Who adds Benzotriazole to developer?

[Peter Latner]

Benzotriazole was always sold as a liquid concentrate by Edwal as Orthazite. It's main purpose is to help salvage outdated papers, but it certainly can cool the tones in a paper with a slight blue-ing effect. When I want to cool down the tones in a paper I add 1/2-ounce to an ounce of Orthazite to a quart or so of working-strength developer. I'm not sure if Edwal still makes Orthazite, but I'd bet that Photographers Formulary sells Benzaotriazole. Another good option for cooling a print is with Moersch Finisher Blue, available from Freestyle. I prefer it to Orthazite. (Use it sparingly--a little bit is all you need or the print will look too blue.)

Potassium bromide's a different type of restrainer. If anything, it'll turn the print warmer, or greener.

[Allen in Montreal]

My father would have me mix selectol soft and dektol when making his prints with Ektalure.

I wish I had kept all his notes, I thought I would never forget.

I sold my stock of selectol soft here on the forum a few years back when I stopped printing for him and I moved to MG paper for myself as stock ran down.

This will depend on the paper and developer. I sometimes use 10% solutions of either Bromide or BTZ, depending on the aforementioned variables. It is simply a matter of personal choice as to how you wish the resulting print to appear. There is no single answer. As a rule, Bromide warms a print, while BTZ cools.

However, master printers do not necessarily adhere to conventional concepts. Somewhere on this forum is a link to the methods employed by Paul Caponigro, without doubt a master printer. For example, he mixes Selectol with Dektol to achieve a certain look, and in years past used many different paper and developer combinations. I have a print he gave me in 1960 that is still a joy to behold; it was printed on Kodak Medalist paper.

Play around, experiment and have fun!

[Allen in Montreal]

........Who else does this and and what percentage do you add to your developer?

Thanks.....I have learning and want to make the best of my darkroom.

Jon

This is from Steve A.

To use benzotriazole, reduce the bromide to 1/10 or 1/6 strength and add just enough 0.2% benzotriazole solution (2 grams in water to make 1 liter) to prevent developer stain or fog. For best results use a bromide paper such as Oriental Seagull®. The blue-blacks obtained by this method are not as strong as those obtained through gold toning of warm tone chlorobromide papers. However, as cold-tone bromide papers do not respond well to gold chloride toning, this is the best way to achieve blue-blacks on papers of this kind.

[Jim Noel]

I have some from before there was a Zone VI in both liquid and powder form. No problem using either. Obviously I do not use it every day, but it is great when I need a restrainer.

[RickV]

Be cautious in handling benzotriazole, especially in powdered form. It is extremely toxic so avoid inhaling the powder particles. I recommend you download the MSDS before using.

[Richard Wasserman]

I mix paper developer with both Potassium Bromide and Benzotriazole which gives me a neutral color I like. I wear a high efficiency dust mask when mixing all formulas—especially developers. A few of the dry chemicals I use are fairly nasty and I really don't want to be breathing them.

[Allen in Montreal]

Jon,

As Richard and Rick mention, care should be used, but don't be afraid to use it either.
I used it often in the 80s and 90s and a good dust mask is really all that is needed.
I don't mean to under play it, but don't want to over play it either.

I have the MSDS sheet, it is too large to attach here for everyone, but e mail me and I will forward it to you if you like.

[Jon Wilson]

I appreciate everyone's assistance. As you know, there is a learning curve to proper printing, developing, etc. I am at the low end and need to make more time to explore this area. Hope to have that time in the next couple of months.....or least take more steps toward that goal.

Jon

[Drew Wiley]

I frequently use benz in both film and paper developers, either as a restrainer or to
cool the image tone as a substitute for KBr (though it seems to take only about a
fourth as much benz to do this).