The Repair Shop expert fumes over 'worst item they've seen in 30 years'
An expert on The Repair Shop was left stunned by what she called the 'worst item' see has ever seen in her 30-year restoration career.
On the latest episode of the BBC show, guest Sidra hoped that Louise Drover could bring her beloved dad's heavily laminated medical certificate from the 1970s back to life. She was told how her father had died from coronavirus after working in a hospital - and she wanted to frame the item with his signature still there.
Louise set about trying to help but knew it would be very challenging She said: “This laminated document is quite possibly the worst I’ve seen in my entire 30-year career. It’s got three laminations to it and two layers of what appears to be a very thin cellophane.
Louise Drover was gobsmacked by the item that she needed to restore (BBC)“On lifting quite nicely, one still very firmly attached. I’m not sure how that one’s coming off yet and then this very thick crunchy one on the outside. The trickiest thing with this will possibly be to remove that final layer, I don't actually know if I’ll be able to get it off.”
After closer inspection, she realised the document was one piece of paper which had been split in its thickness to be able to allow for more stamps to be added. Expert Louise soon devised a plan that she’d separate the layer which had already been peeled apart.
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However, she had to be extremely careful not to tear the front side of the sheet as she started to strip away the lamination. Realising it was harder than she had anticipated, the expert commented: “It’s quite stiff actually this. It’s adhering really tightly in some areas more than others.
Sidra was hopeful that the expert would be able to get her dad’s medical certificate back to its prior pristine state (BBC)"Then I’ve got the next layer to contend with which is the thinner layer, I think it could tear very easily. Ah, it’s lifting the paper now, so I keep peeling the looser areas off and it’s just patience really and some prayers!” During the episode, viewers learnt the significance of the certificate to Sidra.
After hours of work, Louise was able to get the certificate back to its pristine state and find a frame with glass on both sides to be able to allow for the stamps to be seen. Now with the certificate in two parts, Sidra was blown away by what the expert had been able to do. She said: “Wow, that’s amazing! God, it looks beautiful, the frame. He’d be so happy.
“Oh my goodness, It’s just amazing, the journey of the certificate is there.” However, things weren't totally perfect and Louise confessed she wasn’t able to get the final layer of lamination off as it would have caused too much damage and risked destroying it.
The Repair Shop is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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