Are my old developer and fixer still usable?

Somebody gave me some old b&w chemistry (he, in turn, got them from somebody else, and does not know how old they are). To give you the idea, one of the bottles has a price tag of CAD$3.99; the same bottle from the same store costs CAD$17.99 today. I have the following items on my hands, and I wonder if any of them are still usable.

1. An unopened bottle of Ilford Rapid Fixer (still sealed under the screw-on cap).
2. Agfa multigrade paper developer. The bottle is opened, and about 1/5 of the stock solution is used.
3. A pack of Kodak D-76 powder.

I could not find expiration date on either of them. Does this mean that I can still use them? Many thanks in advance for any input.

it depends

the open developer is likely darker than a light tea colour by now - if it is - chuck it.


The d76, like nmost dry developers, in sealed foil will last almost forever. I just mixed a can on D-19 last month that was sealed in a can in 1965. It is performing like it was new.

Pour the fixer into another container. Look for white/yellow particulate, mostly stuck to the original container. If you see it, you will smell the sulfur. If so, it has 'sulfated out', and should be discarded. Or store it to (once diluted) ferilize the garden in the spingtime. Without silver in it, fixer is just sulfu ( by now caked to the jug likely), soduim and ammonia.

Thanks, Mike. Your are right on both counts. Indeed, the fixer has what looks like small white crystals floating in it, and smells nastily. I threw it out, as I don't have a garden.

The developer is like tea that's been steeped for the third time.

Thank you.