Why does MR smell so bad?

[bcammack]

The ink they use stinks! I opened a recent edition the other day and the stench nearly bowled me over.

To make matters worse, I'm quite nearsighted, so if I want to see the detail of a photo, I have to plaster the magazine to my nose and look under my glasses. I have to hold by breath when I do this so as not to gag! [xx(]

I'm no wimp when it comes to aromas. I don't have a very strong sense of smell in the first place and I work amid the refineries along the Houston Ship Channel, so I am exposed to plenty of exotic chemical smells.

What's up with this ink, MR??

[MAbruce]

Are you sure it was the ink, or maybe the articles? [;)][:P][:-,]

[(-D] Sorry, I could not resist...[(-D]

I really do like MR! [:)]

[Eriediamond]

Ok, you got me on that one Mack, I just finished sniffing my recent issues, then had to explain to the Mrs what I was doing. I should have left well enough alone. She voiced the opinion she thought I was a liitle off, but I had just confirmed that thought. No out of the ordinary odors were found, but I have to ask, You are not house breaking a puppy, by chance, are you??? [:O][(-D][(-D]

[Anonymous]

I've had issues that i've gotten from the store that had a odd smell to them, but all my subscription ones never had a smell, maybe it's something they ship with the mags to the store that transfers over.

Jay

[n2mopac]

It must be Houston, because I have never noticed a smell in the 10 years I have subscribed.
Ron

[bcammack]

Weird. Mine come subscription, too. I find it most unpleasant.

[brothaslide]

Remember in school back in the day, when copies were made using this "blue stuff". The "blue stuff" had the most interesting smell. What was the name of the machine that produced copies before xerox?

Copies made with the blue stuff was also used in a scene from the movie, "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" -

Have you seen the sequal, "Spicole Goes to Baghdad"

[Roadtrp]

The "blue stuff" was mimeograph fluid. God, I LOVED how that stuff smelled!

[lupo]

rofl
[:O]
I put my nose into some copies around, and I would go for a slight PuPPy P smell,
but maybe some posts influenced my judgement!
[:O]

[GerFust]

Nope, haven't mentioned an odor.

However, I find it smears quite easily, especially text. The photos are not as bad, but they do smear too. It is difficult to read the magazine and wear gloves, so I handle it carefully. What's the deal with that?

-Jer

[Roadtrp]

I haven't noticed any bad smell to my MR magazines, but then I paid extra for the premium "no smell" subscription. [;)][;)]

[Anonymous]

Hey bcammack -- Sure you aren't sitting down to read MR in the bathroom?

[AggroJones]

I haven't noticed a bad smell on any recent issues, but I do have Jan 2000 and April 2000 issues that have a horrible aroma! They smell like someone rubbed them under their arm pit!

[Trainnut484]

Hmmm....

Maybe the postman reads your MR in the bathroom while on break [;)][:o)].

Do you live near a hospital? Sometimes hospitals get stuff back from labs like stool samples [;)][;)].

J/k above of course. My subscriptions don't have a funny or weird smell.

Take care,

Russell

[timthechef]

maybe it has something to do with the printer that prints the magazine. depending on where your magazine is delivered it is printed by differant companys.

[Anonymous]

MR version of scratch & sniff. Ink stink.

[Anonymous]

I also noticed the last issue had a very strong odor. I have read MR for many years (Oh geeeez I am OLD) and have never smelled one this bad. Oh well, many things in this world today stink so I took it outside to be aired. Problem solved.

[Anonymous]

Gettin' ready to read the latest issue.

[Anonymous]

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!![(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D]

[Anonymous]

Never had a awful odor coming from my issues of MR. If the May issue comes today and it smells bad, I won't notice it anyway since I'm getting over a cold.[:D]
Good one, Snake!

[Roadtrp]

All suited up and ready to look for weapons of mass destruction... [:D]

[Anonymous]

LOL, just got mine today and no smell, so all's clear here. [:)]

Jay

[warner brook]

[8]damn you guys i just got arrested for sniffing mr at the local news stand[xx(] apparently it`s against the law in pa.to smell magazines but you can sell smelly magazines.just kidding i`am a closet sniffer.

roy

[Anonymous]

The smell obviously dissapates while crossing the Atlantic, as I've never noticed it. MR doesn't smell any different to other magazines to me - but then again, I don't tend to go sniffing magazines on a regular basis!

[Anonymous]

nice pic snake! LOL[(-D][(-D][(-D][wow]

[LuthierTom]

I haven't really noticed any strange smells, but let me check....OK, here's the latest issue, let's open it up and take a sniff...hmm not shur, lemme sniffit again...nopenope, nooooo baaaaddd smmmulls but thrs summat woahsa wrd pix n i feics fnd threw qkirsdzcx bemmlrsth;rid, c,a'qwirgnmbzxv,V5lou-90e8rn xc,vl;..........................................................[zzz]

[Anonymous]

I personally like the smell of new print. The smell of the paper, the smell of the ink. Yes, yes, yes! You're unhappy with the way MR smells? Take a trip to a large magazine shop, one that carries everything available. Notice how the shop smells. Just like model railroader. Gosh, why is that? But you can eliminate the odor if you really need to. Just stop subcribing to or purchasing MR. Then you can contact MR and have them make a complete xerox copy of that month's issue and send it to you. Gosh, you will only be paying $80 or so an issue, but the smell will be gone.

Or you can put your MR in the freezer for several days after it arrives. This will not only reduce the odor, it will make your hamburgers taste terrific as well.

Or you can sit and complain about the smell of the magazine, the lack of Z scale articles, the lack of articles dealing with the specifics you are currently working on. You can complain about the way Andy combs his hair (what hair?), the material in any of the monthly columns, the lack of $25 locomotives that come equipped with DCC and sound. I bet you don't like single ply toilet paper either and I bet you still only use one side. Take your mind off your gripes. Turn around and bite your wife on the leg, slash your own tires, burn down your garage, spray your magazine with English Leather.

Instead of putting your nose in the magazine, invest in some reading glasses. Give up on trains and start collecting bus tokens from aroung the world. Get a job working at the local sanitary landfill

Complain about the smell of MR? I think you need another layer of bricks on your load. Or maybe you should try rowing your boat with two oars

Tom

[bcammack]

Sheesh. Who p****ed in your cornflakes, Sparky? I'm nearsighted nearly to the point of legal blindness. I have macular degeneration in my right eye. I HAVE TO PUT THE BLOODY MAGAZINE UP TO MY NOSE TO MAKE OUT ANY DETAIL IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS YOU SUPERCILIOUS A$$.

Why don't you go find someplace else where you can climb up on top of people and feel real big? Or maybe you've already been thrown out of them?

[Anonymous]

Holy cow - I have an issue from earlier this year that reaks. It smells like an oil well or something - seriously!

[Anonymous]

We get our foreign MR subscription copies sealed in a plastic wrapper.
(Yes, we do pay extra for this.[:0]) Anyway, there is a slight odor to the magazine, especially right out of the wrapper, but only if I hold really close up.
Some other glossy magazines seem to have the same or similar odor.
Newspapers do not.

I'm no chemist, but to the best of my recollection, years ago the print industry switched from solvent-based inks to soy-based inks, essentially for environmental and cost reasons, with fossil-fuel conservation a side benefit.
The easily-smeared print came along at the same time as solvent was discontinued, I believe.

So, is this odor a soy-based ink situation, combined with the paper now in use?
I can't verify this, as there are no soy based food products in our house, and mainly due to the taste, there's not much chance there ever will be.[xx(]

regards;
Mike