The return of the Syrup: HC-110 in the water-free version manufactured again

[mshchem]

What made the old 20th century version of Kodak HC-110 so thick (viscous)? And diluted smell like really bad breath!
I've just recently received 2 bottles of the syrup, I would be interested in using in a replenishment scheme, probably a 1 gallon "tank" and revisit my days of processing sheet film in hard rubber and stainless tanks. How Kodak originally designed HC-110 to be used. Terrific stuff.

This is the perfect developer for beginners as it's robust, delivers excellent results and is very simple to use.

 

[DREW WILEY]

I see that Freestyle is stocking this Adox syrup-style revival of HC-110. That's good news for me.

 

[chuckroast]

Mirko,

Would I do better to decant the syrup into glass bottles for long-term storage? I primarily use HC-110 for developing masks so my usage tends to be very slow.

Thank you.

@Steve Goldstein this is a good question. I did exactly this a few years agi with the several quarts of "real" Kodak HC-110 I had remaining. So far, it's been fine, though my use is also pretty small.

My general view is that anything subject to oxidation is best stored in glass no matter how "impermeable" the plastic is claimed to be. I've got D-76 mixed the better part of a year ago that is still good to go. Pyrocat-HDC in glycol seems to last forever this way, and my homebrew Ansco 130 stock similarly seems to live for months in glass.

 

[MattKing]

HC-110 - the old stuff - wasn't technically subject to oxidation unless and until water was introduced to the mix.
So although it seems strange, it isn't oxygen you need to keep away from it. It is water first, and oxygen thereafter that needs to be kept at bay.

 

[chuckroast]

HC-110 - the old stuff - wasn't technically subject to oxidation unless and until water was introduced to the mix.
So although it seems strange, it isn't oxygen you need to keep away from it. It is water first, and oxygen thereafter that needs to be kept at bay.

Yep, I've heard this before. But after a decade of storage, I saw some slight discoloration and crystallization so I re-homed the developer in glass out of an abundance of caution. When I last used some a month or two ago, it was just fine.

BTW, there are rumours that HC-110 has pyro in it, but I've never gotten definitive proof of this.

 

[MattKing]

Yep, I've heard this before. But after a decade of storage, I saw some slight discoloration and crystallization so I re-homed the developer in glass out of an abundance of caution.

It probably means that it experienced some exposure to humidity/water.

 

[chuckroast]

It probably means that it experienced some exposure to humidity/water.

Possibly, but I cannot imagine how. At least on of the containers I transferred was unopened but still slightly discolored, though not crystallized.

 

[MattKing]

If they were plastic containers originally, it was probably evidence of deterioration of the containers. If they were glass, it would be deterioration of the seals in the caps.

 

[chuckroast]

If they were plastic containers originally, it was probably evidence of deterioration of the containers. If they were glass, it would be deterioration of the seals in the caps.

Likely the former. They were in the original Kodak plastic, hence my re-homing of the stuff. It does seem like its kept just fine since then.

 

[ADOX Fotoimpex]

Mirko,

Would I do better to decant the syrup into glass bottles for long-term storage? I primarily use HC-110 for developing masks so my usage tends to be very slow.

Thank you.

This is never a bad Idea however given the longevidity of the Syrup in combination with our oxygen blocked bottles the effect is small.