Re-fix color negatives?

[Poco]

While making some masks from color negatives this morning I mixed up the sheets and ended up developing the color negative along with the B&W film and was surprised to see that the negative came out darker in the end than it originally was. I'm guessing this is a sign of poor fixing and that there was residual silver that developed out in the process. Is that possible and should I re-fix my negatives? Would re-fixing even do any good, or am I in deep ...um, trouble?

Man, what a bummer!

 

[Gerald Koch]

In order to produce the dyes in color negatives the color developing agent must combine with each of the three color couplers. This was prevented by the use of a B&W developing agent. You might try bleaching the film with a rehalogenating bleach and redeveloping in the color developer. However, I would recommend redoing the masks.

 

[Poco]

Thanks, Gerald.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure I understand your answer ...or that I asked the question clearly.

If I take a fully developed color negative that has gone through color developer, bleach and fix, and then stick it in B%W developer, should the densities get darker or is that a sign of incomplete fixing in the original developing process? And if such darkening is indeed a sign of incomplete fixing, can I set things right by re-fixing?

 

[Helen B]

Interesting. Sounds like there was insufficient fixing first time round. How about re-bleaching then re-fixing?

 

[Poco]

"How about re-bleaching then re-fixing?"

That would be my guess, Helen, but I'm not sure. Actually, that specific negative isn't important and I'm really just concerned that my other negs may be insufficiently fixed. I think I've got a big re-fixing project on my hands.

It should be interesting to see how the botched neg scans, though.

 

[Gerald Koch]

If I take a fully developed color negative that has gone through color developer, bleach and fix, and then stick it in B%W developer, should the densities get darker or is that a sign of incomplete fixing in the original developing process? And if such darkening is indeed a sign of incomplete fixing, can I set things right by re-fixing?

Your original post was a bit confusing. Do you mean that the mask negatives had already been developed correctly in a color developer, bleached, and fixed. At this point they were accidently run through a B&W developer?

 

[Poco]

Yeah, I see the masking thing was confusing.

All I need to know is, will a properly developed color negative gain additional density with further development in B&W chemistry, or is that a sign that it was poorly fixed in its color development? So, if you, Gerald, pulled a junk negative from your file and threw it into D76 and it got darker, would that be cause for concern?

Okay, I'm plumb outta ways of phrasing it, if I have to try again I'm in trouble

 

[Poco]

Okay, a guy on pnet recommended refixing with substantially longer times to get past the stabilization step of color processing. Makes sense.

 

[Gerald Koch]

It's hard to say. The color dyes are pH sensitive and may darken when exposed to the B&W chemicals. Ferric-EDTA bleaches are notorious for incomplete bleaching especially when re-used. I would recommend rebleaching and fixing.

 

[Poco]

"rebleaching and fixing"

Okay, thanks, that's the plan. Did some random testing and it looks like a third of my negs might be in trouble ...of course there's no telling WHICH third, so I've got a big job on my hands.