U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: Hardening With Glyoxal: One Shot?

Re: Hardening With Glyoxal: One Shot?



On Mon, 7 May 2007, Gary Nored wrote:

In my experience the gelatin loses its 'vital essence' after a couple of heatings and doesn't work the same anymore :(

Gary
I realize it's useless to say this since folks have caught the put the hardener in the gelatin bug and think of it as the norm... but for the record (and out of the kindness of my heart) I'll first, agree with Gary... but note that the unsanitized gelatin does NOT keep in the refrigerator beyond maybe two days AT MOST (at least in my refrigerator)... before it starts to liquify, meaning THROW IT OUT.

The other thing is, and I've tested this A LOT, really and truly, IME hardening after sizing gives better tone, less waste, more control.

Plus you actually could get another day or two out of the gelatin, let's say if you run out of hanging space or someone insists on taking you out to dinner, or some other vicissitude intervenes. Once the gelatin with hardener in it has cooled, it's set, and IME it's over.

J.




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