Nail File: Printer’s Best Friend

February 17, 2008

The title is pretty strange but as odd as it seems it’s very true.  I had some type that was cast “shallow” and when printing on really soft paper it was actually printing the lead as well as the type.  I know you all might be thinking ; I have to adjust my rails, I am over inking, etc etc, but that wasn’t the case because it just happened to be the letter “h” in this particular set of type (10 pt. Lydian and the defect in the type was obvious).  To solve this problem, I used a nail file to actually shave down the part of the lead that was uneven and it turned out to be a perfect solution (warning: be careful because it is easy to damage the type).  You can use sand paper, but I like the stiffness of a nail file and frankly I think it works a whole lot easier.  Plus nail files come in different diameters and shapes so im sure you can find the right one for the job.    Pictures below will show the print before and after the filing.

BEFORE FILING

 
AFTER FILING