U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: glutaraldehyde shelf life

Re: glutaraldehyde shelf life




On Fri, 9 Oct 2009, Keith Gerling wrote:

Anybody know how long this stuff lasts?  Just the mere act of reading
Phritz's woes have caused my prints to stain horribly.  No problems at all 2
weeks ago, so I doubt if it "turned", but my glut was purchased back when
Chris started to preach of it's qualities.  (thanks Chris!)

and I've only used a smidgeon of it
Keith, I have no experience with glut. But I've found that, if undiluted, glyoxal and formaldehyde keep more or less indefinitely (preferably at a cool room temp). And since glut as I recall goes into *kits,* I'd figure it would last at least as well. The working solution of glyoxal can die overnight, if it wants to. Tho I understand from Sara Van Keuren that she keeps a formaldehyde working solution going in class almost forever.

Plus, another thought occurred to me, reading the different findings for gelatined paper, sized, unsized, hardened or not, etc. etc. etc.:

It was my finding in the long long ago when I tested such things, that different gelatins reacted differently... I forget the numbers, but the "heavier" ones were quite different from, for instance, Knox, which I've used ever since.

I'll add that I found VAT sizing far, far and away more effective and long lasting than brush sizing... which I suppose folks who don't have a vat use. Up front, brush coat is of course easier, but ultimately not. For multicoating it doesn't last nearly as well... tho once I've done a lot of coats, I do often add a brush coat for a "refresher."

More later... now I'm off to the Met, tra la, to hear Robert Frank, with a ticket that just fell into my hands from the sky.

Judy