Archival print storage tissue.

[knjkrock]

Looking to organize and store some enlargements. Would like some tissue to help protect. Do I want acid free unbuffered or buffered?. Any suggestions.

Thanks
Ken

[N Dhananjay]

Depends upon a couple of things. 1) How good is the paper that the tissue is made from? If it has anything that will produce acid (e.g., made from wood pulp), they will buffer it to neutralize any acid that is produced as the paper ages. If it is made from 'good' paper, the buffering is not necessary, strictly speaking although it is often added as a safety net. It used to be thought that buffering agents adversely affected photographs but thinking seems to have reversed on that, with some exceptions like dye transfer and cyanotypes which are adversely affected by alkaline conditions caused by buffering agents (usually calcium carbonate). Some poeple also claim that protein based stuff (e.g., gelatin) should be stored in unbuffered conditions. 2) Storage conditions: does this generate acids?

Buffering agents do not migrate. So a reasonable solution is to use non buffered tissue but store everything in a buffered box.

Cheers, DJ

[rfesk]

I have read several times in the past that buffered tissue is for black and white. Color uses non-buffered.

[Vaughn]

I have read several times in the past that buffered tissue is for black and white. Color uses non-buffered.

That is correct...but one can use unbuffered for B&W, too. I would tend to use unbuffered for alt processes, also.

However, there are some interesting products available. I have used this company many times over three decades for my boxes, negative enclosures, etc. Here is something that might interest you:

http://www.conservationresources.com/Main/section_15/section15_06.htm

or

http://www.conservationresources.com/Main/section_15/section15_03.htm

Worth checking out the other possibilities. I need to place an order with them for some of these (amongst some other items): http://www.conservationresources.com/Main/section_5/section5_19.htm

There is some interesting technical info on paper, achivialness, etc on their site, too.