[pure-silver] Re: RC to FB

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Justin F. Knotzke" <jknotzke@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "PureSilver Mailing List" <pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, December 30, 2004 12:32 PM
Subject: [pure-silver] RC to FB


>
>    Hi,
>
>    I was looking at some of the prints done by my 
> girlfriend recently
> and was amazed at the "look" the surface had compared to 
> mine. Finally,
> I broke down and asked and she felt the difference was in 
> that she used
> Fiber based paper and I was using RC.
>
>    So I am thinking of taking a stab at using FB. I've 
> been printing RC
> now for a couple of years.
>
>    What are some of things I need to pay attention to when 
> trying FB?
>
>    Thanks
>
>    J
>
> -- 
> Justin F. Knotzke
> jknotzke@xxxxxxxxxx
> http://www.shampoo.ca

      I wonder which papers you were comparing?
      The main difference in processing fiber is the need 
for longer wash time. I suggest using Kodak Hypo Clearing 
Agent as directed. This will cut down the wash time from 
about 2 hours to about half an hour. The washer may be a 
problem: effective washing requires free access of water to 
both sides of the paper. So called archival washers are 
intended to allow this but some are better than others. 
Washing in a tray is possible but you have to pay attention 
to it and keep multiple prints separated.
      Curling varies enormously with the brand of paper. 
Drying on screens helps. The paper is placed emulsion side 
down. This tends to equalize the drying rate of emulsion and 
support. It is the differential shrinkage of the emulsion 
vs: support that results in curling.
      So called print flattening solutions don't really help 
and can compromise the life of the print.
      Prints flattened in a dry mounting press will stay 
flat for prolonged periods of time.
      I agree with Ryuji about checking the completeness of 
washing with the simple Silver Nitrate test.
      I prefer to use two bath fixing for all material. 
Ryuji thinks this is not necessary when using rapid 
(Ammonium) fixer.
      I learned photography at a time when fiber base paper 
was the only kind available so it seems odd to me that it is 
now considered somewhat exotic.
      Actually, RC is also coated on "fiber", the difference 
being that the paper is coated with plastic. One reason for 
the difference in "look" may be the difference in the 
substrate. Fiber paper has the emulsion coated on a sizing 
of hard gelatin, probably several coatings. RC paper is 
coated on the plastic. Part of a paper's appearance is due 
to the treatment of the substrate and part due to the nature 
of the overcoating. Fiber papers were often textured by 
callendring them. Probably the gelatin substrate of fiber 
allows more texturing than RC.
   The overcoating of both kinds is gelatin. To make a matte 
surface the overcoating often contains a substance like 
talc. This is the same for both kinds.

---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 

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