[alt-photo] Re: Question for Platinum/Palladium printers

[etienne garbaux]

Bob wrote:

>Though I am not qualified to determine the verity of the following
>statement, many books and other sources on pt/pd printing allege that using
>an HCL first clearing bath can bleach some of the subtle highlights in
>(mostly or pure) palladium prints.
>Is there someone on this list sufficiently versed in chemistry and
>experienced in pt/pd printing to either confirm or deny this allegation once
>and for all?
>It has been around for a long time and should either be confirmed or
>buried.

Channeling Judy for a moment:  JUST TRY IT, if you want to know, 
instead of expecting someone to feed you the answer to every 
question.  Even this list is no substitute for doing one's own 
testing.  And that is a dead easy test to run.

I have experienced nothing of the sort -- but then, I have always 
used pure Pt. I doubt it would have any effect on Pd, either, if 
everything else was done properly (paper pre-treatment, sizing, 
coating, drying, re-humidifying, developing, and rinsing).  Judging 
by the colors, I have to assume that a fair number of my antique "Pt" 
prints are actually Pd, and there is no subtlety lacking in their 
highlights -- which would appear to support my speculation.  But, 
again, I have not done any testing with Pd.

Best regards,

etienne