though I have to agree that English verions are way more expensive.
I don't know if they have these stores in your place. But you can try to get the Japanese version in second-hand Japanese book stores since you are ripping them anyways.