Pounce and pounce pots

[Lozzic]

who uses it/them in some way?

 

I have been using a bag filled with gum sandarac to size paper for at least a year now and have had noticeably crisper results. Some paper I refrain from sizing either because it doesn't need it or because I do not intend to keep what it is I have written. From what I have read and seen this use of gum sandarac is commonly employed by calligraphers.

In recent months I have become more intrigued by the use of pounce and pounce pots and about three weeks ago I bought a cuttlebone. I scraped some of the inside out of the cuttlebone in to a pestle and mortar and added gum sandarac to it. As a blotter it behaves strangely, on damp ink rather than large blots it appears to work fine but on large blots it seems to coagulate the ink. Recently I managed to get my hands on a silver pounce pot and I now keep it in that.

I currently have on my desk a roller blotter which I use for quick blotting and large blots and a pounce pot with a cloth that I use to size paper and I may sometimes use it as a blotter if I feel I want to be a bit more old-fashioned .

 

I am not aware of any specific recipes for pounce that include quantities but I simply mixed gum sandarac and cuttlebone 50/50, you can use talc and pumice as well.

 

Who else has a pounce pot or uses pounce?

 

 

 

[WhosYerBob]

who uses it/them in some way?

Dunno how much it's used anymore, but it was once used by architects and mechanical ink draftsman before CAD drawings became commonplace. We also used a small bag similar to pounce that was filled with ground gum eraser that did the same thing for pencil drawings.

[jbb]

I use gum sandarac pounced with a little cloth bag once in a while.

 

Where does one buy a cuttlebone? What exactly IS a cuttlebone?

[mjb30]

You should be about to get a cuttlebone from any pet shop, they are hung up in budgerigar cages for them to chew on with their beaks.

 

A cuttlebone is the 'bone' found inside cuttlefish used for buoyancy control and rigidity of their bodies. Made of calcium carbonate mostly I think.

 

Matt.

[jbb]

You should be about to get a cuttlebone from any pet shop, they are hung up in budgerigar cages for them to chew on with their beaks.

 

A cuttlebone is the 'bone' found inside cuttlefish used for buoyancy control and rigidity of their bodies. Made of calcium carbonate mostly I think.

 

Matt.

Thank you Matt.

[lefty928]

who uses it/them in some way?

Dunno how much it's used anymore, but it was once used by architects and mechanical ink draftsman before CAD drawings became commonplace. We also used a small bag similar to pounce that was filled with ground gum eraser that did the same thing for pencil drawings.

That's what I recall, too -- in the quaint olden days before desktop publishing, we used pounce to rough up the surface of vellum (paper) or other slick paper a bit, so that drafting pens could do their stuff.

[Rena]

I use gum sandarac sometimes when I'm practicing calligraphy. I buy the finely ground gum sandarac and then grind it even more finely in mortar with pestle. Then I wipe it over my paper surface before putting ink to paper, and agree that I get crisper results. I'm thinking the ingredients would be different if you were going to use your pounce pot to hold a mixture for sprinkling on the ink afterwards to act as a blotter. I'm no expert in this area, but I find that gum sandarac acts in part to repel ink so the ink doesn't soak into absorbent paper and bleed.

 

Your pounce pot and your rocker blotter are simply gorgeous!!! What is the brown material of your rocker blotter? I can't tell if it's leather or something else, but it's beautiful and a fun photo. I did a quick photo of my own just now — just for fun.

 

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k313/Cankapopa/GumSandarac.jpg

 

 

[Rena]

I just read your topic title again and saw the part that said "apart from calligraphers." Since I just practice calligraphy and consider it play, I don't count as a calligrapher. But I do not use the gum sandarac when I'm writing with fountain pens. Rocker blotter — YES!

Edited August 24, 2008 by Rena

[Lozzic]

I'm thinking the ingredients would be different if you were going to use your pounce pot to hold a mixture for sprinkling on the ink afterwards to act as a blotter. I'm no expert in this area, but I find that gum sandarac acts in part to repel ink so the ink doesn't soak into absorbent paper and bleed.

 

Your pounce pot and your rocker blotter are simply gorgeous!!! What is the brown material of your rocker blotter? I can't tell if it's leather or something else, but it's beautiful and a fun photo. I did a quick photo of my own just now — just for fun.

 

Well that is why the cuttlebone is added to the sandarac, it behaves really odd on wet ink, it sort of makes it solidify on the surface...

 

I am not 100% certain what it is but I am pretty sure it is casein. I think this because I accidentally got water on part of it and the surface went slightly soft, almost jelly like; I let it dry and it is fine now.

 

I love your rocker blotter, is it made of wood with patterns on it?

Is that an inkwell to the right? That is brilliant!

[Rena]

I'm thinking the ingredients would be different if you were going to use your pounce pot to hold a mixture for sprinkling on the ink afterwards to act as a blotter. I'm no expert in this area, but I find that gum sandarac acts in part to repel ink so the ink doesn't soak into absorbent paper and bleed.

