Issue with Hahnemuhle Baryta FB

[JPR-5690]

This isn't quite "sign making" but hoping in this community can help with this...

We do some fine art printing using a Canon pro4000.
Before that we had a ipf9400 and have rarely – if ever– had any quality issues.

Ordered a roll of Hahnemuhle Baryta FB for a specific client and the prints come out looking dusty.
On closer look you can actually tell that there are tiny fibers that aren't accepting ink and its especially noticeable in dark areas.
I attached some photos that I took with my phone but the issue isn't as obvious in real life (99% sure that cell phone cameras auto increase contrast to make the image look sharper)
This issue doesn't come up on any other papers.

Contacted Hahnemuhle and they had me mail them samples.
They're telling me to dust the roll before printing, run the print uni-directional, blast the printer out with air, try using tinsel, etc. – in other words they think that it's just dust.

I think it's defective paper because the "dust" is uniform across the length and width of the print and is apparent even after wiping the roll down before printing.

Any ideas or input?
This stuff isn't cheap so I dont want to use up the whole roll with tests just to have Hahnemuhle tell me its not the paper...

 

[SignMeUpGraphics]

Looks like a faulty roll to me. I'm assuming other media isn't getting these dots in the print?
Surely if the issue exists for more than the first 2 feet, the "dust" has arrived from the factory as it would be coming on the freshly unrolled paper. Unless you're printing in a dust storm, I can't imagine an office that dirty to cause so much debris during print inside a rather well enclosed Pro4000.

We had a roll of metallic Ilford paper have inconsistent stripes down the length of the roll. They replaced it next day no questions asked.

 

[JPR-5690]

Im convinced its a faulty roll for multiple reasons, including what you mentioned.

The Hahnemuhle rep keeps pushing the idea that it's static pulling dust on the paper during the printing process.
Im getting pretty tired of running tests just get the same results so Im trying to get some other professional input before I escalate it.
If it wasn't for the fact that Hahnemuhle is helping me make sure I have the color reproduction spot-on I would just ask the distributor (LexJet) to replace the roll.

 

[Humble PM]

What does the edge of the roll feel like - smooth or does it snag a cotton glove the way a sand paper would?
Either way, that sort of dust, beyond the first wrap of paper isn't right.

But it also doesn't hurt to vacuum in the evening and mop the printroom floor in the morning, to help keep the swiffers clean.

 

[JPR-5690]

One of the reasons Im not convinced its dust is under a loupe the white specks are not organic shapes - they're sharp lines and 3-pointed star shapes (like the benz logo).

My paper rep says he's seen this issue with a lot of Baryta papers and says its due to the fragile nature of the Baryta coating.

Now I just have to get Hahnemuhle to admit that this is actually a quality issue so I can get a replacement roll...

$2.40/sq.ft. and they keep "troubleshooting" by trying to convince me my printer is just dusty...I can't roll my eyes hard enough