as ferric chloride or iron ii salts such as ferrous sulfate and ferrous chloride are especially useful as a source of the metal ions other metal ions such as copper ii cobalt ii may be employed in any event as noted only a trace of the transitional metal ions is required to achieve the advantageous results of the present invention preferably between about 0 002 and about 0 01 of the metal ion further contrary to conventional peroxide treatment of pulp wherein the peroxide treatment is carried out with the pulp at a very high ph for bleaching in the present invention the pulp treatment is carried out at a ph of between about 1 and about 9 preferably a ph between about 2 and 7 subjection of softwood pulp to the solution of the present invention at a temperature between about 40 c and about 120 c and at a ph between about 1 and about 9 has been found to cause oxidation and oxidative pulp degradation of the long stiff and coarse kraft fibers this chemical treatment of the fibers is followed by a mechanical treatment of the treated pulp e g refining employing a conventional disc refiner to cause fiber morphology change and paper property enhancement with respect to hardwood pulps it will be understood by.