RIP Bromofort - another cold tone paper gone

[Erik Ryberg]

A few weeks ago I asked here if anyone knew what was happening with Bromofort. It is the coldest tone paper I've ever used and I like it quite a bit for some a pplications. I also sent a message to Forte and got this response:

From: Janice Wendt <jwendt@earthlink.net> To: "Erik Ryberg" <ryberg@seanet.com> Cc: Cindy Wesolowski <omegasat@erols.com>; Attila Olle <forte@dunaweb.hu>; forte @dunaweb.hu <forte@dunaweb.hu> Date: Wednesday, February 21, 2001 9:39 AM Subjec t: RE: Bromofort discontinued? > Dear Eric, > >Due to low sales in the United States this paper is no longer imported into the United States. We have however a large stock of paper still available. Please check out our Web site at omega.satter.com for a wide selection of Forte Bromofo rt papers. > >If the paper you are interested in is not available on our web sit e, the paper you require may be special ordered in full case lot quantities of a single paper type. There will be a minimum order of three cases of paper per sp ecial order that may consist of different sizes (one size per case). These speci al orders will be filled by Forte tying in with production of Bromofort papers m anufactured for other countries. Expected delivery will be a minimum of 8-12 wee ks depending on Forte Bromofort production and container shipping dates. Due to the overwhelming conversion of Forte Bromofort users to the cooler tones and ex cellent performance of Polygrade V papers the demand for Bromofort is not suffic ient to maintain stock in the USA warehouse. We are willing to accommodate any special order that fulfills the above mentioned order requirements. Please note that all special orders of Forte paper are Prepaid and non-cancelable. Please f eel free to contact me with any further questions at: Janice Wendt Omega/Satter 3888 E. 45th Ave. Suite 230 Denver, Co 80216 Tele: 303-399-7493 FAX: 303-322-81 52 Best Regards, Janice Wendt Product Manager -----Original Message----- From : Forte [mailto:forte@dunaweb.hu] Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2001 11:31 AM To : Janice Wendt Cc: Cindy Subject: Fw: Bromofort discontinued?

----- Original Message ----- >From: "Erik Ryberg" <ryberg@seanet.com> >To: <fort e@dunaweb.hu> >Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2001 1:46 AM >Subject: Bromofort disc ontinued? > > >> Hello, >> >> I am a big fan of your Bromofort paper, but my sup plier tells me it has been discontinued. Is it true? Has Bromofort been discon tinued in the US? >> >> Thank you. >> >> Erik Ryberg >

> >Dear Janice, > > >How should I react? It seemed to us that there was a deman d for Bromofort papers even during PMA! > Please think it over, and keep me advi sed as well as that possible customer. >Thanks. > > >Best regards, > >Attila >

I am interested that Janice stated that Polygrade V is a "cooler" paper than Bro mofort. I suppose I'll go try some, but I have a feeling she meant to say "warm er."

[Charlie Stracl]

"in full case lot quantities of a single paper type. There will be a minimum order of three cases of paper per special order that may consist of different sizes (one size per case)." seems like a lot of paper to me.

Check to see if there is a different importer into Canada. If so, perhaps they continue to offer it.

If not that, try Oriental Seagull. Not as cold, in my book as Bromofort, but a very "neutral to cold" tone. My favorite paper image tone was Kodak Velox, which is long gone. It was the only Kodak paper I know of advertised with a blue-black image tone. Oriental Seagull is a close match (from memory).

[david clark]

Has anyone tried the new Ilford cold tone paper?

[Sal Santamaura]

I've tried Polygrade V (in Polymax T, a.k.a. Dektol) and it was ICE cold. Almost, but not quite, as cold as Azo in Dektol. Don't know how it compares to Bromofort, since I have no experience with that paper.

[Erik Ryberg]

Sal,

Well, that's good news. Bromofort is colder than Azo in Dektol in my view (and a whole lot easier to use!) but it sounds as if I may be able to live with the Polygrade V product once my stash of Bromofort is used up. Bromofort is extremely blue. I wish more people had tried it.

[Vishal Mathur]

Try PolygradeV in Agfa Multicontrast developer-- Very blue/black image tone, much cooler than with Dektol or undiluted Ethol LPD, both of which tend towards a slightly more green-brownish tone. Toning in very dilute selenium tends to reduce this difference, of course, and the blue/black tone of the agfa developer is elimanted as well. I've haven't compared the polygradeV/agfa combination side by side with Azo, but from my recollection of some azo prints I saw a few years ago, to me, it has a similar "look". Now I need to get some azo so I can try it!

[Robb Reed]

Dave Clark...I've tried the Ilford Cooltone RC paper and have liked what I see. It is cold. I can imagine using it for some apoplications but not others.

Cheers,

RR

[Steve Wiley]

Try the Bergger NB. It can be difficult to find due to past distribution problems but is worth the effort. Addorama in NYC has started to stock limited amounts.

[Adrian Twiss]

If you want to search further afield try Silverprint in London. Their website is www.silverprint.co.uk. You can download their catalogue. They usually stock the entire range of Forte papers.

[Hans Berkhout]

If you like cold/blue tones try Forte Polygrade and develop in P72. This is a David Vestal suggestion, it's D72 with phenidone and benzotriazole instead of metol and KBr. If you find it too blue then selenium toning may "cool" the blue somewhat. I like it. Good luck