Ilford multigrade contrast differences?

[Pere Casals]

I do find that they each change noticeably after about one year

John, cold store it !!!

Modern papers are less stable over time... fortunately we have a solution:


"Paper and film may either be refrigerated or frozen but should first be sealed in plastic bags for protection. Products should be allowed to return to room temperature before opening otherwise condensation will cause damage. Avoid repeated thawing and freezing of films."
https://www.ilfordphoto.com/faqs/



"should first be sealed in plastic bags for protection" IMHO this is Zip Bags with some Silicagel inside, I also throw protective gas inside.

[John Layton]

Appreciated...but kinda tough seeing as most of what I have is either 30x40 and 42" wide rolls. (hmmm...winter is coming - could bury paper in snowbank!)

[jose angel]

... I'd still like to hear more experiences if anyone else has worked with Ilford MG both RC and FB.

My experience, I would say since I realized it, is that the graphics of the manufacturers never worked for me. I think I use Ilford -almost- exclusively since 10-15? years ago.
I get different exposure times and contrasts with different Ilford MG papers; for whatever the reason, in all darkrooms, enlargers and filtering systems (including Ilford ones). I would say that the "classical" rules of contrast and exposure never applied to me.
I check the printing exposure and the degree of contrast with each image and paper box. Each type of paper is different (FB, RC, warmtone, pearl, etc.). BTW, I don't use warm tone paper so often, so I stopped storing it because I found it to be short-lived.
Of course, my processing system is not very scientific (quite the opposite), it is more based on the general aspect of the final print, and I very rarely perform paper tests (maybe the last one was to verify the exposure differences between some RC and FB boxes I had, and I found that they were higher than I though, -I must have the results anywhere-).