Silver on prints edges

lordmn · Nov 18, 2014

during the last print session (ilford RC multigrade paper and ilford chemicals) prints came out with a silver patina over the entire surface. Is it a fault of the paper (the packagee was already open)? or chemicals (development was not brand new)?

Thank you and sorry for my poor english

AgX · Nov 18, 2014

It is a fault of your processing. more specific around your fixing stage.

tkamiya · Nov 18, 2014

Your English is fine but I'm not quite sure what you mean by "silver patina" all over the print.

The paper does contain silver but it doesn't look anything like silver during any part of the process. If developer was bad, you get grayish print or nothing at all as a result. If fixer was bad, your print will gradually turn to a shade of gray or sort of purplish.

Maybe you can take a picture of it and post it here?

Welcome to APUG and please update your profile so we'll all know what part of the world you are in. Sometimes it helps to give you the help you need.

pentaxuser · Nov 18, 2014

OP you might want to tell us if the silver patina appeared when the print came out immediately after the wash or only appeared after they had dried and if so how long after

tkamiya has given good advice. A picture of the print will help us to help you

pentaxuser

pentaxuser · Nov 18, 2014

I think I should add that your thread title says "silver on prints edges" but your post says silver patina over the entire surface. This confuses me. Is it only the edges of the print and if it is then is it the edges of the picture or the white borders only?

Thanks

pentaxuser

lordmn · Nov 18, 2014

I'm sorry.
Now I try to explain better:
After the fixing bath, when i put the prints to dry, i noticed a little silver patina on the edges, when i turn on the light i saw that the silver patina afected the entire surface and it was very visible on the white/light area.

lordmn · Nov 18, 2014

The fix is a standard ilford rapidfixer and the bottle was new.

paul_c5x4 · Nov 18, 2014

I'm inclined to suspect the print was exposed to light whilst in the final stages of development or before it went in the stop bath. The "silver patina" fits the description of the Sabatier effect.

AgX · Nov 18, 2014

What has silver patina to do with the Sabattier-effect?

basicn · Nov 19, 2014

You said "... After the fixing bath, when I put the prints to dry..." Did you wash the prints before dry?

RalphLambrecht · Nov 19, 2014

lordmn said:
during the last print session (ilford RC multigrade paper and ilford chemicals) prints came out with a silver patina over the entire surface. Is it a fault of the paper (the packagee was already open)? or chemicals (development was not brand new)?

Thank you and sorry for my poor english

This happens to me if I haven't cleaned the developing tray for a while.Over time the bottom of the tray gets a thin film of metallic silver and rocking the tray during development makes the print rub against the bottom, during which some of the silver rubs off and sticks to the paper.Then,it's time to clean the tray and the problem disappears.

Silver on prints edges

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