I have just mixed a batch of Dektol of unknown age, it looks like a dark ale with lots fine wood pulp and metal filing in it :-) just wonder if anyone else have seen the same in their older Detol.
The Dektol in question came in the regular Kodak sealed foil bag.
yes. it definitely goes bad. When it looks as you describe, it is bad but, it may still work (if you're desperate).
I've had that happen but it worked fine nonetheless.
Kind of like a British ale...Originally Posted by fuegocito
now now! :-) British Ale is one fine thing in a hot afternoonKind of like a British ale...
I am filtering the debris out of the old dektol and give it a kick in the can.
Or a cold afternoon or...
Cheers lads!
wonder if mine has gone bad, still in a can, and if I read the price correctly cost
me 70 cents !
Save the canned Dektol for your collection of 'stuff'. Kodak went to foil packaging somewhere around 1973/4.... unfortunately the foil package doesn't last forever. When you can see brown stains around the seal at the top of the envelope, it means that the contents have oxidized, and probably won't work. When I've made a mix like the one you'e described, I've just thrown it out. But those packets were of unknown age, perhaps 10 years old.
The report; this old Dektol does work despite being oxidized. I was making a pile of contact sheets so I was not concerned about fine quality, if it should make any difference that is.
I have not used Dektol in a long time and these stuffs came from a big pile of school darkroom supplies that they were about to throw away. I didn't have the heart to see them all go to waste so I truck them all back here trying to put them to good use. It is a very quick acting developer, not sure if it is natural or because of the oxidation.
D-76 and Microdol from the same pile are normal so not sure if it's just this one bag or all the Dektol's have gone "bad"
Last edited by fuegocito; 12-Jul-2011 at 09:09.
I'd be interested in knowing how to tell "sort-of-bad" Dektol from "pretty-bad" Dektol. Dead Dektol I think I can figure out.
Do you lose detail or what?
I picked up a real cheap 5 Gal bag of Dektol at a local camera store's clearance sale. I poured the contents into Mason jars and sealed them. All of the jars started out considerably darker than the contents of a fresh Dektol bag. As I use it, the partially filled jar gets very noticably darker than the unopened jars, but the stuff still works for casual contact prints.
I figure I'll just keep using the old stuff until I need glasses
Charley
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