REMOVING FOXING AND MILDEW

Removing Foxing

There are many types of mildew and all are commonly known as "Foxing", the mildew gets its name from the (F)errous (Ox)ide or the iron it is attracted to in the paper, usually chemical wood pulp, and all are activated by the same cause...relative humidity.

Paper and leather are hygroscopic, a hygroscopic material is one that attracts moisture from the atmosphere.

If not protected from contact with a damp atmosphere, books left in damp conditions will eventually disintegrate

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Removing Foxing

There has been no definite cure for for neutralising the mildew spore, Zhaensdorf himself developed a formula for the removal of foxing in the 19th Century, two of the ingredients were hydrochloric acid and calcium chloride which is no wonder that the fibres of the paper break down after a while and the paper starts to disintegrate and the ink or what ever medium can be rubbed off!

Removing Foxing

But.....

The "Secret" to successfully removing foxing is 3 fold.

Firstly you need to understand the structure of the manufacture of the many different types of paper, because what you take out you must definitley replace with the correct ingredients.

Secondly before neutralizing the spore, a mordant must be created to "fix" the medium to the paper albeit ink pigments, water colour pigments, et al.

And finally..................Well see the results for yourself.

Removing Oxidation

What sometimes looks like Foxing or Mildew...not always is, there is a definite difference.

Oxidation is the interaction between oxygen molecules and all the different substances they may contact, from metal to living tissue.

Illustrations in early printing were printed from wood block which progressed into copper plates which progressed into engravings on steel. The copper plates are the problem as oxidation occurs in copper, the result is a greenish coating on the metal called copper oxide but on paper it becomes a brownish hue.

The secret of preventing oxidation is to provide a layer of protection between the exposed material and the air, the only way of doing this with paper is to tip in a "tissue guard" between the engraving and the next page, the tissue will oxidiate over time as will the plate but not the next page.
Experts agree that like foxing, to successfully neutralize and remove oxidation is impossible....

Well almost

 

 

 

 

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Paul Tronson  copyright 2003-2011