Hahnemuhle platinum rag paper

I've recently gotten back into platinum/palladium printing after a 3 year hiatus and found that a lot of people like the Hahnemuhle platinum rag paper. Note that I do the N2 process. My previous go to papers were Bergger COT 320 and Arches Platine. I've had very good results with both, but based on everyone's comments about the Hahnemuhle paper, I decided to give it a try. Boy - was that a mistake. They turned out terrible - all grainy and mottled. My guess is that the humidity in the paper wasn't right. I live in the desert south west where it's always hot and dry, so maybe that is a big deal with the Hahnemuhle paper. My somewhat un-technical method to humidify the paper has always worked well before. If it is that much more difficult here in the desert to print on, there is no point in me trying because the Berger and Arches both work great here.

Anyone have any advice here? I may just end up trying to sell the rest of the package and go with my old favorites.

I use all three you mention Dan and Have no issue with any of them, different printing speeds is all I have noticed,, My darkroom is always between 45% and 65% year round and I think this is super important.

I remember in Riverside the prints drying in less than 5 minutes which was incredible to me, I think this is the issue as HPR is great paper IMHO>

I'm assuming you are using fresh sensitiser? I ask because this was the source of same problem I had with same paper. I didn't print any Kallitypes for a year. I assumed the ferric oxalate was fine... but I was wrong... after wasting several sheets of HPR paper. I mixed a fresh batch and presto!

Dan,

I live in the desert southwest and print on HPR using the Na2 process, too. In the past, I was a huge user of Cot320 and a couple of other papers, but I like HPR best of all. IMO, out here in the land of <10% humidity you definitely need to humidify the paper. I built my own unit with a rack inside to hold the paper with a tear-drop style humidifier under the cabinet. Once it's up and running, I've got about 80-90% humidity level in there. I leave the paper in there for about 10 mins just before setting up to expose. Also, I found that Tween fluid helped the coating to soak into the paper; HPR is not a particularly soft paper.

Hope something I've said helps.

I am glad I do not have your folks problems with low humidity, as it would be an issue to make prints. Funny I do not see an issue with Gum Prints and humidity.
I love the April to November here as there are no issues keeping it in a good range, I have bought a few Home Depot humidifiers that do the trick in the basement for the winter months but it does require new wicks all the time which are costly and one needs to keep on top of the water fill up which is required each day to keep over 40%

Thanks guys - based on all you have said, I'm not ready to give up on this paper just yet. I'm going to try some different humidifying techniques to see if that works.

Dan

Interesting what more humidity and Tween will do! Prints are working fine and I'm finding that I like the paper. Tonal quality is very smooth and it seems to clear easier that the others.

Dan, glad to hear you've got it sorted out.