discoloration along edges of prints

[Poohblah]

i went into the darkroom the other day and was surprised when i came out with prints that had discoloration similar to bad fixer but only along ~5mm on the edge of the print. for the life of me i can't figure out why. i've tried new chemicals, new easel, new tray, new paper type to no effect. eventually, it stopped happening, but i don't know why. can anybody help me prevent this from happening again?

i did scan in a few examples but my scanner didn't pick up on it too well so i just have this one, it's very subtle but most noticeable on the left hand edge. actually, i can't see it at all. it shows up better on different websites, i guess APUG does something a little different to .jpg's.

 

[removed account4]

what kind of paper was it ?
i have had troubles with ilford fb mg
5x7 paper where it seemed like the emulsion
was fleckng off of the edge ...

 

[Poohblah]

arista II VC RC 8x10

 

[Erik L]

Did you maybe fog a stack of paper in your paper safe by not closing it properly. That would cause a strip along the edge to be discolored or all black depending on exposure. I made that mistake once and about 50 sheets of paper have to be cropped about a half inch all along one side Just a thought
Erik

 

[Poohblah]

i thought about that too, but it's brown, not gray, and along all 4 edges.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Contamination in your developer tray? I've had that happen when I printed lith using the tray I'd use for normal developer, and without washing it out properly before. The paper would touch the edge of the tray and get stains...

- Thomas

 

[Rob Archer]

I wouls suggest contamination, although I also get a similar effect with Kentmere Kentona in some warmtone developers - usually when the devs gettig a bit past it. As I print with wide borders I can usually trim it off.

Nice picture BTW!

Rob

 

[msdemanche]

I find that this happens when the students let the stop bath go dead. If it is like that the edges are a yellowish brown, almost goldenrod. to check to see if this is the case, develope one print normally and then just slap it in the fixer without stop. it will most likely turn the color of your edges.

 

[Poohblah]

I find that this happens when the students let the stop bath go dead. If it is like that the edges are a yellowish brown, almost goldenrod. to check to see if this is the case, develope one print normally and then just slap it in the fixer without stop. it will most likely turn the color of your edges.

thank you, that makes the most sense considering i use a communal darkroom with communal chemicals.