How long is the shelf life of Kentmere Fiber papers? I still have like 75 sheets left in the box I purchased two years ago (Still branded under Luminos), and don't want to order more at this time, but I also don't want to think that my tests for dead chemcials may also include dying paper, and have to place a second order for paper. So anyways, here is what I just did. I'm lead to believe the paper is fine yet, but dont' want any surprizes. So if anything jump out at you of being an indicator of paper going bad, do speak.
Was testing some Ethold LPD that was mixed from stock 2 years ago, didn't really expect a win here, but was worth trying. FYI, I've always gotten full development in 90 seconds with this combo.
1.) Ran test strip. 0.5 second intervals. 90 seconds, very very dim image. Kind of purple pink in tone.
2.) Increased step time to 2 seconds each. Still a very very dim image.
-2a) Suddenly believed I may have mixed the develop from 4-year old stock that I never tossed.
-2B) Grabbed a newer 2-year bottle of stock, poured some right into the tray on the dim image. Got a really neat black sunburst effect on the paper.
3.) Emptied the tray and refilled with the newer stock. Processed another test strip at 0.5 intervals. Image was much, but no blacks, and splotchy devlopment, still kind of purple/pink in color.
4) Grabbed a piece of trimmed paper, and in open light developed it. It took 90 seconds to hit full black, but pretty much right up the the end the tone was still splotchy. Within the last ten seconds, it evened out.
Does everything here seem to be the effect of a weak developer? I've never actually used a box of paper longer then a few months after I purchased it, so I'm not really sure what it would look like if it started turning on me, and the box doesn't have an expriation date printed on it.
Was testing some Ethold LPD that was mixed from stock 2 years ago, didn't really expect a win here, but was worth trying. FYI, I've always gotten full development in 90 seconds with this combo.
1.) Ran test strip. 0.5 second intervals. 90 seconds, very very dim image. Kind of purple pink in tone.
2.) Increased step time to 2 seconds each. Still a very very dim image.
-2a) Suddenly believed I may have mixed the develop from 4-year old stock that I never tossed.
-2B) Grabbed a newer 2-year bottle of stock, poured some right into the tray on the dim image. Got a really neat black sunburst effect on the paper.
3.) Emptied the tray and refilled with the newer stock. Processed another test strip at 0.5 intervals. Image was much, but no blacks, and splotchy devlopment, still kind of purple/pink in color.
4) Grabbed a piece of trimmed paper, and in open light developed it. It took 90 seconds to hit full black, but pretty much right up the the end the tone was still splotchy. Within the last ten seconds, it evened out.
Does everything here seem to be the effect of a weak developer? I've never actually used a box of paper longer then a few months after I purchased it, so I'm not really sure what it would look like if it started turning on me, and the box doesn't have an expriation date printed on it.
