I have heard the term "body gum" used in discussions of ink additives. What is body gum?

Body gum is linseed oil that has been polymerized. It is used as a stiffing additive when ink is too viscous and "pulls the ink together" when the ink is causing scumming, tinting, and chalking on coated papers. Linseed varnishes #8, #9, and #10 are referred to as body gums. Always check with your ink manufacturer for the compatibility of an additive before modifying your ink.

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