Re-canning old Etching Inks?

[adelld]

Greetings Printmakers!
Someone gifted me several small cans of (very old) JMPalliard etching inks. The cans are rusty but solid. I opened up a can of sepia ink, skimmed off the crust and re-canned the remaining ink into a new plastic container (from Graphic Chemical Company) with a new paper skin on top. I mixed a bit of burnt plate oil into the ink (the ink was pretty stiff). Does anyone foresee problems with re-canning the ink, i.e., does etching ink have any kind of shelf life? I suspect these inks are 30 plus years old! Thank you for any insights!
adelld

[contumacious]

Re-canning shouldn't be a problem. You might try making covers from plastic milk jugs cut to fit the can dimensions tightly. Easier to pull up and put back.

As long as you can get the ink to the consistency that you want age isn't an issue. Oil based inks are pretty much the same as oil paint. If it works like you want you are good to go.

[Jeffro Jones]

Originally Posted by adelld

Does anyone foresee problems with re-canning the ink, i.e., does etching ink have any kind of shelf life?

Hey adelld !
I will not readily disagree with someone called Contumacious
But I do have a few worries...
My experience is that recanning ink tends to shorten its "use-by" date. If you have mixed it with a little plate oil to loosen it, the mass of the oil has been exposed to oxygen, and a drying-oil has been added to it. I suspect it will start to polymerize more rapidly from now on... I mean, not overnight, but possibly it will glug up within a year or two. I'd use it ASAP. I've received some old cans of ink, cleaned them up and recanned them, sealed the cans etc, and found them all skinned and very dry two years later, so they can turn on you!!!!

Just my opinion, based more on vague and general recollections than rigorous scientific analysis

all the best!!!


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[contumacious]

Experience speaks louder than contumaciousness - I would go with what Jeffro says as it makes sense and it carries with it actual hands on results. I have never repackaged printing ink, just oil paints.

A good cover over the ink with no air gaps in the can will help. Milk carton type material works better for me than the paper that comes in some tins. The less air (oxygen) that is getting to the ink the better. You might consider dropping a couple of oxygen absorbent packs in there on top of the plastic cover and taping the can lid shut like when it was new.

[Jeffro Jones]

Originally Posted by contumacious

You might consider dropping a couple of oxygen absorbent packs in there on top of the plastic cover and taping the can lid shut like when it was new.

Thats not bad, I've never heard of that, but why not?
Some folks claim storing the can in the fridge helps too


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[adelld]

Thank you Contumacious and Jeffro for this very good advice. If the ink goes bad I will not about it. I have had good luck tubing my own oil paints (special mix grays) over the years so hopefully this will be similar. I'm going to experiment with tubing some of the inks since this allows the tube to be rolled forward (toothpaste style) and will minimize the amount of oxygen that sits within the ink container.

[contumacious]

Welcome. I think tubes are a great idea. You can eliminate all of the air.

[karenlee]

Wow. I could never get my etching ink out of tubes, even if I could manage to get the ink into the tubes in the first place...the ink is too stiff.