How to improve black for the specific developer?

[removed account4]

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

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 !

 

[Kirk Keyes]

I understand...

 

[dancqu]

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

 

[dancqu]

Consider Mr. Gainers Developer a Lith Developer

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.

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