Intaglio Inks for Flat Die Stamping
KB INKS
KB (Krome-Brite) Inks are water soluble inks. Once the ink has dried, it becomes waterproof.
Fast-drying KB Inks actually shrink as they dry, producing very sharp, clean impressions. When fully cured, they are rub-resistant and produce "non-chip" impressions that cannot be removed from the paper without tearing the paper itself.
All KB colors and blacks are compatible with laser printers. The heat produced by today's laser printers has no effect on them, unlike varnish inks and thermography.
More than 50 stock colors and blacks are available, as well as any special matched colors. Ask for our color chart. Sold in 7 lb. containers; 28 lbs. per carton. Price discounts available at 28 lbs., 100 lbs., 500 lbs., and 1,000 lbs.
CDS INKS (CRONITE DATA SYSTEM)
The following colors are Cronite PURE colors, which may be bought for use by themselves, or they can be used to formulate any color, in any matching system. You can match any color very simply and quickly with no excess waste. The Extender Color KB-091 may be required to get a pale ink shade. The formula guide tells exact percentages of pure colors to use to get the desired color.
METALLIC INKS
Cronite Gold and Silver Inks are available premixed, ready to use. The premixed Metallic Inks are made to avoid the difficulty in not only obtaining the proper ratios, but also to avoid the dirtiness of the airborne powders. Special matched colored silver inks and gold colors are also available.
METALLIC POWDERS
Cronite's metallic powders are made with aluminum, bronze, or copper. The powders may be mixed with KT Solution, KB Non-Tarnish Solution, or Gold Varnish #11. Metallic Inks may be burnished, to brilliantly enhance the appearance of the impression. Fine powders are better to use when the work will not be burnished. Cronite powders are sold by the pound.
CRONITE'S MOST POPULAR BLACK INKS
KB-001 JOB BLACK - One of our most popular inks because of its low cost and quality performance in many applications. It is a no-rub black when run thick, an excellent mixing black with our colors, and a "LASER PROOF" black because of high heat tolerance. Many die stampers have tried this ink because of its price and have found it to be their "work horse".
Run a generally thin consistency, but thicker if no-rub is an important factor.
KB-003 - ULTRA BLACK - Low cost and produces sharp impressions. Excellent no rub properties.
KB-500 - GLOSS BLACK - Produces an impression which looks like a varnish ink, but dries quickly, and does not chip or rub. Easier to work with than varnish inks but, at this time, more complicated than our other water soluble inks. Adding water tends to dull the gloss, so we recommend using our Gloss Thinner. Furthermore, the occasional addition of Gloss Anti-Foam must be used even though the fountain is not frothing.
Just as with shaving cream, the very small bubbles absorb the reflected light and a gloss cannot be seen if anti-foam is not used.
Alcohol will also thin this ink which should be run thin to keep from feathering. Once the proportion of thinner to ink is determined, running Gloss Black like other gloss colors is easy. This ink is not as laser-proof as our regular KB Inks.
KB-522 - PICTURE BLACK - A strongly pigmented black for halftones and fine lines where our regular Bond Black inks are not sufficiently strong.
Used on diplomas and certificate work or as an occasional additive to Bond Black for more color strength. Not to be used as a mixing black with our colors since it contains a strong blue pigment. Run moderate to thick consistency.
KB-550 - SEMI-GLOSS BLACK - This is an excellent ink not often advertised since there is nothing extreme about it. Very sharp stamping with a slight shine. Run a thicker consistency.
KB-570 - GRAY BLACK - Designed as a special softer black for weddings, sympathy acknowledgments, and some social stationery where a bond black is too harsh in contrast with the paper. However, it is usually not noticed as a gray. The subtle, mild shade of black is strong in pigment strength. Because the ink contains a lot of white pigment, it stamps easily. Run a generally thin consistency.
KB-599 - BOND BLACK - This original no-gloss black ink has long been considered ideal for all bond work. Boasts a long history of excellence. Costs less than other specialty black inks. Run a generally thin consistency.
KB-711 - SUPER BOND BLACK - Considered by most people in the industry to be the "sharpest" stamping ink because it greatly reduces feathering, spitting, and leaching. Needed on papers of high cotton content and much sizing. Without question, KB-711 will give the finest and cleanest impression because once stamped, it shrinks back on itself so that it does not run down the fibers of the paper. More pressure is usually needed to keep the ink from caking in the die because it dries very quickly. The ink has a slight sheen approaching a semi-gloss. Run the ink a little thinner than general consistency for finest results. Run a little thicker for better no rub characteristics.
KB-888 - BEST BLACK - Designed to eliminate broken die stamped lines due to the lack of available press pressure and/or problem dies that may be shallow. This ink is "vehicle rich" (more tacky) and is recommended for use when other inks are "drying or caking in the die" or when an operator consistently has "breaking" problems. Best Black is the easiest-running ink for the press operator and this is how it got its name. Wipe-O-Matic users should consider this ink for best results since the ink returning to the fountain loses some of its vehicle through evaporation. Run a generally thin consistency.
KB-999 - ANTI-ABRASIVE BLACK - Formulated for use with copper and zinc plates that do not have chrome plated surfaces. With care, it will generally permit zinc plates to last 8 - 10,000 impressions and copper plates 15 -20,000 impressions. Costs about $.10 more per pound than inks that give similar quality, but KB-999 saves you money by eliminating chroming or multiple platemaking for longer press runs. Run a generally thin consistency in the fountain.
