PAPER & SUBSTRATES

Handmade Paper

Sheet formed by hand in a mould: irregular, deckle-edged, and unlike anything machine-made.

3Printing stage Rank 8 of 28

Line drawing

Specification
Formation	Hand, one sheet per dip
Fibre	Cotton, abaca, flax, or a blend
Weight	60–400 gsm
Grain	Effectively none
Edges	Four natural deckle edges
Thickness variation	± 12 per cent across a sheet
pH	Neutral to slightly alkaline
Sizes	Mould-determined, commonly 400 × 500 mm

Working parameters
Weight	60–400 gsm
Grain	Effectively random — folds equally well in any direction
Edges	Natural deckle, all four sides
pH	Neutral to alkaline
Processes	Letterpress, folding, sewing, covering
Compatible materials	All letterpress inks, starch paste, PVA
Minimum type size	About 10 pt, because of surface variation
Archival	Yes if cotton or abaca based

There is a simulator for this. Paper Grain Visualizer runs the same relationships in 3D, so you can change a number and watch what it does to the result.

Open Paper Grain Visualizer

Overview

Handmade paper is made one sheet at a time by dipping a mould into a vat of pulp. The fibres settle randomly rather than aligning in a machine direction, so the sheet has almost no grain — it behaves nearly the same in both directions. The edges are natural deckle rather than cut.

Because the fibres are random, handmade paper folds in any direction without cracking, which makes it excellent for book work. It is also uneven in thickness, which shows in a letterpress impression as a slight variation from sheet to sheet. That is a feature if you want it and a problem if you do not.

3Printing: Ink, packing and impression on the press.

Safety

Before you use itDeckle edges are rough and can cut. Handle a fresh sheet by the middle, not the edge.

Before you use itHandmade paper is often unsized and will cockle badly if it gets damp. Keep it flat and dry.

Using it well

Because there is no grain, you can lay out a book without worrying about fold direction. This is the single biggest practical advantage of handmade stock.
Print with slightly more packing than you would use on a machine-made sheet. The thickness variation means the impression needs more tolerance.
Tear rather than cut when you need a deckle edge. Tear against a straight edge with a damp brush line for a controlled edge.

What it works with

Papers and substrates

Not applicable

Type and fonts

Any type 10 pt and above

Processes

Letterpress
Folding
Sewing
Marbling
Covering

Note. Specifications are conventional working ranges for this class of tool, not a measurement of any particular machine. Follow the instructions that came with your own equipment, and treat every figure here as a starting point to check rather than a limit to trust. Nothing on this page is for sale and no manufacturer had any input into it.

PaperPrint