Shives come from incomplete fiber separation in mechanical or chemical pulping, or from screens that let them through. In bleached grades they show as darker slivers because lignin-rich bundles bleach poorly, and on press they can pick out of the surface and leave white spots in the print. Shive content is measured with slotted screens or optical analyzers.
Heard on the job
Lots of shives in the groundwood again, the screens upstairs must be bypassing.
Also heard as
- fiber bundle
Related terms
Dirt count
Measure of visible dark specks in pulp or paper, reported as equivalent black area per unit area.
Furnish
The recipe of pulps, fillers, dyes and chemicals that make up a paper grade's stock.
Fines
Fiber fragments and small particles that pass a fine screen and have an outsized effect on sheet optics.