Digital BW, The Print

In reply to my previous message re: curves vs profiles I decided to 
do some experimenting! 

I set up my monitor using Adobe Gamme several times and got something 
which looked right however for me to see the full 90-100% in 1% 
segments I had to have the gamma turned right up which blew 
everything else out and I did not get true blacks (more of this 
later).

I have just printed out a great test chart which has 0-100% in 5% 
steps, 1-10% and 90-100% steps in 1%, and 0-10% and 90 to 100% in 2% 
steps.  When printed without a curve the mid-tones are blocked up and 
I cannot even get past 90% without seeing pure black.  The NCA-gs1 
curve allows me to get even tones all the way through to 94% and then 
I cannot discriminate any further.  The NCA-nc1 curve doesn't quite 
get as far 92% before blacking out.  

I can see how the GS curve works because it is one channel (not going 
to even attempt the colour curves!).  How easy is it to modify this 
curve to allow the 94-99% be lightened to see the delineation between 
the sections?  The gs1 curve has 16 points including 0 and 255 and 5 
points within the first quarter of the graph; these obviously do not 
match linear steps.  When you are modifying something which is tucked 
right in the bottom left of the graph things don't seem to move on 
the screen.  It doesn't help that on screen I cannot see past 92% 
anyway!

Any ideas from the collective wisdom?

Gareth

PS The fianl print settings were:

Colour Space Assigned: AdobeRGB 1998
Source Space: Adobe 98
Print Space: Same as source (When using the Epson 1270 profile it is 
pure black from 85%!)
Paper Setting: HWM
Dpi: 1440
NCA in Driver