Is there a need for actually "discharging" black ink?

[Gilligan]

We are doing another run on some towels and my guy is mixing the black ink as a discharge (going on red towels)... it makes me wonder "why are we putting activator in black on red?"

Or is this the way it should go?

[ericheartsu]

why not just use waterbase?

[mimosatexas]

uh..no need.  black is black,

[Homer]

adding agent turns it to a dark grey more than black...from my experience anyway.

[Gilligan]

Don't ask me about my W-Base, it has something to do with an absent minded employee and a OZ-G switch on the scale.

So, all we had is D-Base.

[dirkdiggler]

Rep at Sericol told me that you needed to activate their black.  I don't believe it, but that's what they said.

[jvanick]

we use Matsui's RFU "spot-black"... makes better prints for us here than trying to mix it with pigments in house... the pantone 'black' mixes always seem to come out grey vs deep black.... cheaper and less hassle as well.

[3Deep]

I would think if you wanted the print to be real softhand like all the other DC inks then yes, that's the only reason I can see for having a DC black.

D

[kingscreen]

why not just use waterbase?

[mimosatexas]

I would think if you wanted the print to be real softhand like all the other DC inks then yes, that's the only reason I can see for having a DC black.

D

That doesnt make any sense.  Discharge isn't softhand because it is discharge, it is softhand because it is waterbased with low solids and being driven into the fabric.  The discharge part only means it is binding to the pigment already in the fabric and evaporating it away so the color is brighter.  The hand has nothing to do with it.

Logically (and in practice) black will look blacker in/on a darker fabric.  Discharging the fabric to "white" first makes no sense.

[3Deep]

I would think if you wanted the print to be real softhand like all the other DC inks then yes, that's the only reason I can see for having a DC black.

D

That doesnt make any sense.  Discharge isn't softhand because it is discharge, it is softhand because it is waterbased with low solids and being driven into the fabric.  The discharge part only means it is binding to the pigment already in the fabric and evaporating it away so the color is brighter.  The hand has nothing to do with it.

Logically (and in practice) black will look blacker in/on a darker fabric.  Discharging the fabric to "white" first makes no sense.

Well heck I don't know then what it's good for

[SERJ]

Print well on a towel Magnaprint ND Extra

[JBLUE]

I would think if you wanted the print to be real softhand like all the other DC inks then yes, that's the only reason I can see for having a DC black.

D

That doesnt make any sense.  Discharge isn't softhand because it is discharge, it is softhand because it is waterbased with low solids and being driven into the fabric.  The discharge part only means it is binding to the pigment already in the fabric and evaporating it away so the color is brighter.  The hand has nothing to do with it.




Logically (and in practice) black will look blacker in/on a darker fabric.  Discharging the fabric to "white" first makes no sense.

Actually you do not make much sense either. Discharge is a very soft hand right out of the dryer if your printing it properly. You can achieve the laundered feel right off the press. What causes it not be soft is using to much agent or using to low of a mesh. A lot of people use way too low of a mesh count and believe you have to drive it deep into the garment. Anything past 50% penetration into the garment is wasting ink and dry time.

Just like with plastisol there is such a thing as too much ink going down.

We also have used agent in black for special effects. Experiment and you might find something you can do that the guy down the street does not.

[mimosatexas]

Sorry, but how did what I said not make sense?  Seriously...Discharge is soft because it is waterbased ink, not because it is discharging the material.  Are you for some reason arguing that discharge is softer than non-discharge waterbased inks printed on light fabric?  Waterbased inks that are not discharge inks have as soft or softer hand than discharge inks, and they aren't softhand because they are discharge (because they aren't discharge, so like, how can the discharge of a non-discharge ink have anything to do with its hand?).  They are softhand because they are waterbased inks and being printed into instead of on top of the fabric.  The 50% penetration you mention is exactly what I am referencing when I say "driven into the fabric".  Anything over 0% penetration is "driven into the fabric".  I did not say anything about exactly how much penetration.

I also did not mention mesh count at all or how much ink is being printed or how you can use activator to achieve special effects.  None of that is relevant to getting a blacker waterbased ink when printed or how soft the hand is.  Sorry, I appreciate anyone adding to the discussion, but fail to see how what I said does not make sense...

[Ross_S]

No activator needed.  WB black through a 85 or 110 mesh is all you need.