Does Forte Coldtone paper Lith?

[Simonh82]

I've come across some Forte Coldtone FB paper and wondered if it Lith prints? I really like the Poly Warmtone for Lith printing but haven't heard of this paper before. I know a lot of the old Forte papers work well for lith printing but I can't find any information on the coldtone paper. There is nothing in Tim Rudman's last lith materials update and it appears to be different to Polygrade or Bromofort.

I guess it is quite old but i'm less concerned about this for lith printing.

Any info would be great.

Thanks!

 

[ath]

The paper is called Forte Polygrade and Google finds quite a bit about it's lith properties, e.g. this thread:
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[Simonh82]

Thanks Andreas but I don't think it is Polygrade. As far as I know Polygrade is resin coated whilst this is FB. The boxes also look different as far as I can see. It specifically says Coldtone, whilst the polygrade boxes say Polygrade on them. It may be that it is the same emulsion coated on FB paper but I'd like to confirm this.

 

[Marco Buonocore]

If it's not Polygrade, it's Bromofort. Those were Forte's only cold tone offerings. Polygrade was certainly available as a fibre based paper and it was variable contrast. Bromofort was graded, and in my opinion much colder toned. Both lith, with very different results. I found the Bromofort to give a very pronounced bromide drag effect - a vignette if you will. Polygrade, does not show this effect. I've also found that Forte papers vary a great deal from batch to batch in lith. Dramatically. One box of Polygrade will lith wonderfully, the next will be a dull thud.

See this post I made in regards to printing with old, fogged Polygrade.

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Forte Polygrade was available in both RC and fiber based versions, glossy and matte surface.

It's amazing for lith printing. Attached print is 6x8 inches on 8x10 paper, using Arista Lith powder, at 1+1+28 concentration and 80 degrees F.

Thanks Andreas but I don't think it is Polygrade. As far as I know Polygrade is resin coated whilst this is FB. The boxes also look different as far as I can see. It specifically says Coldtone, whilst the polygrade boxes say Polygrade on them. It may be that it is the same emulsion coated on FB paper but I'd like to confirm this.

 

[ROL]

If this is the paper in question, it has "gone off" since purchased something over 10 years ago, no longer capable of rendering subtle mid tones. Though it is labeled "neutral tone", it always matched other cold tone papers. I presumed its best purpose to now be lith.

 

[Simonh82]

No, it's a simple white box, much like the polywarmtone I've used recently. It just says Forte black and white photo paper on the box. The lable just says glossy, coldtone, fibrebased, multicontrast. The polygrade I've seen actually says polygrade on the lable.

This may just be older or newer iterations of labels than I'm familiar with, I'll trust that it is likely to be polygrade in the box.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Since they made no other cold tone multigrade fiber paper, that's safe to assume.

No, it's a simple white box, much like the polywarmtone I've used recently. It just says Forte black and white photo paper on the box. The lable just says glossy, coldtone, fibrebased, multicontrast. The polygrade I've seen actually says polygrade on the lable.

This may just be older or newer iterations of labels than I'm familiar with, I'll trust that it is likely to be polygrade in the box.