HC-110 Starter

Does anyone have information regarding a possible starter solution for Kodak HC-110 Replenisher?

For those who don't know, a starter solution is used, along with a developer replenisher solution, and water, to make developer. The reason for this question is that a friend has given me a number of bottles of HC-110 Replenisher. I don't want to replenish my HC-110 developer; I prefer to use it as a one-shot solution, dumping it after use. So, I would like to convert the replenisher to developer.

To the best of my knowledge, Kodak never marketed a starter for HC-110. But there must be a way to convert it. Kodak publication O-3 provides information on adding either DURAFLO RT or E-6 Starter to T-MAX Developer to season a fresh tank. To my mind, this would indicate that either of these two products, or a home-made equivalent (sodium bromide plus acetic acid, maybe...) would work.

Has anyone ever tried this? I would be interested in communicating with any APUG members who have tried such a procedure.

There is a story by Lucretia Hale about a women who accidently put salt in her coffee. She goes all around town asking people how to get the salt out of the coffee. Each person she asks gives her a fanciful way of getting the salt out. Finally someone tells her to just make another pot of coffee.

You are right Kodak did not make a starter solution for HC-110. Just make another pot of coffee. That is, toss the replenisher solution and just buy some HC-110.

It shouldn't be hard to estimate the content for the starter from full instruction for the replenisher. I don't have that info. (Nor do I like HC-110... I have a few bottles to throw away for that matter.)

Tri-x rated at ISO 5000 developed in HC-110 rep. gives a great, harsh, grainy look. There was a woman who used this combo to shoot pro boxing, I loved the look. I can't find the data sheet but 1:16 @72f comes to mind. I have used it a couple of times. Very dense negs but not hard to print, long print time but good contrast.

Why don't you just save your HC-110 and use that as your starter? Either way it's the same thing.

The replenisher was made to replenish automated lines that used HC-110 in low dilutions (e.g., dilution A) for rapid processing. So, essentially, the "regular" HC-110 is the starter. You could do some experimentation with the replenisher to find out how to mix it for regular use. I would start at 1:15 and see how that works.

Starter is a specific term given to an additive that seasons replenisher to make starting developer. Developer = Replenisher + Starter.

Starters merely bring a developer up to the same activity as developer that has had film already run through it and has been replenished.

Development consumes base, developing agent, and sulfite and produces halides which then are present in the developer. Thus, with use, a developer would decrease in activity giving lower speed and contrast. Replenishment couteracts this.

A starter makes the developer look like a developer that has been replenished.

The difference with B&W is almost insignificant, but with color, depending on process and film, it can be large.

Even so, it can be insignificant or give good results depending on how test results look. I have seen people prefer the replenisher over the developer, or straight developer or developer + replenisher depending on film and conditions, and this goes for both color and B&W.

PE