Pyrocat-HD Question

[coriana6jp]

Hi All,

I have been using Pyrocat-HD for a few weeks now and like what I have been getting so far. But I read something in couple of books and it made me question that I may be doing something incorrectly. So far I have been doing things in the following, prewash, develop, water stop, fix and the rinse.

However, after reading Les Mcleans book and one other said that with Pyro developers, the proper sequence is between the fix and the final rinse is to put the used developer back in to induce further stain. I have not done that yet.

I am curious if its necessary or even recommended when using Pyrocat-HD? Any help or insight would be greatly apperciated!

Thanx!

Gary

 

[Alex Hawley]

Gary, the answer is a strong NO! That last developer bath is something that is done with PMK, and not all PMK users do it. Its totally unecessary, not even desired, with PyroCat-HD.

 

[coriana6jp]

Alex,

Thank you for that answer! Thats exactly what I needed to know.

Regards!

Gary

 

[m_liddell]

You want proportional stain not general stain over the whole neg. Don't put in back in the dev!

 

[PepMiro]

In the Book of Pyro of Gordon Hutchings, in page 19, is said:

"After fixing, place all negatives directly into the used developer for two minutes. Agitate them every 30 seconds. This alkali after bath induces the formation of stain in the developed negative."

This book is dated in 1992. Perhaps there has been more recent investigation about this efect.

Any of you have tested two identical negatives, one treated with Pyro after fixing and the other without?... Is there any difference checking with a densitometer?... I would do this but, unfortunatelly, I haven't got any densitometer.

 

[juan]

Yes, this has been tested many times. Returning the negative to the developer raises the overall stain - not the desired proportional stain. Hutchings was talking about PMK, not Pyrocat HD - they are entirely different developers. And I believe I've read that Hutchings no longer recommends returning the negative to the developer for PMK, but I could be wrong about that.
juan

 

[noseoil]

Juan, you are right. Gordon has mentioned at his more recent talks that he does not do the pyro "after-bath" any more. It was one of those things which was tried for a while and then discarded after use. The bit about building "general stain" is correct, as a second trip into the PMK will reduce contrast and add muddiness to the image. Not a good thing. tim

 

[coriana6jp]

I want to thank everyone for the imformative replies. It is a great help!


Thanx and Regards.

Gary

 

[blackmelas]

A side note since Les McLean's book was cited in the starting thread. Les has published two more recent articles on Pyrogallol and Pyrocatechin developers in 12/2004 and 2/2005 issues of Black and White Magazine. The first article he compared Rodinal, PMK and Prescysol and the second he did futher tests with Prescysol.
Best regards,
James