Forte Polywarmtone

[xwhatsit]

Hi there,

I've come across an auction for 100 sheets of Forte Polywarmtone 8x10 glossy RC. The price is pretty cheap, but I hear this paper is now out of production and the seller (a camera shop) describes it as `old stock'. How old is it likely to be? Too old to be worth bothering with?

It seems there is no expiry date on the box, something I've noticed with other boxes of photographic paper.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Maybe three, four, or more years. Hard to say. One thing I can tell you about this paper, it does't have very good keeping qualities unless it was cold stored or frozen.

 

[xwhatsit]

Okie dokie then. Might steer clear? I doubt it was refrigerated. Ilford Multigrade is supposed to keep pretty well but it only lasts about 4 years, doesn't it?

I (and many others) happily use really ancient film (stuff from the 80s, even); I just rate it at a much lower ISO and adjust my developing time to that which gives me proper highlights. I've never tried this with paper, are the effects less graceful?

 

[clayne]

Don't bother unless it's FB. It's like buying a kit car Ferrari.

 

[Richard Jepsen]

I would never buy old paper. You don't know the storage conditions and my experience is paper's shelf life is 2 or 3 years. Besides, it was the Forte Polywarmtone Plus fiber that was so fantastic. Buy from a supplier who is turning paper over quickly like Freestyle, in California.

 

[Schlapp]

I bought a load of older Forte Coldtone RC and its fine. No probs at all

 

[ath]

Personally I would jump on that opportunity if the price is reasonable. Worst case the paper is fogged from age; in this case you can still explore one of the strengths of this paper, lithing it.
I have the impression that polywarmtone keeps quite well.
In June 2009 I made a print on polywarmtone RC I bought in October 2004. No fogging visible; storage was at RT (i.e. between 15°C and 27°C),

 

[mwdake]

I have 2 10 sheet packets of 16x20 and a box of 50 11x14 of the RC.
I guess they must be at least 3 or 4 years old maybe older and it is still fine.

If it is cheap enough I would buy it for other uses.

 

[xwhatsit]

Maybe I will get it, then, if it's still there. Thanks for all the responses

May be a good excuse to try lith!

 

[clayne]

Yes but there are plenty of other papers that will lith and rc isn't the best choice for that either. What I'm saying is that you want the fiber version of this paper to truly appreciate it.

 

[xwhatsit]

Meh, I'm not buying it for it's amazing qualities, it's just cheap paper, that's all. I didn't learn until after some searching that it is some sort of cult fancy-pants paper.

Most times I prefer the look of RC, to be honest. Probably because I'm an uncultured yoof.

 

[ath]

Yes but there are plenty of other papers that will lith and rc isn't the best choice for that either. What I'm saying is that you want the fiber version of this paper to truly appreciate it.

Nothing comes close to polywarmtone regarding lith. This is true even for the RC. Have you tried it?

 

[clayne]

Meh, I'm not buying it for it's amazing qualities, it's just cheap paper, that's all. I didn't learn until after some searching that it is some sort of cult fancy-pants paper.

Most times I prefer the look of RC, to be honest. Probably because I'm an uncultured yoof.

Then pick up some adox mcc 310 or foma variant 312 or any ilford if you want good quality cheap rc paper.

Ath, no I haven't used it for lith specifically. For normal printing, yes. PWT isn't the only game in town for lith either.

 

[Adrian Twiss]

Its much nicer in fibre. The RC paper tones to a really ugly red in Selenium and the colour comes real quick. It is responsive to different developers though. The print tone in RC is an olive brown.

 

[clayne]

Its much nicer in fibre. The RC paper tones to a really ugly red in Selenium and the colour comes real quick. It is responsive to different developers though. The print tone in RC is an olive brown.

Adrian, devil red is still quite available with the fb version too ;-)