Slavich SW Handling Characteristics?

Proofing of a vast number of negatives has
gotten under way. I had in mind using Graded
RC but soured on it right away because of it's
stiffness and slick feel. FB is really my paper.

Now I've not used SW in many, many a year
and am glad to see it on the market once
again. For assurance I thought I'd inquire.
Any problems?

I proof full frame 2 up on 5x7; 2 exposures
same negative for ballpark exposure and
content evaluation. Dan

People have been proofing on SW paper for 100 years. I don't see any problems, other than the fact that SW paper is flimsy and is harder to transfer between solutions and in the wash, harder to keep multiple prints separated.

I've been using the Slavich SW paper for a couple of months now, and enjoy its look and feel. I've got a bunch of 12x18" paper, and find the best way of processing it is in a single tray, pouring the chemicals off in succession into jugs. Works fine. It dries with a bit of a curl, but nothing the dry mount press won't take care of. I think it would really shine dry-mounted, as a matter of fact. I've not done it yet, but plan on it.

It's nice stuff - it really bounces around in selenium, from my limited experimenting. Goes a nice brown / red.

I think if you were to print 5x7, you could safely process it in a line of trays without worrying too much about creasing the paper.

Good luck,

Once I got used to the feel of single weight paper, I preferred using it and still do. One does have to be a bit more gentle with it than double weight, but that's all part of the acclimation process. If you use a squeegee on your prints, go lightly with it. That's been the main place where I've had trouble making creases.

Alex Hawley said:

If you use a squeegee on your prints, go lightly with it.
That's been the main place where I've had trouble
making creases.

Click to expand...

Try sponge drying. That's what I use. Never have used
a squeegee but think a sponge must draw more water.
Photo grade sponges are available in a few sizes.
Wring near dry and draw slowly, both sides.
No water here or there to wipe up. Keep
just for the purpose. Dan

Marco Buonocore said:

I've got a bunch of 12x18" paper, and find the best way
of processing it is in a single tray, pouring the chemicals
off in succession into jugs. Works fine.

Click to expand...

I also process single tray though do it as some do
drum processing, one-shot using very dilute chemistry.
A little more time consuming but very space saving.
Allows one to skip the stop and with the very
dilute fix dissolved silver levels are very low.

After the fix I hold in a tray using non-woven separator
sheets. So no bunching up of prints. The hold plus two
transfers with fresh water clears that very dilute fix.
The last soak is overnight. Prints are twelve to
sixteen hours wet. No problems. Dan

dancqu said:

I also process single tray though do it as some do
drum processing, one-shot using very dilute chemistry.
A little more time consuming but very space saving.
Allows one to skip the stop and with the very
dilute fix dissolved silver levels are very low.

After the fix I hold in a tray using non-woven separator
sheets. So no bunching up of prints. The hold plus two
transfers with fresh water clears that very dilute fix.
The last soak is overnight. Prints are twelve to
sixteen hours wet. No problems. Dan

Click to expand...

Is your fixing adequate? What dilution do you use and what type of fixer?

I'm curious because I've never heard of anyone using a dilute fixer...

I really like SW, Salvich has become my standard paper, washes faster, drys faster and flat, spots, tones and mounts well. I use 3 trays, both roatery and archival washers.

Ah, you youngsters. I remember back when I worked in a wedding and portrait photographers darkroom in the late 1960's. My job was to make a B&W SW Kodak Panalure print of each and every medium-format C-22 color negative he shot of Bridals and Engagement settings. I would have 50 to 100 photos to expose, process, wash and dry every night. We had a big floor model Pako stainless steel rotary drum print washer, and a big 22" wide electric Pako rotary glossy ferrotype surface print dryer. I had no trouble with multiple SW sheets of paper. Of course, since these shots were pre-cropped in the camera, and his exposure was very consistent, I could expose quite few, put them into a holding box, then process a "batch" at once.

[QUOTES=PVia;579621]
"Is your fixing adequate? What dilution do
you use and what type of fixer?"

I've checked my processing using the ST-1 and HT-2 tests.
The ST-1 tests for any residual silver left in the emulsion and
the HT-2 tests for residual fixer left in the emulsion. The ST-1
uses a sulfur compound to test for silver and the HT-2 test
uses a silver compound to test for sulfur. Sulfur is a
component of fixer. Simple tests.

With 120, one roll, I'd use 20ml of rapid fix concentrate in
a volume total of 500ml; 1:24. Most any rapid fixer concentrate
should do and that for any of the ISO 125 and less films. I've not
tested high speed film; they contain more silver.

With paper very dilute is a more complicated matter.
Upon testing I found quite a variance among them in
the amount of chemistry needed. Slavich took the
least amount. From tests it would appear that
Slavich does not need a bromided developer.

"I'm curious because I've never heard of
anyone using a dilute fixer..."

I'd never heard of it either then read of a quarter
strength fix used by Eddie Ephraums; author and much
respected photographer. I was intent upon finding the
least quantity of chemistry needed to thoroughly
clear a film or a print of fixer. Now I process
film and paper all solutions one-shot.

No stops of any sort, fresh chemistry each film or print,
extremely low silver levels in the fixer, and easy least
water washes. Dan