Old chemicals from my parents basement

[George Nova Scotia]

Almost 40 years ago when I was just a kid I had a darkroom in my parents basement. Nothing fancy, had to built the door myself. The door is still there and tucked away in a dark corner were several dusty bottles of chemicals:

Hydroquinone
Elon
Potassium alum
Potassium bromide
Sodium carbonate
Borax
Balanced alkali

What are the chances that these are still good and useful? It's been a long time since I've a darkroom and I'm working hard at getting one set up in my own basement.

 

[Zathras]

Almost 40 years ago when I was just a kid I had a darkroom in my parents basement. Nothing fancy, had to built the door myself. The door is still there and tucked away in a dark corner were several dusty bottles of chemicals:

Hydroquinone
Elon
Potassium alum
Potassium bromide
Sodium carbonate
Borax
Balanced alkali

What are the chances that these are still good and useful? It's been a long time since I've a darkroom and I'm working hard at getting one set up in my own basement.

If the Elon and the hydroquinone are still white in color, and not all caked up, you should be alright. From what I can see, the lids on the jars look like they are in good shape, and if no air got into the containers, you should have some very useable chemicals.

 

[George Nova Scotia]

The elon is a little dark - gray sort of. The rest seem okay, mostly free flowing. A little caking in a couple bottles but a good shake seems to break up most of the clumps so I suspect they have just had a good rest the last 30-40 years. Wow seems strange to say that.

Hopefully later this fall I'll give them a try and see what happens.

 

[railwayman3]

Over time, I gave away lots of stuff which I had as a kid (as, I think, do most people)...I'd now treasure anything like this which I found years later, and would certainly give them a try for their intended purpose. Nice feeling if they woke up from their sleep and worked after this length of time?

 

[kozesluk]

The Elon/Metol, even being gray, should still work. I've found small white bottle of Metol p.a. in the attic (temperatures from -20 °C to +30-40 °C during the year, about 30-40 years old) it was gray but still worked like new one (in D-76).
Nowadays I use this "non_white" metol in paper developers and add 10-15 % more than specified without any problem.

 

[Sirius Glass]

So what if the chemicals are gray; you are too probably!

 

[Mark Layne]

The elon is a little dark - gray sort of. The rest seem okay, mostly free flowing. A little caking in a couple bottles but a good shake seems to break up most of the clumps so I suspect they have just had a good rest the last 30-40 years. Wow seems strange to say that.

Hopefully later this fall I'll give them a try and see what happens.

That Metol should work fine George
Mark

 

[George Nova Scotia]

Okay, I'll admit it. I'm a little gray too, I just hope it works better that me!

 

[bill h]

I'm still using up my bottle of 1967 Elon... and it works.

 

[Ian Grant]

Metol can be greyish when fresh. That looks fine, as for the other chemicals the Carbonate may have gone hard, mine from that era (UK made & packaged differently) has. The Sodium Metaborate, Hydroquinone etc should be fine.

Ian