Question About Edwal LFN Wetting Agent

Existing Light · Oct 1, 2009

I'm considering ordering Edwal LFN Wetting Agent from Freestyle and was wondering if anyone had any experience with it. I have been using the Arista wetting agent for a while and have had mixed results with it. Sometimes there were no streaks and water spots and sometimes there were some (not much, but enough to justify rewashing the dirty negatives. I'm assuming the mixed results comes from me not having a graduated cylinder small enough to accurately measure the 2ml I needed (I have a 25ml cylinder with 5ml marks. I pretty much had to guess where the 2ml line would be ). I'm hoping just dripping the two drops from the Edwal bottle will be more consistant than me just guessing where 2ml is

How does the Edwal compare to the Arista wetting agent when it comes to clean negatives? What about another brand of wetting agent (like Kodak's or Kentmere or whoever)? If results are about the same, there's probably not much of a point in buying a different brand. Perhaps I'd be better off getting a 5ml graduated cylinder

Ed Sukach · Oct 1, 2009

I've used Edwal LFN, exclusively, for years - NO problems - whatsover. No streaks, no bulletproof brown residue.

Seems expensive - but at the rate of one drop at a time, a small bottle lasts for years.

Existing Light · Oct 1, 2009

Ed Sukach said:
I've used Edwal LFN, exclusively, for years - NO problems - whatsover. No streaks, no bulletproof brown residue.

I may give it a try. Now I just gotta figure out what else to get to make their minimum order of $25

Ed Sukach said:
Seems expensive - but at the rate of one drop at a time, a small bottle lasts for years.

That's what I thought, too. I bought the Arista wetting agent while in school, and I still have some left

thebdt · Oct 1, 2009

The Edwal LFN is what my college lab swears by. I use a double-bath of distilled water during my own processes, but since I pretty much have to soup my 4x5 negs at school I use their process for that. Even on the large, easy-to-markup 4x5 surface, the Edwal LFN seems to work very well. I would recommend it.

Existing Light · Oct 1, 2009

thebdt said:
The Edwal LFN is what my college lab swears by. I use a double-bath of distilled water during my own processes, but since I pretty much have to soup my 4x5 negs at school I use their process for that. Even on the large, easy-to-markup 4x5 surface, the Edwal LFN seems to work very well. I would recommend it.

Cool. I guess I'll give it a chance

ann · Oct 1, 2009

usually i hate these comments when one has no knowledge , but i am going to do it anyway.

i have been using the LFN for years and switched from Kodak Photo Flo for my own personal work and use it with distilled water as does the above comment. I find it much better and altho, it seems expensive up front, you don't have to use very much and last a very long time.

Joe Mace · Oct 1, 2009

Originally posted by Existing Light
I'm assuming the mixed results comes from me not having a graduated cylinder small enough to accurately measure the 2ml I needed (I have a 25ml cylinder with 5ml marks. I pretty much had to guess where the 2ml line would be ). I'm hoping just dripping the two drops from the Edwal bottle will be more consistant than me just guessing where 2ml is

I use 5mL pediatric medicine syringes from the pharmacist to measure small amounts. It makes it very easy to be quite accurate. (When you have little kids, you end up with lots of these syringes.)

Joe

grahamp · Oct 1, 2009

It depends on the type of water you have, or if you use distilled for the final rinse. You only need a drop or two per litre - the idea is to reduce surface tension and encourage lamellar flow, not wash dishes

It works.

Trask · Oct 2, 2009

I too switched from Photo-Flo and haven't regretted it. A superior product.

Rick A · Oct 2, 2009

I've been useing LFN for years, never had any problems. You can also use a couple of drops of it in the developer to help prevent air bells on the film, you cant do that with any other brands of wetting agent.
Rick

Existing Light · Oct 7, 2009

ralnphot said:
I've been useing LFN for years, never had any problems. You can also use a couple of drops of it in the developer to help prevent air bells on the film, you cant do that with any other brands of wetting agent.
Rick

That's pretty cool. I havent had any problems with air bells during development since my first photography class, but that sounds like a good way to prevent that problem when my order comes in

vet173 · Oct 13, 2009

ralnphot said:
I've been useing LFN for years, never had any problems. You can also use a couple of drops of it in the developer to help prevent air bells on the film, you cant do that with any other brands of wetting agent.
Rick

Memories of a developing tank that looked like the dishwasher did when I put in the wrong soap. Brought to you by photo-flo. Nothing but LFN for three decades.

