Tom Hoskinson
Member
You can buy a hardener to add to your stop bath or your fixer, yep. The one I have is Tetenal brand, I got it locally the first time I ordered some Adox/Efke film, just to be on the safe side - a little goes a long way. Apparently hardener as a separate thing is rather uncommon, so I guess I was lucky to get it so readily.
Learn how to handle film without damaging the emulsion. Hardeners are not helpful after the damage has happened.
I shoot a lot of Efke sheet film (8x10 and 5x7) I also shoot Efke 127 rollfilm, 120 rollfilm and 35mm rollfilm.
I develop in Pyrocat (which tans the emulsion). I use a water rinse instead of a stop bath. I fix in TF-4 or in a non-hardening Home Brew Rapid Fixer (Ammonium Thiosufate, Water, Sodium Sulfite and Sodium Bisulfite - Ph between 6.5 and 7). Wash in water, no HCA.
No emulsion damage.