KB-3711 - LANTIS BLACK - Exceptionally sharp stamping. Formulated around the characteristic's of Super Bond Black (KB-711) with a special anti rub ingredient added into the ink.
VARNISH INKS
Varnish Inks have mostly been replaced by water-soluble inks. They have fallen out of favor since the inception of water-soluble inks over 30 years ago because of their difficulty of operation and cleanup, and because of their environmental hazards.
Impressions made with Varnish Inks can be very glossy, which is the only reason that they are used in the United States today for die stamping. Shelf life is much greater than that of water-soluble inks. When thinning, use turpentine or a petroleum solvent. Varnish Inks are not laser proof since they melt at low temperatures. Also, they will become brittle and may chip away.
38 stock colors are available, as seen in the color chart booklet. Cronite will match Varnish Inks to almost any color desired.
Most colors are sold in 6-1/2 lb. cans with 26 lbs. per carton.
SPECIAL MATCHED COLORS - In addition to offering high quality regular colors of water-soluble and varnish-based inks, Cronite will match colors. We can match your sample or a color from any matching system with the use of our spectrophotometer. Special colors are made with the same quality ingredients as the stock colors shown on our color chart.
As with all our regular water soluble inks, special matched water-soluble colors are fast drying and laser printer-safe. Special matched varnish-based colors have high gloss and high color strength.
The CDS System offers you the opportunity of formulating any color of the Pantone Matching System, or in any color matching system.
ADDITIVES FOR WATER SOLUBLE KB INKS
KB1-1 ANTI-SPIT - Used to overcome spitty or feathery impressions. Add as much as necessary until the impression starts to get broken lines. Can be used as an inexpensive ink extender because it gives the ink more body, but this obviously reduces the pigment strength.
KB1-4 KROME-TITE SOLUTION - KT Solution is a water-soluble vehicle used for making Metallic Inks. Can also be used with Black Inks to increase the amount of tack, as well as making Non-Tarnish Gold Ink more flexible for better details when burnishing.
KB1-5 KB NON-TARNISH SOLUTION - Water-soluble vehicle for mixing Metallic Inks. Dries very hard and prevents tarnishing of the impression over time (impressions will remain brilliant).
KB1-6 KB ANTI-CAKE - Helps prevent ink from caking in the die. Mainly for use with colored inks. A small quantity makes the ink much tackier.
KB1-7 KB GLOSS ANTI-FOAM - Used with gloss inks to break up the microscopic bubbles which refract instead of reflect light, preventing a glossy impression.
KB1-8 KB GLOSS INK THINNER - Used as a thinner for KB Gloss Inks. It must be used to obtain a gloss finish and will work only with KB Gloss Inks (water will thin the ink but make it matte).
KB1-9 KB RETARDER - Slows down the drying of KB Clean Inks. Similar to Glycerin, but less sensitive when too much is added in error.
KB1-10 KB SHARPENER - Prevents feathering and keeps the stamped inks from running down the paper fibers. This is a very helpful product that should be used more often. Every shop should have some on hand.
KB1-20A RAW INK VEHICLE - For Clean Inks and Job Black; sometimes added when a little more tack is desired to stamp finer lines.
KB1-21A BLACK PIGMENT - May be added to non-black inks to turn them black. Often blended into a mixture of old special colors so that the ink may be used rather than discarded.
KB1-27 KB CLEAN DEFOAMER - Prevents the formation of foam or breaks down foam from ink that is being agitated by the fountain which is fast turning.
KB1-28A ULTRA METALLIC SOLUTION - This is the major ingredient of Cronite premixed metallic inks used today.
KB1-29A METALLIC BURNISHING ADDITIVE - This additive is to be put into metallic inks so that a physically softer ink deposit results so that it can be more easily burnished or struck a second time for detail.
KB1-89 KT ANTI-RUB AGENT - For use in all of Cronite's Black Inks, except KB-001 Job Black and KB-003 Ultra Black.
KB1-90 NT ANTI-SCUFF - For use in KB-001 Job Black, KB-003 Ultra Black and all KB Color Inks.
ADDITIVES FOR VARNISH AND PLATE INKS
KB1-3 JAPAN DRIER - Added to solvent-based inks to obtain a tougher finished impression. Will not normally decrease drying time at the instant of impression, but oxidizes the ink more quickly to its natural hardness.
KB1-11 DULL REDUCER - Used with Varnish Inks to produce a dull or matte finish.
KB1-12 NON-CHIP VARNISH - Added to varnish inks to produce a smooth, glossy surface. The work must then be rack dried since the varnish contains leveling oils.
KB1-13 GOLD VARNISH #11 - A varnish vehicle for making Metallic Inks. It requires that the work be rack dried.
KB1-14 GLOSS VARNISH - A basic vehicle for varnish inks.
KB1-15 REDUCING VARNISH - Used to thin varnish inks without lowering the varnish's tackiness qualities.
KB1-16 HEAVY PLATE OIL - A vehicle used in plate inks.
KB1-17 BOILED LINSEED OIL - Used as a thinner in plate inks.
KB1-18 BURNT PLATE OIL - Used to adjust the body of plate inks.
KB1-19A VARSOL MINERAL SPIRITS - A thinner or solvent for varnish inks. Also used as a cleaning agent for any petroleum-based product.