Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Tue, 25 May 1999 16:47:00 -0400 (EDT)
On Tue, 25 May 1999, Richard Knoppow wrote:
> >
> I just looked over the instructions for several versions of Hypo-Alum
> sepia toner. None if them suggest refixing after toning. I am not sure why
> Nelson does for his toner except it is enough different from the usual
> hypo-alum toner to think there might be a reason. I am not a good enough
> chemist to figure it out
> ----
Having read whatever was available about toning silver gelatin for nearly
20 years, I believe I can with confidence say -- who knows?!! The most
likely seeming "definitive" explanation was, as I recall, in a Kodak
publication about something else. The point made was that in these
reactions many sub-complexes are formed, which are hardly detectable after
the fact, but ..... I guess like the .0000003 g of selenium in the human
body ............ have a big effect.
In this I'd go with Liam who says he has *observed* yellowing in
highlights of toned prints. How does that saying go, "Observation is
9/10ths of the law" ????
We know that the hypo alum bath is going to have silver in it A to Z,
especially when well used. We know that fixer makes silver halide
compounds soluble in water, or let's say we BELIEVE that. It may also have
such an effect on other silver compounds. Or, it may turn some of them to
halides, or something else in the bath may turn them to halides, or the
hypo fairy loves you...
PS. I never did refix, but then I like yellow.
Judy
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b3 on Thu Oct 28 1999 - 21:39:35