OLD film OLD paper Solutions

[Tin Can]

Some of us are using very old paper, film, emusions

I read a bit on APUG from 2016

Interested in expert advice

The first 3 below seem much safer than the last one

I have only used the last one, once years ago and decided to not use it

Farmer's reducer from Merriam Webster

Benzotriazole

Potassium Ferricyanide


Potassium dichromate


and yes, buy new film/paper is the easy way

[Tin Can]

adding

Potassium Bromide

[Bill Burk]

If you fix the paper first it won't fog

[Tin Can]

Please clarify

Do you mean fix the paper, wash, then expose the paper, develop and fix, wash again?

Nobody has mentioned that yet

However you are a known expert

If you fix the paper first it won't fog

[Bill Burk]

I was being silly. But I do know some people who will happily accept old paper and then fix, wash, dry and then re-coat and use it.

I have been fighting with old film (I know it's self-inflicted torture). My advice for film is to skip the anti-fog and just expose to rise above it. I develop by infrared inspection and barely get a printable image. These are fresh exposures on vintage film.

I have some old paper that works with none or only a hint of age fog. I might consider using Potassium Bromide, but the paper would need to start with "just a hint of fog". I have a box that has quite a bit of fog. (Given to me free when I bought another box that's fine). I probably will give that away to the friend who wants to recoat it.

Mostly I want the paper to be fog-free.

[Tin Can]

Thanks Bill

I have shot enough old film and really old dry plates to know how to make them work, never used any anti fog

Somebody is sending me new prints on 70 year old Postcard paper, some are better than others in terms of grey fog, some have very white rebate

All are interesting prints I want to emulate and send to actual friends, not on this forum

I am gearing up for production

I have 200 sheets of Ilford 4X6 RC Postcard out of production, but not that old, as it has the latest MG boxes

and 500 sheets of 70 year old FB graded Kodak

I have been so happy to receive ANY postcards after Christmas. I want to spread a little joy in this dismal world

Thanks again!

[Bill Burk]

Kodabromide postcard paper seems to have no fog.

[Tin Can]

That's what I have

But also 1932 AZO


Old Paper by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr

Kodabromide postcard paper seems to have no fog.

[Alan9940]

For film, I've used benzotriazole with success. The downside is that how much benzo to use if kind of a guess (until you get some experience with it) and it reduces film speed, depending on how much benzo is added to the developer. Therefore, you may have reduced film speed due to the age of the film and reduced film speed from the benzo. Another idea to try is a low fog developer like Rodinal. As a starting point, if you're interested, is 1/2 to 1 ml of 1% benzo to 1L of developer. I've seen recommendations of up to 30 ml per liter, but I've never even come close to that amount. Anyway, I've used the 1/2 - 1 ml per liter for 4x5 Fomapan 100 that's about 5 years expired and the base is clear as new. As was surprised that a 100 speed film kept in a freezer since purchase would be fogged, but there ya have it.

[Peter Galea]

This is my first post in a long time, though I've been lurking, and have learned a great deal from this forum (thank you QT).
Thanks too, Randy for silently calling me out.

I have been printing on expired paper since the start of the lockdown. Sometimes a challenge but rewarding.
There are various papers in my refrigerator (from 4x5 to 20x24) that I was given as many switch to digital.
A couple of envelopes and boxes I paid for, such as Azo postcard paper which expired in August of 1917.



I contact print with MAS Amidol. Initially this paper developed solid gray. I knew about Benzotriazole but have never tried it.
Following advice from David Lyga on an old Photrio post, I added 50ml 10% BTZ to 1L of Amidol. This was the result.


Contact printed from a portion of an 8x10 negative.



And this


Same image printed on "newer" Azo G2 without BTZ

I've tried other, lower amounts of BTZ on other paper and in Dektol 1:2 with various degrees of success.
In my darkroom is also potassium bromide mixed that goes into the MAS formula but have never used
extra amounts as a restrainer/anti-foggant on paper.

BTZ or KBr has never been needed on film I'm shooting, Double-X and Plus-X way past expiration gives me great results.

Apologies for being a contrarian, but Kodabromide does indeed fog.

The above photos of the prints were shot on an iPhone, cropped and adjusted to monochrome in Lightroom.
No other controls were used.