A developer called Kalogen was first marketed in 1917 by Paul L. Anderson. For years, photographers had favored a German developer called Rodinal. With the outbreak of World War I, Rodinal was no longer available. Anderson created Kalogen to remedy this situation. The formula appeared in his book "The Technique of Pictorial Photography", J. B. Lippincott, 1939.
Distilled water (50°C) .................. 750 ml
Metol ....................................... 13.5 g
Sodium sulfite (anhy) ................... 180 g
Hydroquinone ............................. 53.0 g
Sodium hydroxide ........................ 25.0 g *
Potassium bromide ....................... 5.0 g
Benzotriazole, 1% ........................ 80.0 ml
Distilled water to make ................. 1.0 l
* see instructions below.
Method of Preparation
Weight out the Metol and sulfite. Dissolve a pinch of the sulfite in the water before adding the Metol. Dissolve the other ingredients in the order given. A precipitate will form upon the addition of the hydroquinone which will dissolve upon the addition of the sodium hydroxide. Add the 25 g of sodium hydroxide . The precipitate will probably not completely dissolve. Keep adding small amounts of hydroxide with constant stirring until the precipitate just dissolves.
Transfer the solution to a 1 liter glass or PET bottle, stopper and allow it to stand for 2 to 3 days. A small amount of impurities will precipitate out and the solution will become lighter in color. Filter the solution and transfer it to several small (2 to 4 ounce) glass bottles and label. When prepared correctly the solution will be a clear pinkish tan color.
When stored in nearly full and tightly capped small bottles, the stock solution will keep for months at room temperature. Should any crystals form due to storage at low temperature, they may be redissolved by warming and shaking the bottle.
The concentrate is diluted 1+29 to 1+59 for films. For the latter dilution the average development time is 5 min @ 22C. Kalogen also makes an excellent paper developer when diluted 1+11 to 1+14 producing results similar to D-72. Develop 2 to 2-1/2 min @ 22C. The formula was published by Walter C Snyder, Dignan Newsletter, August 1973, pp 13-14.
Walter Snyder in the Dignan Newsletter article said that the original formula called for 9 grams of potassium bromide. He reduced the amount and added the benzotriazole. He made other changes to the original formula changing the Metol/hydroquinone ratio from 1:2 to 1:4. I have the feeling that he never adjusted the sodium hydroxide amount which may explain why there is an excess in his formula. I calculate 26 grams for 98% purity sodium hydroxide as enough to just dissolve the precipitate.
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