Hey Ilford, Any chance of getting Deckle Edge Cut Paper?

I remember those edges from when my mom was still alive. She had the standard bottom drawer packed full of small family photos.

You might be able to get a similar look w/ photo paper like we did w/ watercolor paper. What we were after was getting it to look more like handmade paper. We took sturdy steel rulers to a bench grinder and cut sharp, wavy edges on the, well, edges. You wanted to make the bottom edge real sharp like a knife. I can't remember if we wet the paper first, ck youtube on that.

Then you firmly pushed the ruler onto the edge of your paper, or even better, clamped it down over the paper to the table top. The last step was to grab the paper, quickly pull it up, and if you did it right you had a cool wavy edge. I couldn't imagine doing this in the dark, so it would have to be done to a finished print.

@momus, teared edges work OK on fiber papers, although I doubt it will work on silver gelatin fiber papers. I think the emulsion gets in the way. It will most definitely not work with RC papers, though!

I have a rather old deckle edged guillotine from Germany which I use when the mood takes me. I've only ever used it on palm sized prints, the largest being 3½x5 inches, and I think even that's pushing it slightly. I don't think I'd use it on anything larger. The attached photo of a print is roughly 2"x3" - a quarter cut from a sheet of 5"x7". It's resin coated paper, by the way.

The guillotine is around 6"x12".

(Ignore the tealight candle jar, I just used it to hold the blade up so you could see the edge.)

As to pinking shears, I own a very old, very heavy pair strictly for use on fabric. Their purpose is to keep unfinished fabric edges from fraying.

Molli said:

I have a rather old deckle edged guillotine from Germany which I use when the mood takes me. I've only ever used it on palm sized prints, the largest being 3½x5 inches, and I think even that's pushing it slightly. I don't think I'd use it on anything larger. The attached photo of a print is roughly 2"x3" - a quarter cut from a sheet of 5"x7". It's resin coated paper, by the way.
View attachment 317669
The guillotine is around 6"x12".
View attachment 317670
(Ignore the tealight candle jar, I just used it to hold the blade up so you could see the edge.)

As to pinking shears, I own a very old, very heavy pair strictly for use on fabric. Their purpose is to keep unfinished fabric edges from fraying.

Click to expand...

Fine photo of hands !

The Carl rotary cutter works with great precision and is cheap!

My own plans are smaller than 5X7 because one of the reasons for deckle edge, other than the pleasure of handling, is to make prints that fit conventional letter size envelopes...which suggests perhaps 4X6.

There are all sorts of paper bases, including rough rag, if you're open to a little exploration.

koraks said:

@momus, teared edges work OK on fiber papers, although I doubt it will work on silver gelatin fiber papers. I think the emulsion gets in the way. It will most definitely not work with RC papers, though!

Click to expand...

The emulsion won't get in the way with matt fb paper. I think, if the paper was thick enough, the ripped edge would work. I don't think most silver gelative fb paper is thick enough.

Don Heisz said:

Ilford postcards were on Portfolio RC, which is about the heaviest they have. I still use them in the postcard exchange (still 3 days to sign up).

Of course, almost no one sends postcards so Ilford stopped making them. 4x6 Portfolio is available (special order) from Ilford, without the printing on the back (which is useless, anyway, but makes it feel more authentic). Pretty expensive now, though.

Click to expand...

ilford didn't stop making them for lack of demand, but because of manufacturing issues to put the printing on the back.

They still sell the paper and include a template to draw the "postcard" lines on the back -- not that you need them. The Postal Service will deliver it if it has a stamp and an address. I just bought a box and the price is not any worse than anything else. B&H has a 100 sheet box for $60.

summicron1 said:

ilford didn't stop making them for lack of demand, but because of manufacturing issues to put the printing on the back.

They still sell the paper and include a template to draw the "postcard" lines on the back -- not that you need them. The Postal Service will deliver it if it has a stamp and an address. I just bought a box and the price is not any worse than anything else. B&H has a 100 sheet box for $60.

Click to expand...

The last I bought was $25 - Canadian - about 3 or 4 years ago - and it was a regular stock item. It's now $85 and a special order item. That suggests, at least to me, no one wants to buy postcard paper. I'd imagine "because of manufacturing issues to put the printing on the back" means "is an added expense we can't really charge for".