Formulary "BW 65"

[juan]

While cleaning out my refrigerator, I found, stuck far in the back, bottles of Formulary "BW 65" paper developer. I can't remember when I bought it (Hey, leave me alone. I'm a single guy. At least is wasn't a Fresca.)
It's a two part liquid developer that claims to give results similar to Amidol. Has anyone used this stuff with Azo (the old Rochester stuff)?
j

 

[fhovie]

I have been using this for about 6 months. It is Glycin based and it seems to adhere to the photoformulary description pretty close. It is contrastier when strong and softer when weak. It has about an 8 hour tray life and about 20 8x10s per liter. I use it only for fiber and an now using it as a 2 bath. (Thanks Les) one bath at about 1:1:3 and another bath at 1:1:8. Read Les's article. This produces the best results for me so far.
Frank

 

[Tom Duffy]

yes, i've used the bw-65 with azo. it gives a much cooler tone than Michael Smith's amidol formula and the tonal range is not as good. I would use it with a neutral tone enlarging paper to get really black blacks. but it does nothing exceptional, or even particularly good, with azo.
Tom

 

[c6h6o3]

I've used it. It's more like Dektol than amidol. I've not printed anything except Azo in amidol, but with that paper there is simply no substitute for it. An awful lot of money and sheets of Azo have been wasted trying to disprove that fact.