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Thread: Letter locking

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    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Letter locking

    This topic about how letters used to be sealed or "locked" before gummed envelopes has been mentioned before, but the 2018 article appears again: The article has links to primary sources.

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    Senior Member CrayonAngelss's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter locking

    I was practicing letter locking in high school passing notes without even realizing it
    But not this complex. We'd fold our notes lengthwise a few times before tucking it into a little folded triangle.

    Does anyone here have any luck with sending or receiving letters with wax seals? Do they make it through the sorter?

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    Senior Member Yazeh's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter locking

    Quote Originally Posted by CrayonAngelss View Post
    I was practicing letter locking in high school passing notes without even realizing it
    But not this complex. We'd fold our notes lengthwise a few times before tucking it into a little folded triangle.

    Does anyone here have any luck with sending or receiving letters with wax seals? Do they make it through the sorter?
    I sent last year a letter, and it worked. Though I'm in Canada. You should ask Morgaine. She's the queen of letter writing.

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    Senior Member jbb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter locking

    Quote Originally Posted by CrayonAngelss View Post
    I was practicing letter locking in high school passing notes without even realizing it
    But not this complex. We'd fold our notes lengthwise a few times before tucking it into a little folded triangle.

    Does anyone here have any luck with sending or receiving letters with wax seals? Do they make it through the sorter?
    I used to fold notes just that way too. As for sealing wax, there is flexible wax, like Herbins, https://www.jetpens.com/J.-Herbin-Su...UaAu-_EALw_wcB that works with modern postal equipment. Old fashioned "authentic" sealing wax does not make it through.
    JBBPensPaper an Etsy store

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    Senior Member CrayonAngelss's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter locking

    Quote Originally Posted by jbb View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by CrayonAngelss View Post
    I was practicing letter locking in high school passing notes without even realizing it
    But not this complex. We'd fold our notes lengthwise a few times before tucking it into a little folded triangle.

    Does anyone here have any luck with sending or receiving letters with wax seals? Do they make it through the sorter?
    I used to fold notes just that way too. As for sealing wax, there is flexible wax, like Herbins, https://www.jetpens.com/J.-Herbin-Su...UaAu-_EALw_wcB that works with modern postal equipment. Old fashioned "authentic" sealing wax does not make it through.
    That's great to know! Thanks

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    Yazeh (February 16th, 2022)

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    Default Re: Letter locking

    I remember being taught letter locking when I was in primary school in the 1950s as part of a history lesson. Just thinking how almost all mail posted today is machine scanned and processed, I suspect using a wax seal may not be advisable. The likes of an embossed sticker or sticky-tape might be a better choice.

    Another memory from when 'dinosaurs roamed the earth': My godmother would fold a A4 sheet in half to create a four A5 pages. This became a letter/envelope which she would fold again, seal, address and post.

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    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter locking

    Quote Originally Posted by CrayonAngelss View Post
    ...Does anyone here have any luck with sending or receiving letters with wax seals? Do they make it through the sorter?
    My experience has been about 50-50 chance of damage to mail received, the worst arriving in one of those USPS damaged mail envelopes. I have wax and seals, but it's been a long time since I applied a seal to something going into the mail.

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    Senior Member OCArt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter locking

    I've sent three triangle letters without problem. At delivery of one additional postage was requested to cover a non-standard size!

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    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter locking

    Quote Originally Posted by OCArt View Post
    I've sent three triangle letters without problem. At delivery of one additional postage was requested to cover a non-standard size!
    Oh man, you've challenged me! This is going to be frustratingly fun for my next pen friend victims.

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    Senior Member Detman101's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter locking

    Quote Originally Posted by CrayonAngelss View Post
    I was practicing letter locking in high school passing notes without even realizing it
    But not this complex. We'd fold our notes lengthwise a few times before tucking it into a little folded triangle.

    Does anyone here have any luck with sending or receiving letters with wax seals? Do they make it through the sorter?
    Letterlocked postal works in the US. Sent a letterlocked missive with wax seal to my sister late last year successfully.
    "I can only improve my self, not the world."

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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter locking

    Quote Originally Posted by CrayonAngelss View Post
    I was practicing letter locking in high school passing notes without even realizing it
    But not this complex. We'd fold our notes lengthwise a few times before tucking it into a little folded triangle.

    Does anyone here have any luck with sending or receiving letters with wax seals? Do they make it through the sorter?
    I've never received one with traditional wax from US to UK that successfully made it through without damage (one envelope was even burned) but I've received a couple with flexible wax sent by domestic mail within UK.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Default Re: Letter locking

    Funny enough I received one from the USA to UK only the other week complete with seal still intact

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    Default Re: Letter locking

    What a fascinating article. Thank you for sharing!

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