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Uses for spent pyro developers

2F/2F

Member
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Joined
Apr 29, 2008
Messages
8,031
Location
Los Angeles,
Format
Multi Format
Hello,

Are spent pyro developers of any use for adding fog density to films after development? For instance, say I have a roll of film developed in any standard developer, and I decide that it would print better with a bit of fog. Can I dip the film in some used PMK to get that? I know this sounds dumb to seekers of The Standard Print, but sometimes I like the way fogged negs look, and I think that this might be more predictable than using any random bit of expired film.

Right now I just save the stuff up and take it in to a haz-mat center along with my spent fixer.

If this won't do the trick, any other suggestions, other than sandwiching film?

Thanks.
 
I think the stuff oxidized fairly quickly and it wouldn't be easy to preserve for reuse. I dump it down the drain.

If you want to try it, use it within an hour of mixing. It gets dark/muddy pretty fast just sitting in a tray.
 
So, the general stain will be produced only by "active" developer. I knew this was the case for the density-linked stain, but thought that general stain (fogging) might be possible after the fact. Thanks for the reply.

Any other chemical-based suggestions?
 
Well, the latest instruction about PMK says the after-stain (which you originally saved the developer for) is useless, but no harm in trying it. I bet tea/coffee/caffenol-c would add a stain consistently at any time if you wanted.