[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking.

Baren Digest            Wednesday, 23 September 1998    Volume 04 : Number 290

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From: Gayle Wohlken <blueman@pantek.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 09:48:34 -0600
Subject: [Baren 1751] Re: Baren Digest V4 #289 

I have two questions regarding the Baren.  First of
all I notice people are giving different reference 
numbers to  Barens, than what I have on mine.   For instance,
Richard mentions numbers like Baren 1525 and mine
have numbers like #289.  Why is that?

Also there is a little yellow box that appears empty
beneath the photos on the "Who Is Baren" page.
Is everybody's yellow box empty, or just mine.

Just wondering,
Gayle Wohlken

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From: Daniel Kelly <daniel@vowel.or.jp>
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998 08:57:27 +0000
Subject: [Baren 1752] Mold 

Hello Bareners:
Its too quiet. So I'll ask. What would one do if a print HAS mold.  I
mean after the fact. Will the mold again grow if the print is dry? Is
the paper weakened? Is there a way to remove it. Will it jump over on to
uninfected papers in a cabinet?
And since Formalin is carcinogenic what other effective killer will
absolutely insure that it won't happen for the long periods necessary
for printing.?

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@islandnet.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 20:47:52 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 1753] Re: Mold 

Daniel Kelly wrote....
>What would one do if a print HAS mold.  

This response written by Jack Reisland June 18th 1998 will help you.

>These spots are a common problem on old paper objects, it is a
>form of mildew and are generally referred to as "foxing". It usually
>starts by attacking the sizing of the paper, which then renders that
>spot of the paper highly absorbent. This allows the organism to then
>attack the cellulose of the paper itself.  Although household bleach
>will, as suggested, remove these spots, it is very hard on the paper,
>and will itself continue to cause cellulose damage if it is not
>completely rinsed out. There is also a possibility that it may cause
>damage to pigments on other prints it may be stacked with. A better
>alternative is Chloramine-T, a bleaching agent that is routinely used in
>the paper conservation field. It has the unique property that, when
>applied to a print, its bleaching properties are soon lost, and no
>corrosive byproducts are left in the paper. This way rinsing can be
>reduced to a minimum. It is available in powder form (to be mixed with
>distilled water) from Conservation Materials, P.O. Box 2884, Sparks,
>Nevada  89431, 1-702-331-0582. They also carry dry pigments, and some
>Japanese brushes and papers, although I'm not sure how their prices
>compare.
>     If foxing is a continuing problem, you might look into how the
>paper you are using has been sized, and if you are sizing your own
>paper, you have the option of including a mild fungicide.

From Graham ...
If possible lay the paper in direct sunlight for a 1/2 hour.  This will
stop the organism from growing and kills it dead.

When printing and the paper is damp it is important to keep the paper
cool...like in the refrigerator cool and even freeze it between printing.  I do 
this every nite when printing, particularly during warm weather.

I never have problems in the winter....thank goodness.

Graham

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From: Jack Reisland <jreis@ptinet.net>
Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 23:31:23 -0700
Subject: [Baren 1754] Re: Mold 

Hi,

   I would like to revisit my last reply to this question. If I am to
understand that this current question concerns paper that is in the process
of printing, I would like to add the following:

   Yes, if untreated, and the conditions are right, the mold will grow
again. Yes, since the mold is feeding on either the sizing or the cellulose
of the paper, the paper is weakened. Yes, the mold can jump over on to
uninfected paper if it is in contact with it, or near it if the conditions
are right. Yes, there are ways to remove mold, and this is where I would
like to particularly re-address my last entry. Although there are ways to
remove mold infestations, they are not particularly good for the paper, and
can be risky for the pigments that have already been applied to the paper,
and, under some situations, to paper and pigment even after the print is
finished and dried. If you are asking about your own paper in that has
become infected in the process of printing, and you care about the future of
your print, (and by extension, your reputation) I would suggest that you
consider starting over with new paper and take whatever steps to keep it
from happening again.

   Also, I have found that Conservation Materials, that I mentioned in my
last posting on this subject, is no longer in business. Their niche has been
filled by Conservation Emporium at www.consemp.com.

Jack Reisland
Reisland Conservation and Restoration

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From: David Bull <davebull@woodblock.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998 18:34:16 +0900
Subject: [Baren 1755] Re: Mold 

Richard wrote:
> Certainly, Baren will eventually get simply too weighted down 
> with repetitions ...

but you know, I don't think that this is going to be much of a problem,
and the current little 'go around' on mold is a good example.  There is
_always_ a new viewpoint on these things.

Graham and Jack have already weighed in, and here's a bit more info ...

I reported back in [Baren 551] about a new product for stopping mold:

>Matsumura-san has a new product in his hanga supply shop - something
>called 'washi no kabi dome' ('Stop mold in paper').
>
>It's a bottle filled with a sort of greeny-yellowy fluid, and is to be
>mixed in with the water used for moistening, in the ratio of 20cc per
>litre.

I wrote to the manufacturer to try and find out what was inside it, but
they wouldn't tell me the formulation (trade secret, etc. ).  They did
however, swear up and down that it wouldn't hurt me.  I'm not quite sure
just how much to trust them on that, but anyway I picked up a bottle of
the stuff, and have been using it all summer.  I have to report a total
lack of mold in the paper, and not even a hint of the moldy smell that
usually starts to come up in the third or fourth day.

The product _seems_ quite benign, with none of the fierce smell and
virulence that one sees with Formalin.  

If you're interested, write to Matsumura san (his contact info is in the
Suppliers section of the Encyclopedia), and get him to send you a
bottle.

(By the way, I still haven't heard anything from him on his English
catalogue.  I guess it's still in preparation ...)

***

Daniel wrote:
> Its too quiet. So I'll ask ...

Dan, don't worry if [Baren] gets quiet now and then. There is simply no
way that we can maintain intensity at the level of the recent
discussions.  I think we all need a break from that sometimes ... I know
that _I_ do! 

And of course we all need to get away from these keyboards ... to get to
the carving benches!

Dave B.

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From: Daniel Kelly <daniel@vowel.or.jp>
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998 20:11:47 +0000
Subject: [Baren 1756] Re: Mold 

I'll throw in some more bits to the fire.

David Bull wrote:
>And of course we all need to get away from these keyboards ... to get to
>the carving benches!

Printing is more important than carving.

On mold:
> They did
> however, swear up and down that it wouldn't hurt me.  I'm not quite sure
> just how much to trust them

This is the problem. We live with mold all the time in Asia. Personally I
don't trust Mosquito coils here.  So what to trust for this?   I want to
stay healthy and make a good decision about what I'm using.How about UV
light?

D

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End of Baren Digest V4 #290
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