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Mike from The In Groove - storing records outside the LP sleeve

G

Gerard124

pfm Member
As a result of the MoFi thread I have been watching a fair few of Mike from The In Groove's YouTube videos - great stuff.

One thing I've noticed is how Mike stores the actual record outside the LP sleeve - why is he doing this - ease of access? I would have thought the disc was more at risk of possible impact or pressure damage if stored this way? Is this an American tradition? Never seen anyone do this in the UK.
 
It is certainly a thing and can help protect a fragile sleeve, plus if you use the seal-top Blake sleeves (which I don’t like) there is less risk of trashing the sleeve on the adhesive bit. I don’t do it.
 
Tony L said:
It is certainly a thing and can help protect a fragile sleeve, plus if you use the seal-top Blake sleeves (which I don’t like) there is less risk of trashing the sleeve on the adhesive bit. I don’t do it.
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I have pretty much all my records in Blake sleeves, the majority none seal type. Not had any problems catching sleeves with the adhesive type and I am clumsy if rushing.
 
It's not about protecting the sleeve. It is supposed to prevent ring wear on the covers and also split seams.

It makes sense but it seems to me that having the record outside the cover leaves it more exposed to potential damage from knocks etc.
 
Older, laminated sleeves can become an incredibly tight fit as the plastic lamination shrinks.
 
I do this. It does two things for me. Firstly I know which records I’ve cleaned, and secondly it means that the original (often card) inner sleeves can be safely stored in the main outer. Everything is obviously kept in the same protective outer archival Nagaokas.
 
Am I the only one that puts the outer sleeve into the cover sidewards so the open part is to the open outer? This way the record outer stays in the sleeve and you just take out the inner like you would an unprotected album.
 
matt j said:
Am I the only one that puts the outer sleeve into the cover sidewards so the open part is to the open outer? This way the record outer stays in the sleeve and you just take out the inner like you would an unprotected album.
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That is the way I do it! Vinyl stored in the original inner sleeve in a Nagaoka inner unless it was a poly of some description.

I wish I’d used outer sleeves much earlier as some of my older stuff does have some shelf-wear, but I’ve always used poly inners or Nagaoka types so vinyl I’ve owned for 40+ years is still in pretty much as-new condition.
 
Tony L said:
That is the way I do it! Vinyl stored in the original inner sleeve in a Nagaoka inner unless it was a poly of some description.

I wish I’d used outer sleeves much earlier as some of my older stuff does have some shelf-wear, but I’ve always used poly inners or Nagaoka types so vinyl I’ve owned for 40+ years is still in pretty much as-new condition.
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This is my experience too: the last 500+ albums will remain completely minty inside and out because of my investment in outer sleeves. Albums 40+ years old were always put in Nagaoka inner sleeves: if I bought them new, they continue to look new, but some of the sleeves suffered from many moves, sloppy storage (and a collapsed ceiling), etc.

One thing I've noticed - though obvious - is that you get less albums within a storage unit. Outer sleeves, 180g pressings, preponderance of gatefolds instead of single sleeves, etc. First World problem.
 
Theo said:
One thing I've noticed - though obvious - is that you get less albums within a storage unit. Outer sleeves, 180g pressings, preponderance of gatefolds instead of single sleeves, etc. First World problem.
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I recall someone posting a while back that they'd removed all their plastic sleeves and got acres of shelf space back!
 
I do this with a couple of LP's. For example a nice 6eye copy of Miles Davis Porgy and Bess and a Japanese Nick Drake Bryter Layter. In both cases to protect the sleeve especially as they do get played frequently.
 
Just as a bit of additional background I've noticed some Japanese record stores also do this - disc in a Nag inner sleeve, behind the outer sleeve, in a resealable plastic sleeve with the opening at the top.

It makes sense because you can see the label of the record you're interested in and tell straight away whether it's, say, a blue trident label prestige or whatever.
 
I'm not sure I understand your point Woodface, my take on this is it's about taking care of your records whilst handling/playing along with whilst storing.
 
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