Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Wed, 17 Feb 1999 18:18:39 -0500 (EST)
On Wed, 17 Feb 1999, Richard Morris wrote:
> Even the same paper will vary due to a multitude of causes. Not least the
> weather. Humidity of the manufacturuing area has a lot to do with
> the uptake of gelatin etc into the paper and affects drying. Gelatin is
> also an uncertain substance. I am told that colloidal chemistry is not all
> that accurate. I would agree buy in bulk so that, rather like ordinary
> film, you get it from the same batch.
I just spoke to my guru of all things paper-y, David Aldera at NY Central
Artists' supply. He said thusly about the BFK Heavyeight:
All the Arches/Rives papers that are 30 by 34 are 280 gsm, which is
heavier than the regular BFK.
The company (Arches/Rives same company) decided if they cut the paper in
half they could have white BFK 22 by 30 in two weights -- the *regular*
BFK weight of ca 250 gsm & the *heavier* BFK. (All the tan & grey stock
are 280 gsm apparently.)
He stocked the BFK Heavyweight for a while, but dropped it because most
people don't notice the difference between the 2 weights. He knew nothing
of extra size on the "BFK Heavyweight" as cited in the Daniel Smith
catalog, but says a company with the volume of Daniel Smith could have
asked for & gotten a special run of the BFK.
But he said Rives also makes an *RFK* for platinum printers, which
isn't sold in the US, but has extra sizing for platinum printing. I wonder
what the surface is like & how it would be for gum? Anyone?
As for my original question about did they change BFK, David said a lot
of his customers are printmakers who use BFK & he hasn't had any bad
feedback. (Maybe the student had Rives Heavyweight & thought it was BFK,
which does happen.)
And speaking of seasonal differences, David once told me that some paper,
which I now forget, doesn't work for pl/pd when made in summer, it
speckles. This was driving a couple of printers crazy, til they learned to
try a couple of sheets from a given lot first.
Judy
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b3 on Sat Nov 06 1999 - 10:06:51