Fogged 11x14 Perl... Oh well

[kb244]

Was testing some 11x14 Ilford Multigrade IV RC Perl Finish paper. I cut it down in half ( since I dont have an 11x14 tray just yet ), then cut one half into test strips, and the other trimed down to an 8.5x11. I utilized two test strips and they came out fine for the desired exposure, so then I continue to expose the large sheet at 25 seconds @ f/11 off my Graflex Optar 90mm f/6.3 with a Polycontrast #3 filter (lol, hey if it works it works, just may not work as intended )

When I went to develop the paper, I noticed the right side of the print getting dark really fast, so I figured uh oh, maybe I got it hit by light some how. So I took another sheet out of the box, and I pretty much rolled it back and forth in the smaller tray to get some development going, I learned that the edge towards the opening of the dark bag has been fogged upto 5 inches into the paper. Basically if I cut off 5" I'd be left with roughly a 11x9 paper that would be ok for the most part. Below is a scan of the print where I discovered the edge was fogged (click to enlarge)





I went and cut off 5" , then trimed the remaining size down to a 8.5x11, and re-printed ( this time with a #2 filter, and for 20 seconds ), its currently drying in the bathroom and appears to be fine.




*click to enlarge

Keep in mind I did not have to pay anything for this paper, it came in with an enlarger a student sold us, and its our policy not to sell used paper or chemicals to anyone (possibly for the reasons such as above ), I've gotten lucky sometimes, but I wanted to grab the box of 11x14 in case it was still good, particularly because my co-worker just ends up using the photographic paper as scrap writing paper at the register regardless if its good or not. So I guess the paper is 'sorta' still good, just needs to be cut down. I'll probally develop a sheet off the bottom to see if maybe the fogging goes away the further down the stack I go (its a 50 sheet box ).

 

[Shakti V.]

I think the second image is a bit fogged because of the difference in the tone in the middle part and not the bottom left part. Do you notice? You probably got a fogged batch, or may be your black bag is not adequate for cutting. Did you cut the paper inside a black bag, and were you in a lit area? I cut my paper in the darkroom, and I make sure my darkroom is light-tight.

If the fogging is deliberate, there is nothing you could do. Go down through the stack, best place is the middle. Test it. If there is only slight fogging, like a greyish tone, use a restrainer like benzotriazole or potassium bromide (for warmtone). Benzotriazole at 1% or 2% if needed.Use 10-15 ml for every 500ml of stock solution developer, adjust according to fog intensity; potassium bromide at 10%. Add 25ml of 10% potassium bromide solution per 500ml of stock solution developer. The addition of these anti-fogging chemicals will make you use higher filters.

 

[kb244]

any time I remove the cover from the box, I'm in safelight conditions. I didnt bother to cut in the bag, I just removed a sheet, then cut.

I got a bunch of Kodak No.2 Anti-Fog Tablets (I think they're No.2)

Also the sky would normally be brighter near the top than it would be in the center, and it was an overcast day ( the print isnt as brown as the scanner makes it to be ).