Long before paper was invented, the ancient Egyptians had discovered a way to create a similar product, called papyrus. Despite the advent of the digital age, many companies around the world still work with paper and ink; Although this is easy to buy on the market, learning how to make a papyrus sheet is a useful and very rewarding skill. To proceed you need to prepare the plant, create the sheet and refine it to get the best possible result.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Preparation
Step 1. Get a papyrus plant
Papyrus paper is obtained from the Cyperus papyrus plant, a light but strong reed; you can buy it from a nursery, but if you can't find it, you can use other materials, such as grass or reeds that grow along the banks of rivers.
You can also buy it online or order it at your local garden center
Step 2. Cut the stems
With a 30 cm piece of cane you can get a sheet about twice as long. Get all the stems you need to make the amount of "paper" you need; remember to make diagonal cuts and remove the spikes later. The latter are not useful, as they are the thin, grass-like ends of the plant.
Use garden shears or sturdy scissors
Step 3. Peel off the outer layer of the barrel
To make the papyrus sheet you need the heart of the stem, discarding the green portion that is around it. Score the barrel lengthwise with the help of a sharp knife until you have removed all the outer portion; the core should be white or slightly greenish.
- If you don't have a knife available, you can use a pair of scissors.
- If you are not comfortable using a sharp object to "peel" the papyrus, ask someone to help you.
Step 4. Reduce the inner portion into strips
Always use the same knife to cut the white, fibrous layers into thin strips; hold the rod in your hand and cut it vertically towards you. Make sure all strips are of equal thickness and size; the best ones generally come from the core of the plant, while those of low quality are made with the outermost layers.
- If you prefer to avoid pointing the blade towards you, you can also move the knife away from your body.
- If you want to make smaller sheets, you can cut the strips into shorter length segments.
Part 2 of 4: Making the Papyrus
Step 1. Put the strips in the water
This plant contains a natural chemical similar to glue; you have to make sure that it is released before turning the plant material into a paper to write on. Leave the strips to soak for at least 72 hours: three days is the ideal duration for this process; try to arrange them so that they are well flattened in the tray with the water and store the latter in a place where the liquid cannot evaporate quickly.
The strips should become transparent and flexible
Step 2. Lay the material on a flat, hard surface
At this stage the arrangement is not very important, just make sure that the various elements do not overlap; the kitchen counter or sturdy table is perfect for that task.
Step 3. Extract the excess water and sugar present in the plant material
Take a rolling pin and flatten the strips; the pressure should push the liquid out and flatten each flap of papyrus.
In the past, the strips were hit with a heavy object to remove excess water
Step 4. Intertwine the various elements
Place them on a dry linen or felt cloth; then proceed to intertwine them creating two layers, so that the upper one is perpendicular to the lower one. The result should be very similar to an American placemat; the strips should slightly overlap each other to prevent them from splitting in later stages.
After weaving them, cover the layers with another linen cloth
Step 5. Place everything between two wooden boards
Make sure these are heavy boards, as some pressure is required to flatten and "glue" the strips together. Once the layers have been placed between the boards, press them together and then leave them undisturbed on a flat surface; the force of gravity will get the job done.
If the tablets are not too heavy, weight them with books
Step 6. Replace wet linen sheets with dry ones
You should make this change every few hours; he works with great care and "peels" the linen from the papyrus delicately. The drying process should take approximately 72 hours.
Part 3 of 4: Refine the Papyrus Sheet
Step 1. Flatten the sheet
The papyrus is not completely flat after removing it from the tablets; for this reason, you must store it under a stone slab for up to six days. The permanence under the stone allows the sugary residues to "seal" the strips together.
If you're in a hurry, you can use a rolling pin to flatten the paper
Step 2. Polish the papyrus
This step is not mandatory, but it makes the sheet more beautiful and more finished looking. Use a smooth piece of ivory or a shell, any one is fine, as long as it doesn't have ripples; rub it on the papyrus until it becomes more polished than it originally was.
- Alternatively, use a smooth rock.
- Don't apply too much force, otherwise you can tear the "paper".
Step 3. Cut the sheet
It may be too big for your purpose, so take a razor blade, pair of scissors, or a utility knife to split the papyrus into smaller sheets of equal size.
You can make a notebook with the papers you just created
Part 4 of 4: Making the Papyrus with the Children
Step 1. Cover the table top with newspaper
Use this material to protect the work surface you want to make paper on. The procedure creates a lot of disorder, especially when children are also involved; placing newspaper sheets facilitates subsequent cleaning operations. Once the surface is covered, place a sheet of kitchen paper on top of the newspaper, which represents the base of the papyrus.
Step 2. Mix the glue with the water in a bowl
Use about 120ml of vinyl glue, although any type of white adhesive will work. then, add an equal amount of water, mixing the two ingredients with a spoon until they reach a rather liquid consistency.
If you want to make two sheets of papyrus, double the amount of water and glue
Step 3. Tear two paper bags into strips
You have to take two of brown paper and cut them into long bands about 1.5 cm wide to tear along the entire length of the bag, using your hands or cutting them with a pair of scissors.
If you want to make two sheets, use four bags
Step 4. Dip the strips into the glue solution
Wet them one at a time trying to keep them as flat as possible as you go; make sure they are all well soaked in water and glue.
Step 5. Arrange the strips
After wetting them, spread them vertically next to each other on the paper towel, making sure they overlap slightly.
Step 6. Roll out the second half of brown paper bands
Once you have placed the first set vertically, arrange the second horizontally.
Step 7. Smooth out the papyrus
Press it with your hands after having arranged all the fragments of brown paper, to eliminate air bubbles or glue; continue like this until you get a smooth, flat surface.
Step 8. Wait for the sheet to dry
Leave it on top of the kitchen paper and newspaper while it dries - it should take about eight hours; when finished, detach it from the base as if it were a film.
Advice
- The topic of this article could be a good school project for science classes.
- You can give the sheet of paper you made to a friend or family member.
Warnings
- Wash your hands after handling the papyrus plant, the sticky substance is toxic.
- Leaving the strips to soak for too long is counterproductive; if you allow too much time for the sticky substance to dissipate in the water, there is not enough time left to keep the papyrus strips together.
