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Shelf life of Dektol

norm123

Member
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Joined
Sep 18, 2010
Messages
276
Location
Montréal
Format
Multi Format
Hi
I like to use Dektol but I found that is shelf life is short. Don't you? When I did saying 2 hours, maybe 10-15 11x14 FB sheets of paper, it's done. Can we add something to stock solution to give more longevity?

Best regards

Norm
 
Capacity is 31 8x10's per litre, which is the same area as 16 11x14 prints. So it's quite possible you've exhausted the developer.
As a working solution, life is 1 working day, as a stock solution 6 months in a tightly sealed bottle, 2 months in a part full bottle.
 
I have had no problem with Dektol lasting thru a printing session.
 

I've used Dektol and the home brew equivalent, D-72 for decades. All of my empirical evidence does not conflict with Kodak's recommendations (quoted above).
 
Consider switching to Liquidol, developed by our friend Photo Engineer (Ron Mowrey) and available from Photographers' Formulary in Montana. B&H also sells it for the same price but at lower shipping cost. Note that it's described as producing prints similar to Dektol. Its shelf/tray life is vastly longer than Dektol. You can search threads here for discussions mentioning Liquidol, where Ron describes its shelf/tray life. I'm a convert.

http://stores.photoformulary.com/liquidol-paper-developer/
Tech info: http://photoformulary.homestead.com/02-0200.pdf

norm123 said:
...I like to use Dektol but I found that is shelf life is short. Don't you? When I did saying 2 hours, maybe 10-15 11x14 FB sheets of paper, it's done. Can we add something to stock solution to give more longevity?
Click to expand...
 
I don't believe liquids can be shipped cross border. Whenever I have ordered Pyro from the Formulary I've had to drive to the US to get it.
 
Craig said:
I don't believe liquids can be shipped cross border. Whenever I have ordered Pyro from the Formulary I've had to drive to the US to get it.
Click to expand...
B&H will ship to me in British Columbia Kodak HC-110 developer, Kodak Polymax T developer, Kodak T-Max RS developer, Kodak Photo-flo, Kodak Kodafix fixer and Kodak Rapid Selenium Toner - all liquids.
The ones they won't ship to me they won't ship in general.
The US Post office won't allow shipment of liquids.
 
Correct - it seems to be section 451 that applies.
If you go to the US Post Office though to mail something, as likely as not you will hear "you can't mail liquids".
B&H probably aren't willing to fulfill the Post Office's packaging requirements.
 
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