Forte PWT fixing

I have a stock of this paper and have just begun to experiment with it. It's still good, but I notice that sometimes there are spots on the border area, slightly pink to purple.

I'm guessing from what I read in the archives that I need to fix longer. All my other paper works fine with 1 minute fix times of TF-4 fixer, never a mark.

Should I extend the time and possibly go to a 2 bath system for this paper?

Have others found that a more rigorous fix is needed for this paper?

Thanks!

Don't over fix Polywarmtone, the paper will bleach and you'll lose density in the Highlights as well as some of the warmth, and that begins to happen after about 3-4 minutes.

Use a good acid stop bath and two bath fixing, sounds like the TF-4 is allowing development to continue slightly in the fixer, an acid fixer is probably far better.

Ian

PVia said:

Have others found that a more rigorous fix is needed for this paper?

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Yes. And use fresh fixer, two bath is a good idea.

Sounds like you are touching the prints with contaminated fingers. This happens to me when I am not paying attention and doing too many prints at once.

Tell me how old the paper is that you have? (curiosity)

I have some that is pushing 15 years old with no fogging. It has been kept well.

Yep, it sure does sound like you're touching the print with developer contaminated fingers. Bet you dollars to donuts that you turned the white lights on before the print was fully fixed too. Been there, done that.

Ian Grant said:

Don't over fix Polywarmtone, the paper will bleach and you'll lose density in the Highlights as well as some of the warmth, and that begins to happen after about 3-4 minutes.

Ian

Click to expand...

Is it a really obvious loss? I haven't been very good at timing my fixing (as I continue printing new stuff once a print's in the fixer) but even with 2-bath I'm certain I've surpassed 4 minutes before. Yet I really like my prints, and the highlights still darken a bit after drying. Did you actively watch your prints for 3-4 minutes in fixer to determine there was highlight density loss?

naugastyle said:

Is it a really obvious loss?

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Yes, it's quite obvious and significant. It happens faster with warm tone papers like Polywarmtone in Rapid fixers particularly when they are fressh.

Warm tone papers processed in warmtone developers are much finer grained, it's this fineness that gives the colour shift, but also means it's easier to over-fix.

Ian

IMO the last batches of Forte PWT are faulty. I have the same problem and have tried all sorts of fixing methods to no avail. It's got nothing to do with contaminated fingers, safelights, overfixing, too short fixing, turning on the white light too early etc. I still have hundreds of sheets of this paper in stock and I have no idea what to do with it.

You will probably find that the border spots and coloration will become even more distinct and widespread over time.

Strange, I bought a lot of Polywarmtone from the last coating run and have had no issues with it at all.

I have had the brown stains, but on test strips when I tend to turn the lights on early to inspect them. It doesn't fix as quickly as some other papers.

Ian

Well, here's an interesting thing...I cut a piece of 11x14 PWT into 4 pieces, and exposed two separate negs and processed them...one has marks, the other does not.

Printed 8 prints today, fixed for 2 - 2 1/2 minutes instead of 1, in TF-4...no problems.

I've been printing with Forte papers for years. Print contamination by dirty fingers has plagued me with this paper. I've noticed it with the Poygrade V also. I wear surgical gloves now and the problem has disappeared. I wash my hands with the gloves on with hot water between each cycled print. I also give the prints a good rinse under the faucet after fixing (1 minute in Hypam), and then it goes into the water bath until I'm ready to tone. I also wash and dry my sqeegee and squeegee platform before each use. Residual toner and or developer on faucet levers, on the edge of the table, sink, etc can come back to haunt you. And yes, the contaminated areas have always been a lavender or purplish color.

No problems now.