How to improve black for the specific developer?

Kirk Keyes said:

John - what happens when you leave out the Folgers crystals and just use Vitamin C and carbonate?

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i haven't tried that yet ... but it sounds like a good thing to try ...
oh, i don't use folgers .. mrs olson gives me the willies !

I understand...

Carbonated Vitamin C

On papers I've tested it will produce a very pale yellow.
I don't consider V-C a developing agent. IMO it is
a substitute for sulfite.
It acts as a preservative and with some developing
agents it will act to regenerate. Dan

Consider Mr. Gainers Developer a Lith Developer

SadChild said:

I've just used a developer created by Patrick Gainer:
"Mix 1 tsp (about 3 g) hydroquinone, 1/2 teaspoon ascorbic
acid crystals and 1 tablespoon of sodium carbonate (about 15 g)
in a quart of water."

The color on FB Fomatone MG 132 is great but blacks are not
deep. How to improve them? Thanks in advance.

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Mr. Gainer's formula is very similar to one I concocted a few
years ago; a very thin brew using sodium sulfite rather than
ascorbic acid. I did not know at the time that the brew
would turn out to be a lith developer. Had I not given
the paper eight minuets I'd not have noticed the
typical lith development; slow start fast end.

After looking at quite a few lith formulas I found out that
my concoction did include all the ingredients needed for
a lith developer. Importantly, very little preservative.

From my little experience in making lith prints I'd say
don't expect it to produce a true black.

Considerable contrast control is possible by varying
the exposure and developing time. Dan