Old Microdol X, Still Good to Use?

I just picked up a few bags of dry Microdol X and a few quart bottles of liquid Microdol X that have never been opened or used, but are of unknown age.

I have never used Microdol X before.

Is this stuff still good to use?

Also, I have a bottle of Kodak Fixer Hardener Part B. Can I use this with my Ilford Rapid Fixer when I am developing soft films like EFKE?

Frank R said:

I just picked up a few bags of dry Microdol X and a few quart bottles of liquid Microdol X that have never been opened or used, but are of unknown age.

I have never used Microdol X before.

Is this stuff still good to use?

Also, I have a bottle of Kodak Fixer Hardener Part B. Can I use this with my Ilford Rapid Fixer when I am developing soft films like EFKE?

Click to expand...

I'd mix and use the dry Microdol-X and dump the liquid.

I'd also dump the Kodak Fixer Hardener Part B.

I use a lot of Efke 25 and Efke 100 (35& 120 rollfilm) (plus 4X5, 5X7 and 8x10sheets). You don't need hardening fixer with Efke - all you need to do is learn how to handle it during development, fixing and washing without scratching or otherwise damaging it.

The bags of dry Microdol-X powder might be good. Check to see if there is an expiration date on the package. It might be there imbedded ino a code somewhere. If not, then it's your choice. Mix it up and try it on a short piece of film to see what you get. The liquid stuff is almost certainly bad. But if it has never been opened, someone might want it as a collectible piece. Liquid Microdol-X hasn't been sold for a long time. IIRC it used to come in really good brown Boston Round bottles.

If the liquid Microdol is fairly clear, I would test a small portion of film before just throwing it out.

If the bags are lumpy, or when you open them you find black nodules, it probably won't be any good. (I've experienced this)

Can of old microdol-x

Hello Frank.
I was in a antique curiosity shop last week and found a 1 litre can of Microdol-x the can looked old, the lid is soldered on, I gave it a shake and the powder inside was loose. There is a date on the label which reads 007-49 and the original price of 6 shillings.
I opened the can last night to find no lumps or discolouration, the powder mixed up without any problems.
I tested the developer on a short length of exposed film and got the same results as I would expect from fresh Microdol-X
I have found with powdered developers they will keep for a long time if they have been stored properly in there original sealed containers.
You might also find when you use Microdol-X it will produce slightly brown negatives, this is normal according to Kodak.
I have been trying different developers with Efke 25 I was hoping for lower contrast and good sharpness.

The shot I have posted here is Adox 25 shot at 25 ASA pre-soaked for 2 mins and developed in vintage Microdol-X 1+3 ( I used 100ml of stock to be safe) for 14.5 mins @20 deg C 30sec+3 gentle inversions every 60 seconds.
Leica III + Jupiter 12 35mm-2.8.

Hope this info is of use to you. C

The Boston Belle

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the Microdol-X in liquid, the last time Kodak made these, they lasted a long long time. Bought one recently, pretty much for the glass jar, and was pleasantly surprised to find the developer working as if mixed new, even though I was certain that the bottle had sat for *years*.

Way back when, I used Microdol-X 1:3 with Panatomic-X. Made some nice 15"x15" prints from 2 1/4 negs!

I found a stash of Kodak chemicals in cans at the univeristy 10 or so years ago. I called Kodak -- the person I talked to did not know the life span of the chems in a can, but she said that the paper packages only have a shelf life of a year. So you are own your own there!

I opened up some of the cans of developer -- some had black stuff in them, some did not.

I can get about 10 bottles of this stuff.

Are the bottles collectible?

I have about 6 left unopened from a case I bought back in '97 or '98. Was good stuff with Tri-X. May crack one open this year just for fun. These are left overs from teaching a b&w course way back then.
Don't know about collectible, but would certainly pay the postage to get 'em here if you like.

Frank R said:

I can get about 10 bottles of this stuff.

Are the bottles collectible?

Click to expand...

zx