Old rubber-based ink

Dan J.
on 23 Nov 13 (13:27)

I was given many, many boxes of 30+ year old ink, some nice stuff mixed with land-fill cans; old Hostmann-Steinburg letterpress ink, bronze powder & such were keepers. Included were cans of rubber-based Van Son ink, many unopened. Is there a way to ‘rejuvenate’ rubber-based ink? As it ages, it appears to really turn to rubber. Land fill?

Thanks, Dan

dickg
on 23 Nov 13 (16:07)

sometimes towards the middle of the can the ink might be ok, once it turns to solid rubber you can’t bring it back.

Mike H.
on 25 Nov 13 (07:39)

How long will rubber base survive in the can?
I have a couple cans (plastic jars w/ screw tops actually)
that are getting a little old.
Techs at VanSon suggested something called SmoothLith
I believe.

dickg
on 25 Nov 13 (08:04)

I’ve had some rubber ink go bad after just a few years while I have other cans that go back to the stone age, some of my ink is over 40 years old. when it gets rubbery I use tack reducer to thin it out but sometimed it don’t work.