Blueish spots on print after bleach and redevelopment

[Photopathe]

Hi! I got these blueish spots on a print after bleach and redevelopment, I have included a picture of the print and circled general areas where the blueish spots are but they are not easy to see on the pictures of the print. Even on the print itself they are quite subtle but apparent enough to discard the print. My developper is Ansco 130 1+1 and I diluted it 1+20 for the redevelopment. The bleach is a simple 10g Potassium ferricyanide and 5g Potassium bromide in 1L. The paper is Ilford Classic Matt. Redevelopment lasted for 5 minutes and was followed by a Thiocarbamide bath. Of course there was a rinse of a few minutes in running water in between each stage. I finished with a second fix bath and a long rinse. The fixer is not exhausted but is not fresh at all (Legacy pro Neutral fix). The spots seems to have appeared during the redevelopment stage and were the about the first thing to show up. As redevelopment progressed they were less and less obvious and even less so after the toning. The aim of all this was to do a reversed split sepia toning with sepia in the shadows instead of the highlights. It's a succes except for the fact that I have a few of those spots. If someone is able to point out what could be the cause and how to prevent it that would be really great.
Many thanks!

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

TTTH, I can't see them. In the sky reagion I measure RGB values range from ~190/190/190 outside the circled area to ~195/190/190 inside.

The problem could be in the paper, a contaminant somewhere in the process, or the simple Will of God (AKA "Shit Happens").

I would try: fixing out an unexposed sheet of paper; running an unexposed sheet through the process; ditto with a sheet exposed to a uniform grey. Then note where the problem pops up. You have to be able to make the problem readily apparent and produceable on command.

Once the causal step is identified then comes the work of fixing the problem.

 

[devecchi]

Hi! I got these blueish spots on a print after bleach and redevelopment, I have included a picture of the print and circled general areas where the blueish spots are but they are not easy to see on the pictures of the print. Even on the print itself they are quite subtle but apparent enough to discard the print. My developper is Ansco 130 1+1 and I diluted it 1+20 for the redevelopment. The bleach is a simple 10g Potassium ferricyanide and 5g Potassium bromide in 1L. The paper is Ilford Classic Matt. Redevelopment lasted for 5 minutes and was followed by a Thiocarbamide bath. Of course there was a rinse of a few minutes in running water in between each stage. I finished with a second fix bath and a long rinse. The fixer is not exhausted but is not fresh at all (Legacy pro Neutral fix). The spots seems to have appeared during the redevelopment stage and were the about the first thing to show up. As redevelopment progressed they were less and less obvious and even less so after the toning. The aim of all this was to do a reversed split sepia toning with sepia in the shadows instead of the highlights. It's a succes except for the fact that I have a few of those spots. If someone is able to point out what could be the cause and how to prevent it that would be really great.
Many thanks!

I proceed as follows: Ferricyanide 25 gr. Potassium bromide 10 gr. Water 1 L'iter.
After bleaching was in running water for 30' and proceed with fixing ( fresh ). Washaid and wash for 30' and then proceed with redevelopment. Final washing 20'.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

Oh, just read the OP's post again: The problem is the Ferricyanide - what are the steps just after the Ferri?

I would follow devecchi's process. The Ferri has to be completely out of the paper. I would also add that all the processing chemicals need to be removed before bleaching - very fresh fixer, hypo clear and an extended wash.

Ferri likes nothing better than turn to Prussian Blue.

 

[Photopathe]

I proceed as follows: Ferricyanide 25 gr. Potassium bromide 10 gr. Water 1 L'iter.
After bleaching was in running water for 30' and proceed with fixing ( fresh ). Washaid and wash for 30' and then proceed with redevelopment. Final washing 20'.

Fixing after bleach before redevelopment? That can't be, can it?

Makes sense to wash much longer than i did after the bleach. I suppose it's more of an issue when redevepping with a normal developer than when going straight to a sepia toner (?).

 

[devecchi]

Riparare dopo la candeggina prima della riqualificazione? Non può essere vero?

Ha senso lavare molto più a lungo di quanto ho fatto dopo la candeggina. Suppongo che sia più un problema quando si rielabora con un normale sviluppatore che quando si passa direttamente a un toner seppia (?

Riparare dopo la candeggina prima della riqualificazione? Non può essere, vero?

Ha senso lavare molto più a lungo di quanto ho fatto dopo la candeggina. Suppongo che sia più un problema quando si rielabora con un normale sviluppatore che quando si passa direttamente a un toner seppia (?).

You are right. Since title of your post wash Bleach and redeveloping I thought of a normal development and not sepia toner process...and I was also wrong in the first case in the description which would be correct: Bleach-washing-redeveloping-fix-washing. Sorry. However in your case after bleaching, the print MUST be washed for long time until the ferricyanide is completely removed, even more so if you use baryta paper.

 

[Photopathe]

Thanks!
I should have thought about the ferricyanide. I will wash for a longer time after bleach. Is 30 minutes necessary? I wish it would be less in running water. I will experiment different wash times starting at 15 minutes.
Am i right in saying that if the print goes straight from bleach to sepia the washing time can be much shorter then?

 

[devecchi]

Grazie!
Avrei dovuto pensare al ferricianuro. Mi laverò più a lungo dopo la candeggina. Sono necessari 30 minuti? Vorrei che fosse meno in acqua corrente. Sperimenterò diversi tempi di lavaggio a partire da 15 minuti.
Ho ragione nel dire che se la stampa passa direttamente dal candeggina al seppia, allora il tempo di lavaggio può essere molto più breve?

 

[devecchi]

No, il lavaggio in tutti i casi in cui si utilizza bleaching Ferricianuro per risanamento o toner deve essere sufficiente a rimuoverlo completamente fino a quando i bianchi della stampa sono puri. Es: lavaggio 20' per un film, carta baritata 20' o 30'. This for my, then you see.