I came across these Printmaking Suppliers who make their own ink, HAWTHORN'S, who have an online shop. Their inks are very strong and transparent so you may need to add transparent or opaque white to get the desired colour, they recommend the STAY OPEN INKS for letterpress which come in a mass array of colours including process CYMK and gold, silver and FLUORESCENT! They also offer a NON SKIN LINSEED INK which is the vegetable based alternative to the Stay Open Inks which also available in a multitude of colours plus process CYMK, both are cleanable with soap and water, white spirit or the washes below. It's also worth noting that a drop of cobalt driers may be needed to speed up the drying time if overlapping colours.
What I also really like is that they sell CITRI-WASH a citrus based cleaner for all oil based ink and safe to use in kitchens and also LINCOLN WASH which is just as easy to use as white spirit but much safer and according to the guy I spoke to doesn't smell and highly recommended for cleaning your rollers. If I hadn't already got my inks I would have liked to have tried these and if you have any questions they are very helpful, going to try the Lincoln wash then I won't keep stinking the house out with white spirit!
UPDATE
The Citri Wash didn't work on my Van Son Rubber based ink so that was a no go though did smell lovely! I'm not happy using Lincoln Wash on my wood type because you have to mix it with 50/50 water so I tend to stick with a low odour white spirit for both my rollers and wood type.
I clean most of my ink off using recycled paper/newsprint first so minimum solvents are required for cleaning up. I run the rollers over the inking plate with a pieces of recycled paper in-between to get rid of most of the ink first. Using this method I find I don't need to use much solvent.
Depending on the ink your using I recommend giving the Hawthorn washes a try, perfectly fine for your rollers!
UPDATE
The Citri Wash didn't work on my Van Son Rubber based ink so that was a no go though did smell lovely! I'm not happy using Lincoln Wash on my wood type because you have to mix it with 50/50 water so I tend to stick with a low odour white spirit for both my rollers and wood type.
I clean most of my ink off using recycled paper/newsprint first so minimum solvents are required for cleaning up. I run the rollers over the inking plate with a pieces of recycled paper in-between to get rid of most of the ink first. Using this method I find I don't need to use much solvent.
Depending on the ink your using I recommend giving the Hawthorn washes a try, perfectly fine for your rollers!
Ooo, please let us know if the wash is any good. Can't bear stinky white spirit!
ReplyDeleteDo you already used the Lincoln Wash? It's true, doesn't smell? Do you clean just the rollers with it or the type too?
ReplyDeleteThe Citri Wash didn't work on my Van Son Rubber based ink so that was a no go though did smell lovely! I'm not happy using Lincoln Wash on my wood type because you have to mix it with 50/50 water so I tend to stick with a low odour white spirit for both my rollers and wood type.
ReplyDeleteI clean most of my ink off using recycled paper/newsprint first so minimum solvents are required for cleaning up. I run the rollers over the inking plate with a pieces of recycled paper in-between to get rid of most of the ink first. Using this method I find I don't need to use much solvent.
Depending on the ink your using I recommend giving the Hawthorn washes a try, perfectly fine for your rollers!
Thank you for your answer, this will be very helpful.
ReplyDeleteIn fact I don't have my ink yet. I'm starting right now with letterpress, I have been already cleaning some old metal type with white spirit and it was enough to see how the smell is strong. So I'm starting to look for some cleaner with no smell that could be used with metal type and rollers.
About the inks, I decided to buy Van Son Rubber base inks, but I'm living in Portugal and the dealers of Van Son here, don't sell the Small offset Rubber Based inks. So I'm trying to get it from UK, but Ink & Print doesn't ship to outside of UK either. Buying it from USA will increase the price to much. Do You know any UK dealer of Van son Ink with international shipping? Thank You.
Hi Catarina
ReplyDeleteYou could try http://www.mayday-graphics.co.uk/
or
http://www.vanson.nl/
and look for a dealer in Europe, you will need the small tins which are 1lb
Hope this helps!
Jax x