Looking For a Bright White Fiber Paper

[IanG]

A question about bright white papers which are that bright white because of optical brighteners. Before 1950, no commercially available gelatin silver paper had optical brighteners. After 1966, most did. Now I understand that virtually all currently available gelatin silver papers have optical brighteners.

In inkjet papers OBAs have been proven to affect longevity. Why do we not concern ourselves with that issue on GS papers?

For B&W printing they leech out in a longer wash or soak, a tip that Ilford have mentioned with MG Warmtone FB papers on the newer white base.

Silver Gelatin and RA-4 dyes aren't the same as Injet dyes and so will behave differently.

Ian

[Sal Santamaura]

This thread popped up in a Google search I just performed while looking for related information, thus the latest "resurrection."

...In inkjet papers OBAs have been proven to affect longevity. Why do we not concern ourselves with that issue on GS papers?

Some of us do. That's why, after a long series of twists and turns, I've now settled on Multigrade Warmtone FB, developed in Neutol NE, then toned in T-26 gold toner. It's the only way I found to get a neutral-cold print on a paper without brightener, since extended washing removes the small amount that product starts out with.

For B&W printing they leech out in a longer wash or soak, a tip that Ilford have mentioned with MG Warmtone FB papers on the newer white base...

The Ilford documentation is quite clear that, among its fiber based papers, only Multigrade Warmtone has brighteners which can be washed out. The others are described as "anchored" and resistant to even very long wet times.

With respect to the latest Ilford fiber based papers, I find Multigrade Classic to have about the same (fairly high) level of brightener as did Multigrade IV FB, while the new Multigrade Cooltone FB is so loaded with brightener it looks garish to me.