Kodak chemicals -- now what??

[Richard Wasserman]

Hi Richard - if you use a double fix how long in each is required with this formula?

tks

Bob

Bob,

I do 1 minute or so in each of 2 baths.

[jnantz]

Per Kodak (and this is consistent with my experience) the shelf life of the concentrate in the box, undiluted, is "indefinite." So if it goes bad in well under a year in a cool darkroom something is wrong.

I hope that is still true these days. the last kodak chemicals I used ( not concentrated fixer but dry-print/film developer so obviously much different ) screwed the pooch ... not sure what is up, I think it's owned by Sino-promise now ? if so it's being made and shipped from great distances, and maybe stuck in a container for a long long time before it's circulated, or ... like the Chinese Amidol situation in days of yore, maybe QC isn't what one would expect (especially from something branded KODAK) ...
I've opted out, I've stayed local, and when I can make from scratch ..

good luck!
John

[Michael R]

Fixer will not keep forever. I don’t recall Kodak indicating indefinite shelf life. That would be pretty surprising. As the Kodak product is very similar to the Ilford product we can use Ilford’s instructions as a guideline in the absence of specifics from Kodak. 2 years for unopened bottles with proper storage.

I hope that is still true these days. the last kodak chemicals I used ( not concentrated fixer but dry-print/film developer so obviously much different ) screwed the pooch ... not sure what is up, I think it's owned by Sino-promise now ? if so it's being made and shipped from great distances, and maybe stuck in a container for a long long time before it's circulated, or ... like the Chinese Amidol situation in days of yore, maybe QC isn't what one would expect (especially from something branded KODAK) ...
I've opted out, I've stayed local, and when I can make from scratch ..

good luck!
John

[jnantz]

Fixer will not keep forever. I don’t recall Kodak indicating indefinite shelf life. That would be pretty surprising. As the Kodak product is very similar to the Ilford product we can use Ilford’s instructions as a guideline in the absence of specifics from Kodak. 2 years for unopened bottles with proper storage.

no infinite shelf life, bummer.
2 years?
probably translates this way > from overseas on a slow boat stuck in the Suez Canal and then stuck at sea circling the landing strip, and then stuck in a container at port means use it super fast, it 2 weeks once its in our hands !

[Vaughn]

"indefinite shelf life" ('indefinite' is defined as: lasting for an unknown or unstated length of time) -- that means they do not know the shelf life, correct? It is not that it lasts long on the shelf.

[Doremus Scudder]

no infinite shelf life, bummer.
2 years?
probably translates this way > from overseas on a slow boat stuck in the Suez Canal and then stuck at sea circling the landing strip, and then stuck in a container at port means use it super fast, in 2 weeks once its in our hands !

Is that why they call it "rapid fixer"?

[Michael R]

Cute

"indefinite shelf life" ('indefinite' is defined as: lasting for an unknown or unstated length of time) -- that means they do not know the shelf life, correct? It is not that it lasts long on the shelf.

[Kevin Crisp]

I know from decades of experience that in a sealed stock bottle (and now, box) it will last for many years. Based on this recent experience, where the mixed fixer seems to have lasted longer than the undiluted stock, I'd say there is a problem.

Kodak replied to my email the next day. Said Freestyle will refund and get credit back from Kodak. They also want lot information, which I will send them. And the two boxes that went bad both are labeled Made in the USA.

[Michael R]

Good news that they responded quickly. I assume at this point this was from Sino Promise as they took over the Kodak chemicals business.

I know from decades of experience that in a sealed stock bottle (and now, box) it will last for many years. Based on this recent experience, where the mixed fixer seems to have lasted longer than the undiluted stock, I'd say there is a problem.

Kodak replied to my email the next day. Said Freestyle will refund and get credit back from Kodak. They also want lot information, which I will send them. And the two boxes that went bad both are labeled Made in the USA.

[Kevin Crisp]

Correct.