Computer Paper to Scroll Paper???

[Meds]

I've had luck with the following:

• 
  Laser print document (inkjet ink will run)
  Scrunch up paper tightly and unwrap
  Stain paper liberally with a tea bag
  Dry at low heat in oven
  Tear edges of paper using a ruler as a guide

... and for seals:

• 
  Drip hot wax onto document
  Wait until almost set
  Press 'seal' (I use a old coin) into wax and carefully remove

 

[The_lone_gunman]

Brew you a big pot of Lipton Tea, put the paper in and soak for about 12-24 hrs. Then let it air dry. You can then run that paper through your printer. I keep about 20 sheets like this ready all the time to use for makeshift maps, letters, etc.....


TLG

 

[Scupper]

Advisory:

I can tell you from personal experience that a melted crayon is no substitute for sealing wax, and might irritate your young children as well.

 

[Tsyr]

I keep a pack of that fake vellum paper on hand at all times... works for me

 

[Buttercup]

The last map I gave the PCs had been treated extensively. Here's what I did:

I started w/ a piece of resume parchment. I soaked it in strong tea and air dried it. Then I drew the map on it, using a fountain pen w/ brown ink. Then I crumpled it up this way and that a few times. Then I dribbled cooking oil on it. Then I folded it this way and that. Then I took it out to my herb garden and rubbed it in the earth. Then I burned part of it away.

It looked really old and beat up, I'll tell you that!

 

[Tsyr]

Gods, I don't think I'd even want to TOUCH that thing after you got done with it!

 

[Buttercup]

Well, they weren't quite sure what to do with it. The person who gave it to them didn't want to touch it herself, and apologized for its condition. She hinted that it had been damaged while she was getting it away from its previous owner.

 

[trix]

Tea gives swirling patterns

Tea works really well. The burning/oven baking is an optional extra that doesnt need to be applied.

Take any flat cake dish that can fit an A4 page.
Mix some strong tea with boiling water.
Pour it into the dish.

Place the dish in the sun and wait for it to 'sun' dry. (Start this in the morning).

The reason you want it sundried is for the 1st page. (I usually do 10 pages at a time).

9 of the pages come out like old scroll paper, but the top page... looks good.

The tea settles on that first page and kinda 'scars' the top page, leaving odd swirling patterns n stuff. _Very_ impressive. The other pages come out looking well but without the 'pattern' the top page has.

-Tim

 

[Irda Ranger]

If you want a more "old, but well preserved" look, not the "old and ill treated look", do the tea stuff ... but after a couple crumples, wet it and use a clothing iron to "press it flat". Looks like its been inside another book for a couple centuries ... like a pressed bit of leaf or flower.

Irda Ranger

 

[ElectricShrubbery]

I've baked the paper in the oven to brown it then burnt the edges with a lighter before. Works great for loose peices of paper.

But it gets fragile after being in the oven so it might crack if you roll it up.

Your problem is probably hydration. Paper has water in it, and removing it would indeed make it fragile.

This, by the way, is why you shouldn't microwave paper. Microwaves work by exciting the water molecules in an object, and hence the paper will heat up pretty quickly...

I liked the idea someone had of soaking it in tea and THEN putting it in the oven.