Old Kodak paper how to!

Melvin J Bramley · Sep 29, 2024

I have a near full box of Kodak Polycontrast Rapid in 16 x 20 that is slightly fogged.
I'm looking for suggestions on how best to utilise this paper.

Paul Howell · Sep 29, 2024

With a slight fog you can trying adding a restrainer to your developer.

Melvin J Bramley · Sep 29, 2024

Paul Howell said:
With a slight fog you can trying adding a restrainer to your developer.

I did not have much luck with restrainer, BTZ, and Agfa paper , would Kodak differ?
Or what other uses ?

AnselMortensen · Sep 29, 2024

Maybe investigate lith printing?

Don_ih · Sep 29, 2024

It's Polycontrast Rapid - which implies it has developer incorporated. I doubt anything you do will make it good. If the fog is mild, consider Farmer's reducer after development.

Augustus Caesar · Sep 29, 2024

Don_ih said:
It's Polycontrast Rapid - which implies it has developer incorporated. I doubt anything you do will make it good. If the fog is mild, consider Farmer's reducer after development.

No, it has no developer incorporated in it. Polycontrast Rapid was simply a faster version of Polycontrast. This was to compete with Dupont's High Speed Varigam, which was faster than the original Varigam.

mshchem · Sep 29, 2024

Don_ih said:
It's Polycontrast Rapid - which implies it has developer incorporated. I doubt anything you do will make it good. If the fog is mild, consider Farmer's reducer after development.

+1. Forget about it.

MattKing · Sep 29, 2024

The Polycontrast Rapid Paper wasn't like the papers designed for activation - any developer or similar chemical incorporated was there in trace amounts only, and was there to help fine tune the contrast and speed behavior of the paper.
That being said, those early Kodak variable contrast materials are not known for longevity.
Of curse if you had been sitting in a dark box, unused for nigh on half a century, you might be a bit foggy too!

mshchem · Sep 29, 2024

This stuff doesn't age well at all. Most of it is 40 years old. OP hasn't specified if it's rc paper, most of what I have encountered was single weight fiber paper, this was a very fast paper.

Don_ih · Sep 30, 2024

Augustus Caesar said:
No, it has no developer incorporated in it. Polycontrast Rapid was simply a faster version of Polycontrast. This was to compete with Dupont's High Speed Varigam, which was faster than the original Varigam.

I'll take your word for it. I have Polycontrast that can be lith printed - used some yesterday - but every sheet of Polycontrast Rapid paper I have has been too foggy even for that.

@Melvin J Bramley -- if there is no incorporated developer and the paper is only lightly fogged, benzotriazole added to the developer should be a start.

Old Kodak paper how to!

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