Making and Knowing
A minimal edition of BnF Ms Fr 640

[TOC] | [diplomatic]

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which is different from that of the printers, one needs to boil walnut oil or, even better linseed oil, for a long time. & having boiled for a long time, you will put in garlic & bread crusts to rid it of grease & leave again to boil thoroughly, then finally you put in one part of lampblack that you have previously ground on the marble with oil . And finally you will mix everything as long as & until you see that the plate prints well. Which And when you have spread the ink on it, wipe the plates well with the surface of a piece of white paper. & do this until the paper looks clean and then print. If you were to wipe the plates with a linencloth, it would remove the ink. Linseed oil thickens while boiling & becomes like a varnish & is in danger of catching fire. Therefore, when you boil it, make sure it is in an open space or in a place where the flame cannot cause damage. Some burn tartar until it is black & grind it with non—boiled linseed oil, or walnut oil which others find to be better. This black is beautiful, but the lamp smoke kind is blacker. When you want to print fr, take with your fingertip of the said black moderately thick, the whole plate having first been cleaned in lye as said, then, rub it with the surface of a piece of white paper until the paper remains white & do not touch it with the bare hand because but with a piece ofpaper applied across it. & having cleaned the plate perfectly, mi rub again with a piece of paper, fold the edges & sides. Next, take a small smooth table & on this a piece of felt, then a few sheets of paper & finally the one you want to print on, which should be moistened between two wet napkins. And on this sheet put your plate then another piece of paper, & finally another felt. Then pass between the rollers. And you can print a dozen pieces consecutively by always charging the plate with ink & cleaning it as have done. But if you stop printing, the rest of the ink will dry in the grooves of the plate. Thus you will have to let it boil in lye or urine, as already said, to clean it. The rollers must not be too loose.