Doctor blade systems for rotary press ink stations, which include a print cylinder and an ink supplier on a side of the print cylinder to deliver ink to the surface of the print cylinder, have an elongated blade holder extending parallel to the cylinder on one side of the cylinder. The holder mounts a doctor blade, which may be conventional, and a pre-doctor or prewipe blade between the doctor blade and the pan on the one side of the cylinder. The holder includes a first clamp to releasably hold the generally flat, elongated doctor blade in axial line contact with an axial length of the outer circumferential surface of the print cylinder and a second clamp below the first clamp to releasably hold a generally flat, elongated prewipe blade against the outer circumferential surface of the print cylinder below the line contact of the doctor blade so as to remove some ink from the length of the surface before that surface reaches the doctor blade. Ink return openings are provided through the blade holder, the prewipe blade or both to permit ink removed from the cylinder by the doctor blade to be removed from the space between the doctor and prewipe blades. Ink supply ports may be provided on or through the holder to direct ink on the length of the cylinder surface between the prewipe and the doctor blade at low press speeds when the wiping action of the prewipe blade is more effective. The prewipe blade may be formed of metal, glass reinforced resin or thermoplastic material but has a relatively low coefficient of friction with respect to the surface of the print cylinder. The prewipe blade may be formed of resin materials that include a solid lubricant component for reduced wear. A backer or reinforcement may be used with a relatively soft and flexible prewipe blade to improve prewipe blade performance, reduce blade costs or both. The holder is typically mounted on a pivot to rotate towards and away from the image cylinder in gravure press ink units.