Bleach back

[Angelo di Mango]

Sometimes when you intend to tone a print , you start bleaching it and suddenly you like it just the way it is, without toning it.
In that case is it necessary to fix again?
Thanks for your help.

 

[Ian Grant]

The problem is that at that point you have silver halide that is still showing some tone and when you fix the image will lighten, if you don't fix it'll darken slightly with light.

Ian

 

[Doremus Scudder]

I bleach selectively a lot, and occasionally bleach-back an entire print. I use a potassium ferricyanide/potassium bromide rehalogenating bleach. The technique is definitely usable and, especially with selective bleaching, a standard tool in many fine printer's toolbox.

As Ian points out, you may want to pull the print just before it reaches the stage that pleases you the most. Give it a thorough rinse in running water (5 min) and then re-fix.

And, yes, you do need to refix after bleaching. The bleaching will leave unfixed halides in the paper that will yellow with time, just like an underfixed print.

Best,

Doremus