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I need help. What can I do to still use my paper key?
I spilled a little bit of candle wax on my Bitcoin private key and now it won't scan electronically what can I do?
Answers
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You can make a manual copy of the QR code. Get out a sheet of graph paper, a #2 pencil, and start copying the grid from the QR code. Count the number of rows, and make sure your graph paper is large enough. Each square in the QR code should be either entirely filled in or entirely blank. As long as each square in the QR code is legible to you, you can make a clean version.
You don't need to get every square correct - QR codes have an error correction code.
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- If the string of numbers and letters that should also be printed on the paper wallet (usually below the QR code) is legible, use that to import your wallet. It is likely prepended with "Private key: " and starts with a "5".
Else:
- Try googling "Remove wax from paper"
- Read instructions carefully for plausibility
- Follow instructions.
You might be able to soak up the wax by covering it with baking paper or newspaper and carefully ironing it. I have not tried this with printed documents before, use this idea at your own risk.
1Make some copies before trying to do anything to the paper. Is there not also a written code in letters and digits on the paper? – Jannes – 2016-02-01T03:05:44.483
@Jannes Perhaps OP spilled wax on that part too. – Nick ODell – 2016-02-01T23:10:23.090
1@NickODell Still important to know as part of the key might still be readable and be used in some brute forcing (depending on how many digits are missing). Same with QR code. And with some trickery combine the two to fill missing digits using the other. – Jannes – 2016-02-02T09:24:54.710