Flexographic printing roll having fluid pressure grooving for dismounting

A flexographic printing roll comprising a rigid base tube having perforations in the form of a plurality of small apertures and shallow external grooving extending circumferentially away from said apertures so that fluid pressure appearing at the apertures is distributed circumferentially by said grooving, and a circumferentially stretchable, elastomeric, engraved, seamless printing sleeve on said tube strained to grip the tube to retain the sleeve securely on the tube, said printing sleeve covering said shallow external grooving such that increasing fluid pressure in said grooving relative to fluid pressure on the exterior of said sleeve would cause said printing sleeve to expand and be readily removable from said tube.