Ordering Glycin..........

Just went to order some Glycin from Photographers Formulary and there is none. I swear I looked at the site a few days back and it was still listed, but for the smallest 10g size only. Have to wait for the next batch I guess. That might not be all bad since you'll know it's fresh.

B&H has it but who knows if it's fresh.

Just say no. There's not any reasonably pure glycin left. When Edwal quit making their own that was the end.

I just bought from P.F. A few weeks back but I’ve not tried it out yet.

What about it should I look out for?

mshchem said:

Just say no. There's not any reasonably pure glycin left. When Edwal quit making their own that was the end.

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I don't know about that. The last batch I bought from P.F. was perfect and I kept it in the freezer for over 2 yrs. So, the source of P.F.'s Glycin must be pretty reliable or folks like me that have bought from them more than once would be bitching up a storm for sure. I'll just wait for the next batch.

I haven't bought it for a while but like John, it lasted a long time in the freezer.

Maybe mshchem is thinking about Amidol?

Nope, I never did the freezer trick. That's an excellent (obvious but not to me, ) idea!

I fell in love with Glycin back in the 80's. I was using old Edwal recipes, printing on Kodak Medalist and Ektalure. I will have to give it another go before too long.

As far as I know, PF is the only place that synthesizes glycin now.

Craig said:

As far as I know, PF is the only place that synthesizes glycin now.

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That was my impression also. I have never heard of anyplace else that makes or sells Glycin anymore. As for the Chinese Amidol, it has earned a bad reputation, whether true or not. I bought some of the Chinese made Amidol, but haven't tried it yet.

TCI has it, but it's insanely expensive.

analogwisdom said:

https://www.tcichemicals.com/US/en/p/H0292

TCI has it, but it's insanely expensive.

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That's Glycine and we're talking Glycin.

John Wiegerink said:

That's Glycine and we're talking Glycin.

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A different name for the same thing. If you look at the SDS on the page on PF's website, it has that name and the same CAS number. It's even a TCI SDS.

I have a couple bottles of the Kodak version, Athenon, looks to be 1940s, tan powder.

analogwisdom said:

A different name for the same thing. If you look at the SDS on the page on PF's website, it has that name and the same CAS number. It's even a TCI SDS.

https://photoformulary.homestead.com/Glycin_SDSAction.pdf

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Ah, I always thought they were a different chemical makeup. Never checked it out and just assumed. I guess you can never assume anything anymore.

John Wiegerink said:

Ah, I always thought they were a different chemical makeup. Never checked it out and just assumed. I guess you can never assume anything anymore.

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Just to clarify:

Glycin is the same thing as N-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)glycine. (CAS 122-87-2)

Glycine (with an e) is not. (CAS 56-40-6)

Photog Formulary has been making their own glycin for quite awhile now. It's hardly extinct. Rather, it's popularity is probably the reason why batches of it sell out so fast, and they have trouble keeping up.

Also keep in mind the atrocious weather this year, and how that affects the distribution of all kinds of supplies, not to mention unpredictable tariffs and so forth. Looking at their inventory on hand over a typical annual cycle, figure on buying a year of more worth of glycin when it's available again in the quantity size you need, and simply freeze any surplus bottles of powder you don't plan to soon work with. That strategy works for me.

Our bodies make their own glycine (spelled with an "e"). It's an amino acid.

Gold chloride toner is a different story. I've got about a year's worth left; but should I lock it up in Fort Knox? My gosh, I remember working my butt off with a sluice box all day long and only coming up with half an ounce of gold, split between me and my buddy - not much better than minimum wage back then.
But now? - about $1200 apiece. Don't think I'd want to be lowering all that heavy gear over a cliff to our favorite hole in the river at my age now, however.
If you want to make a lot of money become a dentist instead, and charge extra for the fillings; they probably use "fool's gold" anyway.

N-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)glycine

analogwisdom said:

Just to clarify:

Glycin is the same thing as N-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)glycine. (CAS 122-87-2)

Glycine (with an e) is not. (CAS 56-40-6)

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I was always told one was for photography (Glycin) and the other (Glycine) a livestock feed additive among other things. I just always ordered Glycin and never worried about Glycine.

Would making a percentage solution in propylene glycol be as effective as freezing the Glycin?

Kino said:

Would making a percentage solution in propylene glycol be as effective as freezing the Glycin?

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If I had to guess, since I have never tried it, I think it might come close. The problem is figuring out how much glycol-glycine mis to ad to your Ansco 130 or whatever you're making. I know glycin has a really good shelf life once in solution. Think Hubl's Paste. film developer.

I discovered Ilford Bromophen about 25 years ago. Easy, 1.5 - 3 minutes development time, beautiful stuff, keeps well, doesn't stain, more expensive than Dektol.

Glycin developers oxidize quickly, turn back into the coal tar from whence they came. Very inefficient, you need a lot of Glycin to do the job.

John Wiegerink said:

If I had to guess, since I have never tried it, I think it might come close. The problem is figuring out how much glycol-glycine mis to ad to your Ansco 130 or whatever you're making. I know glycin has a really good shelf life once in solution. Think Hubl's Paste. film developer.

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Also, I have no idea how soluble Glycin might be in PG.

Perhaps someone more knowledgeable in chemistry could advise as to both how to formulate a percentage solution AND the solubility of Glycin in PG ?

EDIT: Appears TEA (triethanolamine) might be a better choice? More PH neutral?


"Glycin-TEA 10% can be prepared by heating 400ml of triethanolamine (clear 99% grade) to at least 160F and stirring in 50g of glycin. Top to 500ml with TEA. Requires significant stirring to mix. Glycin will keep in this form for a very long time, even in half-empty bottles. Should otherwise be protected from air."

130 developer is relatively inexpensive to make. I need only 10g glycin per liter of stock solution, then dilute it 1:3 for use. Since I generally mix up only 500ml of stock solution at a time, that's just 5g of glycin. In a full glass bottle, the stock solution keeps fairly well; but I'd never trust re-used dilute working solution a second day.