Dilution For Chocolate Brown Using Kodak Brown Toner

Arthurwg · Nov 21, 2025

I'm planning to use some NOS Kodak Brown Toner for the first time, and I see that Kodak says that depending on the mix it will produce either reddish brown or chocolate brown tones, but the dilution isn't specified. I'm looking for chocolate tones with minimum reds, and probably on the darker side. I'm using Ilford WT paper and also trying Fomatone. Any suggestions?

mshchem · Nov 21, 2025

I would start with Kodak's recommended 1+31 (1 fl.oz./ qt). Getting this stuff warm makes things go fast. Fomatone loves toners (thus the name)

This will soften the gelatin and make the prints more likely to stick/scratch etc. Hardener after helps. This stuff is the worst smelling, liver of sulfur. Nasty, I would wait for a warm day.

I've been wanting to try first Brown followed by gold chloride. In the olden times I remember being able to produce a brick red to orange tone. Why?, because it's fun.

koraks · Nov 22, 2025

mshchem said:
I've been wanting to try first Brown followed by gold chloride. In the olden times I remember being able to produce a brick red to orange tone.

Yeah, you can do that quite easily on Fomatone.

Sorry, can't comment on the toning question with MGWT and this toner specifically. In my experience the result depends more on the paper and a little bit how it's developed. With odorless thiourea toner, the mix does matter a lot, but with a sodium sulfide / polysulfide toner I can only see a difference in the rate/speed of toning, not so much the end point. Then again I've never used the Kodak toner specifically and instead brew my own polysulfide toner. Btw, I mostly use it as an indirect toner because it's faster and works at a far lower dilution (=less smell) than when used as a direct toner.

mshchem · Nov 22, 2025

koraks said:
Yeah, you can do that quite easily on Fomatone.

Sorry, can't comment on the toning question with MGWT and this toner specifically. In my experience the result depends more on the paper and a little bit how it's developed. With odorless thiourea toner, the mix does matter a lot, but with a sodium sulfide / polysulfide toner I can only see a difference in the rate/speed of toning, not so much the end point. Then again I've never used the Kodak toner specifically and instead brew my own polysulfide toner. Btw, I mostly use it as an indirect toner because it's faster and works at a far lower dilution (=less smell) than when used as a direct toner.

With indirect toner have you used more dilute bleach? Of course if you over bleach you can pop it right back into the developer (before toning) . I really need to get into the darkroom

Dilution For Chocolate Brown Using Kodak Brown Toner

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