Old Paper & Chemistry

[EdM]

I have been given a huge amount of old Oriental paper. Tests indicate some fogging. Is there any rescue, or is it trash? If there is no practical rescue, is it good for anything?

I also received several packages of Dektol. My guess is that they were purchased at least ten years ago and maybe longer. There doesn't seem to be any caking. Is it worth mixing to test?

Thanks,
Ed

 

[srs5694]

I don't know about rescuing the paper, but of course there are potential uses for it, such as using it for 35mm or MF contact print sheets, using it for test strips (if you know precisely how to adjust exposure and filtration from a given Oriental setting for your target paper), completely blackening it to make dodging tools, and using it to experiment with new techniques or to refine your skill with techniques you've used before. Of course, most of these won't use up a lot of paper (how many dodging tools do you need, after all?), but between them you might make a significant dent in the supply, and save an equivalent amount of fresher paper.

As to the Dektol, I personally would mix it to try it. At worst, you'll waste some time, some water, and a sheet or two of paper. (Make it the Oriental paper of questionable utility, and the paper becomes a non-issue.) At best, you'll get several liters or gallons of perfectly good developer. Of course, if your time is very valuable, it might not be worth the bother; you'll have to be the judge of that.

 

[jim appleyard]

Old paper can be used for contact sheets, photograms and an art/photo teacher friend lets his students run old paper thru the inkjet printers at the school for digital printing.

A solution of benzotriazole (don't know the dilution) can also be used on old paper. Perhaps someone can help out here.

Dektol should be good.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Old paper can be used for contact sheets, photograms and an art/photo teacher friend lets his students run old paper thru the inkjet printers at the school for digital printing.

Jim

What does that do?

 

[RalphLambrecht]

If the Dektol is not a solid rock and the powder is still white or light yellow, it's still OK to use. If it's dark brown, dispose of it appropriately.

For the paper, don't waste your time. Pitch it, or as someone suggested, find a use for it, like teaching young children how photography works ala photograms.

 

[Claire Senft]

If in testing the paper you find that it is of very dubious use to you..you could try a good deal of sodium bromide to see if you can print with it for certain applications. If you do not find it useful for certain functions I would recommend that you fix the paper out and very thoughly wash it. dry it and store it with care. This paper may be useful in several ways.

Firstly, while it seems to me to be a travesty to do this, it could be used with a digital printer.

Secondly, it could be used for alternate processes such as cyanotype or or carbon transfer...same saving when learning a new process are very helpful.

Thirdly, If you want fiber prints that are unmounted to matt bord and you want them to stay flat drymount them together back to back with this paper so that the pull of the emulsion is in different directions. This can work just dandy to keep prints drymounted to matt board too by mounting the emulsion facing ourward and of the same size and location as the print on the front. Very mounted print should be very flat indeed.


BUT REMEMBER TO THOUrOUGHLY FIX WASH, DRY AND STORE THIS PAPER! There is no need to spoil a good print by putting it into contact or near to a contaminated piece of paper.

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

Old paper can be used for contact sheets, photograms and an art/photo teacher friend lets his students run old paper thru the inkjet printers at the school for digital printing.

Jim

What does that do?

Ralph, I believe you are asking about Benzotriazole. Benzotriazole is an organic restrainer that is often used to reduce fog levels in old film and paper. It is also added to paper developers for the production of cold (i.e. blue/black) tones.

See Ryuji Suzuki's excellent discussion Here:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

For an example of Benzotriazole use in the Ilford ID-62 formula, see:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)