How to tell non lithable paper?

[Domin]

I've done some lith printing, almost exclusively on Fomabrom and Fomatone MG. I'm pleased by results but I would like to try some other papers. Most paper listed by Tim Rudman here and there as lithable are not easily available here and I would like to try the papers I have or can buy right away. But I haven't seen any info on how a lith print on non lithable paper looks like. I suppose it would save me time and paper to know that particular paper is not going to work after just a one or two test strips.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Take a piece of unexposed paper, bring it into daylight and drop some lith developer on it. Let it develop for a while and see what happens. If you get good colors and an interesting result - go for it. If not - you know the deal.
I think you would get your best results in the darkroom, though. Go print! Or get some regular chemistry out, get some bleach, bleach the prints and redevelop them in lith. Almost all papers work with lith that way.

- Thomas

 

[dancqu]

If you get good colors and an interesting results...Thomas

That's my problem with lith printing, colors. I could
lith develop then bleach and re-develope B&W. The
lith first for contrast control. Dan

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Hey Dan,
you can neutralize a lot of the color cast by toning the prints afterwards. Selenium then gold, for example. But I like your reverse suggestion too. Could be interesting to try. Lith is indeed extremely helpful for negatives of difficult contrast.
- Thomas

 

[Rich Ullsmith]

Take a drop of Lith solution B, drop it on a test strip in room light. Development on the spot indicates developers present in the emulsion. This from the Moersch site. It will happen pretty quick if developers are present.

 

[Rich Ullsmith]

Oh, and the real question is, if you run a sheet of developer-incorporated paper through the soup, does that ruin the batch?