Just an update on the old paper problem. I haven't yet tried the Benzotriazole
(just picked some up today), but I tried a couple of ideas out....
Using Agfa Neutol at a dilution of 1:4 (instead of normal 1:7), I started to play
around with it. This seemed to work somewhat, and then I had an "accident". You
gotta love the accidents we all have at one point or another. While exposing one
of my prints I was distracted and forgot whether I had exposed or not. So I
simply re-exposed. What should have been a 9 sec. exposure ended up being 18
sec. While I was developing the print this was of course noticed because I had an
almost complete print after 30+ seconds in the developer...compared to the usual
120+ seconds it was taking. So I yanked the print into the stop after about 45
seconds, and voila...the print looked pretty damn good. Good shadow detail, good
blacks, and not so bad whites...the fog that was previously noticed was barely
there. So with this little accident I've somewhat solved my problem. I think I'm
going to try adding a little benzo' and see what that will do too. The paper is
quite nice...especially for being over 25 years old.
Plus the paper is more of a grade 2.5 - 3 than 2...so I'm happier.
Jim Norton