Fixing fiber based Kentmere

[faustotesta]

Hello everyone,
i printed on KentmereFB based paper fixing with Ilford rapid fixer for about 70 seconds.
The kentmere instructions said the paper needed 5 minutes fixing.
Who is right ? The ilford rapid fixer ? Or the Kentmere instructions ?
Thank you

 

[Anon Ymous]

You need to tell us the dilution. Different dilutions need different times.

 

[faustotesta]

Diluition was 1+4 and the fixing time was (for diluition 1+4) 1 minute

 

[Anon Ymous]

That's probably ok then. 1 minute in fresh rapid fixer should be enough for this dilution. The 5 minutes you mentioned earlier are probably for plain (not rapid) fixers.

 

[dancqu]

Diluition was 1+4 and the fixing time was (for diluition 1+4)
1 minute

Years ago Ilford's 1 minute PAPER fix using FILM strength
fixer took only 30 seconds. They upped the time later for
improved uniformity. Likely the 30 then 60 second paper
fix at film strength were Ilford's invention and together
trumpeted as their Archival Processing Sequence.

They no longer trumpet the Sequence but do still
by mention promote the 1 minute film strength
fix. ???? Kodak to my recollection has never
promoted film strength fixer for paper.

Kodak's reasons may be matters of frugality and long
term print stability. Using a liter of working film strength
fix on prints to the full extent of chemistries ability to
remove silver very much loads the fixer with silver
and other fixer by products.

Ilford though, and to their credit, is enthusiastic about
two bath fixing even though it takes more time. Dan

 

[milosz]

you practically cannot overfix, i would dilute it, increase time and just wash it well...

 

[Martin Aislabie]

The purpose of concentrated fixer strength was to fix the emulsion but prevent it from needlessly soaking into the paper base.

At 1+4 for 60s is more than sufficient (provided the fixer is within its capacity)

Wash well, what ever fixer strength you are using.

Hypo Clearing Agent helps speed up with wash by turning the insoluble by-products of fixing into soluble compounds.

See "The Darkroom Cookbook" for a simple and inexpensive HCA formula

Martin

 

[Lowell Huff]

Both can be correct. RAPID FIX(ammonium thiosulfate) IS RAPID! Hypo (sodium thiosulfate) is not.

 

[faustotesta]

Thanks everybody for the detailed and clear answers.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

Read the Ilford documents carefully and you will find out that their one-minute fix scheme has a rather low fixer capacity if you wish to keep the residual silver in your prints within "archival" limits. This means more fix for fewer prints but much less fixing time (good marketing, convenient, but wasteful). Traditional two-bath fixing with a rapid fix is much more economical and not that much longer (1.5-2 minutes per bath = 3-4 minutes total in the fixer. Sure that's three times as long, but what is two minutes...). Do a bit of research and you'll find that two-bath fixing is your best bet to ensure low levels of residual silver and is most economical at the same time.

Best,

Doremus Scudder
www.DoremusScudder

 

[Martin Aislabie]

The Ilford 2 Fixer Bath method also works for the 1+4 option (2 x 30sec with a rinse in-between to reduce carry over)

As Doremus has written in the above post, for Archival Processing, the 2 Fixer Baths gives much greater capacity per Litre of working Fix.

Martin

 

[dancqu]

The purpose of concentrated fixer strength was to fix
the emulsion but prevent it from needlessly soaking
into the paper base.

At 1+4 for 60s is more than sufficient (provided
the fixer is within its capacity)

Ilford's no longer promoted Archival Processing
sequence with the one minute fix claimed a capacity
of 40 8x10s per liter of working strength. The 5-10-5
minute wash- hca- wash after fix sequence then
left in the paper archival levels of fixer.

IMO it was no more than the quickest way to
fix and wash A print to archival standards. The
method required a constant flow of water and
little interrupted attention. Not a very
practical way to process. Dan