Re: salt printing questions

----- Original Message -----
From: "Joe Smigiel" <jsmigiel@kvcc.edu>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Saturday, October 22, 2005 2:26 PM
Subject: Re: salt printing questions

>>>> zphoto@montana.net 10/21/05 9:41 AM >>>
>>>...How do you clean silver nitrate stains off your
> sink/bathtub/hands?...<<
>
> Hi Chris,
>
> Although I can't remember the source, I read somewhere
> last week that
> silver nitrate stains could be removed removed from
> surfaces using a
> solution of sodium bisulfite. No solution strength was
> specified. I
> remember this because I have some sodium and potassium
> metabisulfite
> around and thought I'd give it a try since bisulfites have
> been
> discussed on this list in the past as a substitute for
> those two
> chemicals in reference to being used as a clearing agent
> of chromium
> stains in the gum bichromate process.
>
> Some of the old wetplate collodion books nonchalantly
> recommend removing
> silver nitrate stains from hands using a solution of the
> *extremely
> lethal* potassium cyanide fixing agent. Warning Will
> Robinson!
> Warning!!! From pre-OSHA times I quote Ellis ("The
> Photographic
> Instructor",1856, p. 13): "The nitrate of Silver Solution
> will stain the
> hands quite black when exposed to the light, but the
> stains may be
> easily removed by rubbing the spots with Cyanide of
> Potassium while the
> hands are wet, and afterwards wash in pure water." I
> wonder how many
> wetplate photographers dropped dead from doing so?
> Definitely not
> recommended! A situation where I'd prefer to live with
> the stain. (sic)
>
> A couple weeks ago after doing some wetplate I ended up
> with so much
> silver nitrate on my hands that they turned black and had
> a metallic
> shine to them. It wore off completely in about ten days,
> but until it
> did I got the oddest looks from store clerks whenever I
> went to pay them
> and receive change. I have found that cleaning glass
> plates with a
> whiting (calcium carbonate) and Everclear solution hastens
> the removal
> of the nitrate stains, I assume largely due to fine
> abrasion of the
> skin.
>
> Joe
>
   Kodak's old formula for a hand cleaner is:

Kodak S-5 Hand Stain Remover
Solution No.1
Potassium Permanganate 7.5 grams
Water 1.0 liter

Solution No.2
Sodium Bisulfite 480.0 grams
Water 1.0 liter

Rub the hands with a small amount of the No.1 solution,
rinse in water; thn rinse with the No.2 solution which will
remove the stains.

  This is meant for developer and silver stains.

---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@ix.netcom.com