Curt · Oct 13, 2009

It's a top secret, it's that good so buy some and keep quiet about it, it's the top secret darkroom solution.

Curt

Dave Swinnard · Oct 22, 2009

Curt said:
It's a top secret, it's that good so buy some and keep quiet about it, it's the top secret darkroom solution.

Curt

And it's no longer available in Canada once current supplies are gone. I was looking for it in vain on Tuesday past only to be informed by a fellow at Leo's (Vancouver) that they had bought up the distributor's remaining stock and it was now gone. Henry's had four bottles but wanted $28 to ship it to Vancouver. (!!!?)

Anybody got a good DIY formula?

Dave

mariane · Nov 11, 2015

sorry I'm quiet new on it could you please help me out. I need to dilute the Edwald lfn for 2 reels how much water in proportion to wet agent?

Sirius Glass · Nov 11, 2015

Welcome to APUG

Does the label on the bottle give any information. Kodak PhotoFlo comes in 1:200 and 1:600 forms. Start with:What is the volume needed to cover the two reels in the tank?

Gerald C Koch · Nov 11, 2015

Most people use too much Photo-Flo. Only a few drops are needed to break the surface tension of the water. Certainly not the amount that Kodak recommends. I use 2 to 3 drops for 250 ml of water for the final rinse. Kodak uses an antifoaming agent in the formula that can leave a greasy residue on the film if too much Photo-Flo is used.

bvy · Mar 5, 2016

Is there something about Edwal LFN (versus Photo-Flo) that makes it less damaging to the reels? I use Paterson reels and would really like to soak the film while still on the reel. In any case, I always clean the reels immediately after removing the film.

GRHazelton · Mar 5, 2016

Several posters mentioned using distilled water for the wetting agent rinse. I think that the distilled water, and not going overboard on the amount of the agent is key. As far as rinsing on Paterson reels, that's my work-flo (no pun intended!) I also run the reels through the dishwasher occasionally. So far, so good, but as always, YMMV.

grahamp · Mar 6, 2016

I have a 1l plastic jug I keep just for this task. It is just tall enough for 5x4 sheets. 1 drop of LFN is all that is needed. Roll film is dropped in by opening the spiral and tipping it into the jug. Then from the jug to the clips. If I was in a significantly hard water area I would use distilled, but the local utility seems fine here.

Sirius Glass · Mar 6, 2016

grahamp said:
I have a 1l plastic jug I keep just for this task. It is just tall enough for 5x4 sheets. 1 drop of LFN is all that is needed. Roll film is dropped in by opening the spiral and tipping it into the jug. Then from the jug to the clips. If I was in a significantly hard water area I would use distilled, but the local utility seems fine here.

That is way too diluted. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for best results. They know their product and they did the research.

Gerald C Koch · Mar 7, 2016

There really is little practical difference between LFN and PF when each is used according to the manufacturers instructions. They both contain a surfactant and solubilizing agents. People have trouble with PF because they use too much. Only 2-4 drops are needed for each 250 ml (enough to cover 1 reel). If your water is very hard then any final rinse should be made with distilled water. I went to my local pharmacy and bought an eyedropper bottle whose cap perfectly fits the Photo-Flo bottle.

Ashfaque · Mar 7, 2016

If you want to be very precise and cheap then try to get hold of some 1ml Insulin syringes (with 0.01 grad. scale). They are very good for other super concentrated stuffs as well. I'm not sure, but in some places that can be difficult/ illegal, largely due to drug abuse. So bear that in mind if you're ordering online.

Bests,
Ashfaque

Rick A · Mar 7, 2016

LFN is quite simple to measure. You only need one drop of concentrate to 16 fluid ounces distilled water, or two drops per one liter of water. You hold the dropper bottle over the beaker containing distilled water and squeeze only hard enough for a drop to appear on the tip, and when it drops off, that is one drop. There in NO need for fancy measuring devises. I've been working from the same bottle for several years, it doesn't go bad.

Gerald C Koch · Mar 7, 2016

bvy said:
Is there something about Edwal LFN (versus Photo-Flo) that makes it less damaging to the reels? I use Paterson reels and would really like to soak the film while still on the reel. In any case, I always clean the reels immediately after removing the film.

No, there should be no problem. I hope that by 'soak' you mean a minute or two and no longer which is really a waste time and could damage the film.

Question About Edwal LFN Wetting Agent

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