Ilford Hardener still in production?

[Aurelien]

I am looking forward to buying hardener. Is Ilford hardener still in production?

 

[Brac]

It doesn't seem to be listed in Ilford's Product Availability list of February 2007. On the site there is a request for products so you could complete that and see what happens. Also I think Kodak may still make a fixer with hardener incorporated.

 

[Ryuji]

Why are you looking for a hardener? It's unnecessary and won't bring anything useful if you are manually processing modern b&w materials...

 

[Aurelien]

Of course, it 's not necessary with modern films. But there are still antic films like efke or foma. They may require some.

 

[GeorgesGiralt]

Aurelien,
If you require hardener for Efke 25, you can buy Tetenal hardener which is (I think) still made and should be availlable in France.

 

[Aurelien]

Yes, I bought it thanks

 

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

Of course, it 's not necessary with modern films. But there are still antic films like efke or foma. They may require some.

No, you don't need it. I've always used ordinary rapid fixer and (gasp!) even stop bath. None of the famed pinholes, nor seeing the entire emulsion fall off the base.

Try without first, and you'll know whether you need it.

 

[Lee Shively]

"...It's unnecessary...."

You ever washed your film in 90F or higher cold tap water? I do it every summer. I use hardening fixer.

 

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

"...It's unnecessary...."

You ever washed your film in 90F or higher cold tap water? I do it every summer. I use hardening fixer.

Why would one do that? There's the Ilford wash sequence.

 

[Lee Shively]

I don't use the Ilford wash sequence. I'm an atheist in that regard. But if I did, I would use tap water and still be at square one.

Kodak Rapid Fix with hardener, HCA and a 10 minute wash works wonderfully.

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

Of course, it 's not necessary with modern films. But there are still antic films like efke or foma. They may require some.

I shoot a lot of Efke and Foma film in sizes that range from 35mm and 120 rollfilm through 8x10 sheet film. I never use hardener with these films. Use of reasonable care in handling the film is all that is required to avoid emulsion damage.

 

[Aurelien]

Well I did not want to avoid damage, I would like to avoid curling. I thought by hardening emulsion, it would be better. In fact no.

 

[Ryuji]

Well I did not want to avoid damage, I would like to avoid curling. I thought by hardening emulsion, it would be better. In fact no.

Sorry to say this, but of course not.

Major manufacturers learned in the past that the way film base is made, stripped, and dried has a lot of influence on the way the film dries after processing. They also learned that the additives used to the emulsion has significant influence on this as well. Not very common any more, but many old films had plain coating on the non-emulsion side to even out drying and to minimize curling. I'm afraid to say that companies that make films that have curling problems don't seem to have cought up on these things...