Charbonnel Ink for rich solids
I’ve seen a lot of discussion about ink here at Briar Press…. oil based, rubber based, water based and so forth….. from many manufacturers. What I’ve never seen mentioned is the use of Charbonnel Ink for letterpress. It finally dawned on me that most letterpress folks probably don’t even know it exists since the American vendors only list it for use as an Art/Etching ink.
This is unfortunate since it is one of the highest quality inks on the market. Because it is intended primarily for use with copperplate / itaglio / etchings and similar work, it is VERY heavily pigment loaded and smooth, which translates into very rich solids when used as a letterpress ink. I’ve found that by using it on a small press like a Kelsey 3x5, I can easily print a far larger solid area than I can with regular oil or bubber based inks…. and when used with dampened paper on a flatbed press, the results are incredible. Also, I’ve found them to be the best as far as lightfasness goes.
There are a few drawbacks in using this ink, however:
First, It is a little more costly per pound. For small items like invitations and so forth, or Art Prints, this is not a problem. For books or work of lesser importance, it might be too costly.
Secondly, because it is so heavily pigment loaded, a little bit goes a long way… and thus it is a bit harder to clean up and keep clean. With most oil based inks you can wipe an inky finger on your apron or pants and keep printing. With this stuff you need to be more careful. Ink on your apron will transfer to your arm…. and then to your shirt…. and so forth and so on.
Third, I’ve found that it dries just a tad too slow to be useful on a fast press like a Windmill. For printing with a hand operated press like a Kelsey, it does fine. With a fast press, you run the risk of setting-off.
Finally…. it is less viscous than most letterpress ink, which makes one think it’s too oily. It’s not too oily, but it does handle differently on the press which means you have to experiment a bit to get a consistent coverage throughout a run.
If you haven’t tried Chabonnel Ink for letterpress, you might want to consider it. It works in my shop.
This is good information. I’ve been using Handschy litho ink (Master Palette System), since that was what my letterpress teacher recommended. It too is pricey, but it definitely produces better results than the soy inks they had at letterpress school. I looked up the Charbonnel inks at Renaissance Graphics, and they list seven pages of products. Which ones have you tried?
Barbara
Barbara
There has been some discussion on the use of Charbonnel ink for printing solids on PPLetterpress in the past. Check the archives for detailed information. Setswell Compound is a useful additive in this regard.
Gerald
Thanks Gerald. The discussion on PPLetterpress was very helpful. I have a question about the Setswell: I’ve been adding it directly to the rider roller (on a Vandercook) to improve coverage and depth of color on a job while it’s on the press. I apply a series of very tiny dabs (how’s that for precision?). This has worked very well for me, but I wonder if you’re supposed to mix the Setswell into the ink beforehand, to better define the proportions.
Barbara
Barbara
You should add it on the slab. Applying ink additives directly to the rider isn’t advisable, for the reason you surmise. A very small amount is all that is required.
Gerald
FYI - Graphic Chemical sells the Charbonnel inks for somewhat less than Renaissance Graphic does.
Also, I’ve been very happy using Graphic Chemical’s Litho Senefelder’s Crayon Black with a Vandercook. A very stiff ink with nice solid deep black coverage. it is about $10 cheaper than Charbonnel.
FYI - Graphic Chemical sells the Charbonnel inks for somewhat less than Renaissance Graphic does.
Also, I’ve been very happy using Graphic Chemical’s Litho Senefelder’s Crayon Black with a Vandercook. A very stiff ink with nice solid deep black coverage. it is about $10 cheaper than Charbonnel.
The Lithographic Senefelder’s Crayon Black No. 1803 is superb for all around Vandercook work. It can be cut with Graphic Chemical’s Graphic Litho Roll Up Black No. 1921 if need be (for use on platen presses or to loosen it up for solids).
Gerald