Ilford Gold Fibre Silk

[pflower]

I am running out of this and thought I would order some more, but it appears that it is no longer available. Does anyone know if this is permanent?  There is something new (at least to me) - Ilford Gold Fibre Gloss.  Is this similar?  Gold Fibre Silk has been my standard gloss paper for some years and I would like to match it as closely as possible in the future.

Any ideas or suggestions?

[Rand47]

I am running out of this and thought I would order some more, but it appears that it is no longer available. Does anyone know if this is permanent?  There is something new (at least to me) - Ilford Gold Fibre Gloss.  Is this similar?  Gold Fibre Silk has been my standard gloss paper for some years and I would like to match it as closely as possible in the future.

Any ideas or suggestions?

RIP all the true baryta papers.  Happened last year.   Canson has a Canson Baryta Photographique II replacement but it’s not the same.  Ditto Red River’s replacment.  The Canson version II has good color gamut, but the surface is kind of “waxy / milky” looking w/ distinctly more visible texture than version I or Gold Fibre Silk. 

It has forced me to print more on Ilford’s Gold Fibre Gloss, which is also a very nice paper, but not a baryta.  But given that all the barytas are GONE, GFG has become my most typical go-to paper.  Try it, you won’t be disappointed in it for its own sake.

And, it ain’t coming back.... story is two fold.  All were from the same mill, and the machine was taken out of service + one of the coating ingredients no longer available.  A real shame, IMO.

Mark Segal is continuing his excellent paper reviews over on PhotoPXL and he recently published a Canson Baryta Photographique II test/review.  Check it out:  https://photopxl.com/canson-baryta-photographique-ii/     Mark seemed to like it.  I tested it and had a hard time adjusting to the surface look / texture.  I plan to test some more once my chagrin has subsided a bit.

Rand

[John Hollenberg]

RIP all the true baryta papers.  Happened last year. 

I am not understanding this statement.  Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta is available at B&H.  Is it not a true baryta?

[Rand47]

I am not understanding this statement.  Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta is available at B&H.  Is it not a true baryta?

It is.  And I use it.  But it is nothing at all like:  Ilford Gold Fibre Silk; Canson Baryta Photographique, Red River San Gabriel Baryta II - which are all no longer available.  Photo Rag Baryta is a 100% cotton substrate with a distinct surface texture.  Ilford GFS and the others referenced are alfa cellulose substrate with a “flinty” luster surface that has very little detectable surface texture.

Buy some and compare.   Sorry if my statement caused confusion.  It isn’t that there a no papers at all that may use barium sulphite in their coating.  It is that Ilford GFS and all its “twins” are no longer made.

Rand

[mearussi]

It is.  And I use it.  But it is nothing at all like:  Ilford Gold Fibre Silk; Canson Baryta Photographique, Red River San Gabriel Baryta II - which are all no longer available.  Photo Rag Baryta is a 100% cotton substrate with a distinct surface texture.  Ilford GFS and the others referenced are alfa cellulose substrate with a “flinty” luster surface that has very little detectable surface texture.

Buy some and compare.   Sorry if my statement caused confusion.  It isn’t that there a no papers at all that may use barium sulphite in their coating.  It is that Ilford GFS and all its “twins” are no longer made.

Rand

I see that both Innova and Finestra offer a Baryta on Alpha-Cellulose. Have you tried those?

https://www.itsupplies.com/Innova-Exhibition-Photo-Baryta-s/1132.htm

http://finestraart.com/baryta-natural/

[Roscolo]

I used to use Ilford Gold Fibre Silk. Didn't put much thought into baryta papers. I was OK with the Ilford product, but I didn't have anything to compare it to. A few customers liked it, but most didn't care for it. Then I got a sample pack of the Hahnemuhle baryta papers, Photo Rag Baryta, Fine Art Baryta, and Baryta FB. What a difference that made. I went from making prints on baryta paper with the IGFS a few times a month, to running prints on the Hahnemuhle papers several times a week. I can't even look at the remaining IGFS I still have now. I don't even offer it anymore.

[kers]

I guess it also depends on the type of printer. on a HP Z3100 the gloss enhancer did not work on the Ilford GFS.  IAt the moment am on Photo Rag baryta as my preferred glossy paper- it has more density than Canson Platine on my printer, and very deep blacks. But i am always curious to try papers.

[pflower]

I used to use Ilford Gold Fibre Silk. Didn't put much thought into baryta papers. I was OK with the Ilford product, but I didn't have anything to compare it to. A few customers liked it, but most didn't care for it. Then I got a sample pack of the Hahnemuhle baryta papers, Photo Rag Baryta, Fine Art Baryta, and Baryta FB. What a difference that made. I went from making prints on baryta paper with the IGFS a few times a month, to running prints on the Hahnemuhle papers several times a week. I can't even look at the remaining IGFS I still have now. I don't even offer it anymore.

