Digital BW, The Print

Andre,

>I'm about to dispose of the original Piezo inks ...

I'd keep the PiezoBW black.  It's essentially if not exactly the same as the
FS black.  (I wonder whether the new PiezoTone "MuseumBlack" isn't also the
same thing -- hopefully someone will do a "sniff" test soon and/or send me a
couple of test strips for fade testing.)

>But now I find out that the FS-N inkset may have a bluish cast ...

It's about 0.02 density units cool on EAM, plus or minus 0.01 depending on
any number of variables.  I just measured a 50% patch of an FS-N test strip
that has been in the dark for several months.  It read c=0.64, m=0.64,
y=0.63.  This is what I call 0.01 unit cool.  This is barely "blue" at all
according to the X-Rite, and I don't see blue when I look at the test strip.

Selenium-toned silver prints get significantly cooler in the shadows -- mine
measure up to 0.05 units cool (cyan greater than yellow).  Of course, the
variable-tone approach was done, in part, because people have their own
tastes and views as to how cool or warm a print should be.

> ... the original FS inkset looks green under tungsten lighting...

I've never used the inkset, but I added more magenta than cyan pigments to
cool down the FS inks for the FS-N.  I think that a hair of magenta does
look good in a "neutral" print.

>...the FSN-K and the FS-K are the same.

Yes.

>I'm ready to re-order some FS inks for blending, ...

I haven't experimented with warming up FS-N.  I'd almost prefer adding a bit
of yellow pigment (the new tough one) rather than blending with FS.  A small
amount of yellow would probably not affect the non-warming character of FS-N
at all, whereas the blending with FS will cause the resulting inkset to
warm.  But, if you just added yellow, the densities would shift slightly
from what they are supposed to be.

Good luck.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com