Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Wed, 26 May 1999 04:03:35 -0400 (EDT)
On Wed, 26 May 1999, Liam Lawless wrote:
> Hi Judy & Everyone,
>
> Don't like to disagree in public, but I haven't come across the point you
> make about "used fix", and came to the conclusion a long time ago that the
> term "fresh fixer" is not meant to be taken literally, but means a fixer
> that is not at, or close to, exhaustion. A stupid thing to say as there are
> few occasions when we'd want to use an exhausted one (except, perhaps, for
> making hypo-alum!), but if we used "fresh fix" every time fresh fix is
> specified, we'd all use a great deal more fixer.
Yes, of course... by "fresh fix" I didn't mean NEW fix. In fact the
2-bath system if reasonably applied, supplies sufficiently "fresh" fix for
the purpose -- I assume. Papers here are in a muddle at the moment so I
don't lay hands on it instantly, but in citing toning variables from Kodak
G23 for this interrrrrrminable article I say to that effect-- use a 2-bath
fixer, which means you mix bath #2 fresh, use for a while, then make it #1
& mix a new #2.
But the point I have read innumerable times (and of course we're taking
all of this on faith, can't see it with our own eyes), is that
subcomplexes in well, let's call it, too-used fix, don't wash out readily
or even at all. THEREFORE, you would put something that's been in a hypo
alum toner (which it is boasted is used forever and improves with age)
into a FRESH fix to clean it up nicely, or would if you're that kind of
person, which I may not have been... I didn't have (whoever -- Nelson?
Knoppow?) telling me about that, and as I recall, didn't.
I believe, BTW, or have believed on the authority of those people who are
authorities on things like that, that you CAN "refix" as in film that
isn't adequately fixed (a student brings in a milky film wants to know the
problem -- the fixer was dead), but you can't refix paper that had those
subcomplexes dried in it... Or rather you can refix til the cows come
home, but it won't get them out.... So I have been led to believe.
cheers,
Judy
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b3 on Thu Oct 28 1999 - 21:39:35