Well for a Matte paper I haven't found anything to rival Hahnemuhle Photo Rag.  For B&W prints they are great but I am not entirely happy with them for colour.  So I am looking for a glossy(ish) PK paper - are these Hahnemuhle baryta papers designed for PK inks?  If so I will look into them.  To an extent glossiness  is not a major criteria - once matted and framed behind glass it is often difficult to ascertain the surface without careful study. 

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Avalan]

“are these Hahnemuhle baryta papers designed for PK inks?”

Yes. All baryta papers are pk inks only.
Will be differences between glossiness and also the texture.

Avalan

[SharonVL]

I use Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta and love it. I used GFS when it was available for certain photos. The hahnemuhle paper gives me deep rich color.

Sharon

[MfAlab]

All that type of baryta papers are gone. Canosn Infinity Baryta Photographique, Hahnemuhle Photo Silk Baryta, Ilford Gold Fibre Silk, Innova Exhibition Photo Baryta, Red River San Gabriel and so on. Canson has a not exactly the same replacement "Baryta Photographique II". Ilford said it will be a new "Gold FB Baryta".

IMO, Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta is not a traditional Baryta paper, the texture and hand feel says all. It is a fine art gloss cotton paper, in the classification with Canson Infinity Platine Fibre Rag and Ilford Gold Fibre Gloss.

If your are looking a baryta paper feels like analog dark room papers, try Hahnemuhle Photo Gloss Baryta 320.

[SharonVL]

I love the photo gloss baryta. It has a depth to it that is gorgeous.

[David Sutton]

I located a couple of 24"wide GFS rolls for a recent exhibition, but am still looking for a replacement.
Two possible candidates are:
https://www.fotospeed.com/Baryta-Inkjet-Papers/catalogue/2877/
https://www.permajet.com/Products/PermaJet-FB-Gold-Silk-315gsm-True-Baryta-Paper

Haven't ordered a sample yet. I think http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/ has some reviews.

Edit: IT Supplies also have a paper they claim is a direct GFS replacement:
https://www.itsupplies.com/Simply-Elegant-Gold-Fibre-s/1346.htm
Their communication is not very good. I ordered a roll to be sent to my freight forwarder in the US and a week after ordering got a refund and no reply to emails. Could be worse. If you live in the US you may have better luck.

[Jeremy Roussak]

It's largely a question of taste, of course. I don't like the Hahnemühle photo rag baryta because its surface has far more texture than I want in a non-watercolour type of paper. The Canson II is OK but rather glossy. I've been using a roll of Permajet's FB Gold Silk and am liking it a lot: it's very similar to GFS, at least to my eye.

FWIW

Jeremy

[David Sutton]

It's largely a question of taste, of course. I don't like the Hahnemühle photo rag baryta because its surface has far more texture than I want in a non-watercolour type of paper. The Canson II is OK but rather glossy. I've been using a roll of Permajet's FB Gold Silk and am liking it a lot: it's very similar to GFS, at least to my eye.

FWIW

Jeremy

Thanks for your comment.
One of the issues with many of the baryta papers has been little bits  of chad floating over the paper while printing, either from the cutting or just from the surface lifting off. Lost more than a few prints this way. Ilford GFS was very well behaved in this regard.
I'll put an order in for a Permajet sample.
David

[Peterretep2]

Edit: IT Supplies also have a paper they claim is a direct GFS replacement:
https://www.itsupplies.com/Simply-Elegant-Gold-Fibre-s/1346.htm

I have a box of the Simply Elegant and it appears identical to Ilford Gold Fibre Silk.

[Mick Sang]

RIP all the true baryta papers.  Happened last year. 

I am not understanding this statement.  Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta is available at B&H.  Is it not a true baryta?

I think what was meant is that IGFS and Canson Baryta satin which are extremely similar if not the same alpha-cellulose paper are gone. Hahnemuhle still has all their baryta papers. But, they are cotton with warmer white point, a bit more texture and flimsier. I have been a huge fan of the Ilford / Canson baryta and purchased all I could fine as soon as I heard the sad news. Still have some boxes and rolls. Nevertheless, I will try the IT supplies offering in hopes it is in fact virtually identical. Thanks for the tip.

Mick

[mearussi]

If you want a perfectly smooth surface just print on white film.

[NAwlins_Contrarian]

I think what was meant is that IGFS and Canson Baryta satin which are extremely similar if not the same alpha-cellulose paper are gone. Hahnemuhle still has all their baryta papers. But, they are cotton with warmer white point, a bit more texture and flimsier.

Actually, no: Hahnemühle Photo Silk Baryta is gone. Is had an almost-matte surface. It was a 310 gsm, 100% alpha-cellulose paper with very low (albeit not no) OBAs. I liked it, especially for B&W.

Now Hahnemühle Photo Gloss Baryta, AFAIK, is still in production. It is also a 100% alpha-cellulose paper of 320 gsm with a smooth surface. But as the name indicates, it is rather glossy, and it has a fair amount of OBAs. I like it too, but it's a quite different paper from Photo Silk Baryta.

[SharonVL]

It's glossy but not shiny. I think it is more glowy or something.