 

Your pounce pot and your rocker blotter are simply gorgeous!!! What is the brown material of your rocker blotter? I can't tell if it's leather or something else, but it's beautiful and a fun photo. I did a quick photo of my own just now — just for fun.

 

Well that is why the cuttlebone is added to the sandarac, it behaves really odd on wet ink, it sort of makes it solidify on the surface...

 

I am not 100% certain what it is but I am pretty sure it is casein. I think this because I accidentally got water on part of it and the surface went slightly soft, almost jelly like; I let it dry and it is fine now.

 

I love your rocker blotter, is it made of wood with patterns on it?

Is that an inkwell to the right? That is brilliant!

 

Ah, you meant the pounce behaves really odd in a good way — I understand now.

 

My rocker blotter has carved patterns in wood, and yes, that's a little brass inkwell/ink pot. These things are enjoyable.

 

 

[markc]

I just picked up 3/4 oz of Sandarac from Atelier Gargoyle here in SF.. The stuff is amazing! I can write on postcards w/o worrying about the ink smudging.

Now I just need to find a source for the pre-ground stuff.. I have a mortar and pestle to grind it myself. What I want to know is do you really need the cuttlebone?

Edited January 10, 2010 by markc

[drifting]

Is sandarac something I can just walk into an art supply shop and find?

 

Ryan.

[Possum Hill]

You should be about to get a cuttlebone from any pet shop, they are hung up in budgerigar cages for them to chew on with their beaks.

 

A cuttlebone is the 'bone' found inside cuttlefish used for buoyancy control and rigidity of their bodies. Made of calcium carbonate mostly I think.

 

Matt.

That's it in a nutshell; Wikipedia has a little more detail.

[Tweel]

The stuff is amazing! I can write on postcards w/o worrying about the ink smudging.

I just had that problem (American Blue that would not dry). How did you use it to prevent smudging?

 

Now I just need to find a source for the pre-ground stuff..

There's this place, starting about 1/2 way down the page.

 

-- Brian

[markc]

Is sandarac something I can just walk into an art supply shop and find?

 

Ryan.

 

No, unfortunately you can't. They have drafting pounce, but that isn't the same.

 

I got mine from Atelier Gargoyle, and did some research last night and found an incense company on the net that sells it. I got 4 ounces and will be probably making my own pounce bags. (its WAY cheaper)

 

Of course, this means I need to find a pounce pot, and a rocker blotter... Gotta love this hobby, there is always something new to buy.

[markc]

The stuff is amazing! I can write on postcards w/o worrying about the ink smudging.

I just had that problem (American Blue that would not dry). How did you use it to prevent smudging?

 

Now I just need to find a source for the pre-ground stuff..

There's this place, starting about 1/2 way down the page.

 

-- Brian

 

John Neals is pretty great too..

 

The way I was taught to use it, is you pounce the paper with a pounce bag (gum sandarac) and then write on the card. The sandarac allows the ink to set w/o smudging. After the ink is dry, you can brush the sandarac off and you will get richer colors again.. (with the powder, the ink looks a little "milky")

 

/Mark

[jbb]

...Of course, this means I need to find a pounce pot, and a rocker blotter... Gotta love this hobby, there is always something new to buy.

Pounce pots are hard to find but I saw this (not so great) one while browsing ebay this morning.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Porcelain-Inkwell-w-Vinelike-Handle-Flower_W0QQitemZ350275976323QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item518e133c83

 

Rocking blotters are pretty easy to find at a good/decent price. This one has been available as a buy-it-now for days:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-BLACK-GLASS-ELEPHANT-Rocking-Ink-Blotter_W0QQitemZ330384763820QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4cec776bac

Edited January 10, 2010 by jbb

[markc]

...Of course, this means I need to find a pounce pot, and a rocker blotter... Gotta love this hobby, there is always something new to buy.

Pounce pots are hard to find but I saw this (not so great) one while browsing ebay this morning.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item518e133c83

 

Rocking blotters are pretty easy to find at a good/decent price. This one has been available as a buy-it-now for days:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item4cec776bac

 

You are _really_ bad on my wallet!

 

By the way, speaking of blotters.. I just got back from an antique paper show here in San Francisco.. I picked up 3 really interesting blotters (the paper with advertising type) for nearly nothing..

 

Also, there were some really nice tearouts from vintage magazines for Parker Duofolds and Sheaffer's ..

 

Man, this hobby is going to break me.... :ltcapd:

[Enai]

 

Man, this hobby is going to break me.... :ltcapd:

 

I just don't eat lunch anymore.

[jbb]

You are _really_ bad on my wallet!

Just helping you find bargains. http://www.freesmileys.org/emoticons/tuzki-bunnys/tuzki-bunny-emoticon-025.gif

Edited January 11, 2010 by jbb