the Smell of a Print Shop (for a Substack column)
So I want to write a story on the ‘print shop smell’ candle that Mary McBruno is selling, so I thought it would be fun to have printers describe how their print shop smells….or maybe what they remember smelling. (Now Mary doesn’t have a Linotype, so you can’t include smells associated with that). She doesn’t cut wood type (so you can’t include that, although the combo of inks and woods at Hamilton Wood Type Museum is wonderful). Anyway, I’d love your comments. Here’s a link to Mary’s candle if you’re so inclined: https://www.mcbrunopress.com/swag/candle
A print shop smells like a sharp frisket knife,
or a fresh-washed apron,
or a well-spent life.
A print shop smells like poetry finding form,
or a crisp type lockup,
and shelter from the madding storm.
A print shop smells like odorless mineral spirits.
or a sealed bag of rags,
or the sound of good blues music when you just can’t
hear it.
I like the smell of my printshop.
I go there everyday.
I don’t know what else I can say.
Ke Francis