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Victor Krag
6th March 2010, 08:49 AM
I'm not sure how many of you here are heat dry-mount pressing your prints, but if you are and if you ever get indentations of any kind, I can share an easy trick to remove them. This seems to work best with dry mount /solid backing prints only, due to the swelling and re-drying of the emulsion.

So, if by chance you have a Silver Gelatin print that has some defects due to an ungloved finger nail line indent, bump or a dimple that happened while in the press, do this. Lay the print & board face up horizontally. With the finest water-color paint brush you can find, dip the brush in distilled water and then lightly dab the offending line / dimple untill you see swelling of the emulsion. It's actually okay to over due it a tiny bit. Then, lay the mounted print face up in your drying racks overnight. Like magic, your previously indented defective print is now blemish free. Tada!

This works with press mounted prints best because the backing is glued to a solid surface, so when the emulsion drys, it takes to it's flattened shape. Loose, unmounted prints tend to retain some of that slight swelling as a 'mini-mound' in the previoulsy wetted areas.

You'll be amazed.

RH Designs
6th March 2010, 09:18 AM
As one who has suffered in the past from foreign objects (usually cat hairs) jumping into the press just as I'm closing it, I thank you for the tip!

Barry
6th March 2010, 09:31 AM
We have cat's too! Thanks Victor.

Trevor Crone
6th March 2010, 09:48 AM
From another cat owner - thank you Victor :)