Garth, many thanks for posting this with such care for the photos. A picture is truly worth 1,000 words!
A couple of things, no doubt it depends on what the makers recommend, but in the past, the "dust" that's apparent on the surface of rolled pre-primed linen was likely to be talc, applied as a precaution against fresh primed surfaces sticking in a new roll. It's a good idea to wipe down the surface with a clean rag dampened with denatured alcohol after stretching. You still want to wash your hands, though!
A word about those pricey copper-plated tacks: They look nice, and give you the feeling you've gone the extra mile, but the truth is they are actually less resistant to rust than common blued upholstery tacks. The reason is, there are two processes for electroplating with copper. One, which deposits a thick enough coating to prevent corrosion requires an acid electrolyte which immediately attacks steel. The other process uses a cyanide electrolyte solution which does not attack ferrous metals, but deposits a mere "wash coat" of copper only a molecule thick, just enough to enable steel parts to withstand the acid electrolyte until a significant layer of copper is built up. Guess which single method is used on these tacks?
A few years ago, I ordered a run of solid brass tacks at a stateside mill . . . they cost less than the "art store" copper-plated variety, and were sharper, and harder.
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Hybrid Mode
