Making Pseudostems Into Paper

Ohio'sBest · 08-10-2009, 10:35 AM

Has this been tried before?

momoese · 08-10-2009, 10:41 AM

Yes and there are a few threads about it around here somewhere.

lorax · 08-10-2009, 10:43 AM

I do it all the time, with the parts of the pstem that are not worthwhile for fibre. If you leave it natural, it's sort of a tan-khaki colour, and if you use peroxide as a bleaching agent it comes out to a nice laid cream. I produce large archival-type acid-free sheets with four deckels for my own use as art papers. Other places do it commercially, adding a certain percentage of new banana fibre to a percentage of recycled pulp and rag. When BQ finally goes to print, it will be on a gloss paper of this type that is produced locally.

I posted the method I use in another thread a while back.... Here it is!!

Jack Daw · 08-10-2009, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lorax

I do it all the time, with the parts of the pstem that are not worthwhile for fibre. If you leave it natural, it's sort of a tan-khaki colour, and if you use peroxide as a bleaching agent it comes out to a nice laid cream. I produce large archival-type acid-free sheets with four deckels for my own use as art papers. Other places do it commercially, adding a certain percentage of new banana fibre to a percentage of recycled pulp and rag. When BQ finally goes to print, it will be on a gloss paper of this type that is produced locally.

I posted the method I use in another thread a while back.... Here it is!!

Do you have also anything on making fibre from P-stems?

Ohio'sBest · 08-10-2009, 10:53 AM

Cool. That would definately save some trees.

Bananaman88 · 08-10-2009, 11:35 AM

Beth, we need this as a "how to" in BQ some day!

lorax · 08-10-2009, 11:39 AM

It's planned for Volume 2 sometime - that way I have time to do a photographic step-by-step next time I'm pulling sheets.

Jack, pulling fibre from the pstems is the same process you'd use for any other bast fibre (linen, hemp, etc.) - the hard work with banana fibre is in selecting the correct weights of fibre from the retted mass. The coarsest stuff is only good for rope and sackcloth, and as you work your way towards the center of the stem you get weights similar to silk. It's great stuff.

Jack Daw · 08-10-2009, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lorax

It's planned for Volume 2 sometime - that way I have time to do a photographic step-by-step next time I'm pulling sheets.

Jack, pulling fibre from the pstems is the same process you'd use for any other bast fibre (linen, hemp, etc.) - the hard work with banana fibre is in selecting the correct weights of fibre from the retted mass. The coarsest stuff is only good for rope and sackcloth, and as you work your way towards the center of the stem you get weights similar to silk. It's great stuff.

I htink we've got ourselves a new topic for BQ.

08-10-2009, 10:35 AM	#1 (permalink)
Ohio'sBest Ohio'sBest's Photo Gallery Name: Chris Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 175 BananaBucks : 75,659 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 57 Times Was Thanked 104 Times in 38 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Making Pseudostems Into Paper Has this been tried before?

08-10-2009, 10:41 AM	#2 (permalink)
momoese Banana grower momoese's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Zone: zone 10 Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 7,590 BananaBucks : 3,635 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,754 Times Was Thanked 10,888 Times in 3,311 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 729 Times	Re: Making Pseudostems Into Paper Yes and there are a few threads about it around here somewhere.

08-10-2009, 10:43 AM	#3 (permalink)
lorax Banned lorax's Photo Gallery Location: Ecuador, South America Find me on the map! Zone: USDA 13 / Köppen-Geiger BSh Name: Lorax Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2,532 BananaBucks : 308,684 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 742 Times Was Thanked 3,040 Times in 1,188 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 464 Times	Re: Making Pseudostems Into Paper I do it all the time, with the parts of the pstem that are not worthwhile for fibre. If you leave it natural, it's sort of a tan-khaki colour, and if you use peroxide as a bleaching agent it comes out to a nice laid cream. I produce large archival-type acid-free sheets with four deckels for my own use as art papers. Other places do it commercially, adding a certain percentage of new banana fibre to a percentage of recycled pulp and rag. When BQ finally goes to print, it will be on a gloss paper of this type that is produced locally. I posted the method I use in another thread a while back.... Here it is!!

08-10-2009, 10:53 AM	#5 (permalink)
Ohio'sBest Ohio'sBest's Photo Gallery Name: Chris Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 175 BananaBucks : 75,659 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 57 Times Was Thanked 104 Times in 38 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Making Pseudostems Into Paper Cool. That would definately save some trees.

08-10-2009, 11:35 AM	#6 (permalink)
Bananaman88 Bananaculturist Bananaman88's Photo Gallery Location: Houston, TX area Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Brent Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 3,019 BananaBucks : 221,496 Feedback: 22 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,339 Times Was Thanked 2,263 Times in 1,178 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: Making Pseudostems Into Paper Beth, we need this as a "how to" in BQ some day!

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08-10-2009, 11:39 AM	#7 (permalink)
lorax Banned lorax's Photo Gallery Location: Ecuador, South America Find me on the map! Zone: USDA 13 / Köppen-Geiger BSh Name: Lorax Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2,532 BananaBucks : 308,684 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 742 Times Was Thanked 3,040 Times in 1,188 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 464 Times	Re: Making Pseudostems Into Paper It's planned for Volume 2 sometime - that way I have time to do a photographic step-by-step next time I'm pulling sheets. Jack, pulling fibre from the pstems is the same process you'd use for any other bast fibre (linen, hemp, etc.) - the hard work with banana fibre is in selecting the correct weights of fibre from the retted mass. The coarsest stuff is only good for rope and sackcloth, and as you work your way towards the center of the stem you get weights similar to silk. It's great stuff.

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