Most damage to a scratch map happens in the first thirty seconds of owning one, usually because of enthusiasm and the wrong tool. The foil is designed to lift away easily, which also means the paper beneath it is easy to score. Here is how to do it cleanly.
Use a coin, not a key
A coin is the best tool: the edge is blunt, wide and evenly weighted, so it lifts foil without concentrating pressure in one spot. The edge of a plastic card works nearly as well and is gentler still.
What to avoid: keys, penknives, scissor blades, tweezers and fingernails. The first four are sharp enough to cut into the paper; fingernails smear the foil rather than lifting it and leave a dull haze that never quite clears.
Light strokes, repeated
Pressing harder does not remove more foil, it just transfers the pressure into the paper. Use short, light strokes and go over the same area two or three times. The foil comes away in flakes; if it is coming away as dust and the paper is starting to shine, ease off.
Work outwards from the middle
Start in the centre of a region and work towards its borders, slowing down as you approach the outline. Scratching towards a border gives you control as you arrive at it. Scratching along a border, or across it, is how neighbouring countries lose their corners.
This matters more on country editions than on the world map. On the Japan Scratch Map the prefecture boundaries sit close together, so precision is what makes the finished map look deliberate.
Clear the dust as you go
Foil flakes build up and get dragged under the coin, which scuffs areas you have already finished. Brush them away with a dry, soft cloth every so often. Do not use a damp cloth: moisture softens the paper and lifts foil you meant to keep.
Fixing a mistake
Be honest about this one — removed foil cannot be put back. If you scratch the wrong region there is no repair, which is the strongest argument for going slowly at the start. Some people treat small errors as part of the record and leave them; there is no way to restore the original surface.
Before you scratch anything
Unroll the map and let it sit flat for a day, ideally under a couple of books at the corners. Scratching a map that is still curled means working against a curved surface, and the coin skips. A flat map is easier to scratch accurately and easier to frame afterwards.
One more thing worth knowing: our returns policy covers maps that are new and unopened, so if you are undecided about keeping it, do not open the tube. Once scratching starts the map cannot be returned. Full details are in our returns policy and FAQ.