Which chemicals are bad and which are still good?

pbromaghin · Oct 24, 2014

I'm going to do some c-41 processing in the next few days and I checked my already mixed chemicals left from the last time. The developer is a deep reddish brown, the bleach is nearly black, the fix and stabilizer are clear. None of them have any noticeable smell. This is the CatLabs kit. Which ones are probably good and which are probably bad?

Thanks to all!

Peter

Gerald C Koch · Oct 24, 2014

Follow the directions of the kit maker for the useful life for the working solutions.

RattyMouse · Oct 25, 2014

I can't answer your question but I wanted to say THANK YOU for using the word chemical in place of using the word "chemistry". As a practicing chemist the past 20 years, I'm boggled by how the word chemistry is used in these forums.

ndrs · Oct 25, 2014

RattyMouse said:
...THANK YOU for using the word chemical in place of using the word "chemistry".

+1

When did you mix them? How many films have you processed already?

Bleach and fixer are easy to test -- take a black strip of developed B&W film, immerse in bleach for 5 minutes and then in fixer for 3 minutes. If you end up with clear film, they still work.

Developer is trickier as it may still produse an image but with wrong colour balance. 'Deep reddish brown' does not sound very encouraging. I would mix a new one or, if this is not possible, develop a test film and scan it before doing any important stuff.

I've used Rollei Digibase C-41 solutions mixed almost a year before with OK results. I always use Tetenal Protectan when closing the bottles.

Steve Smith · Oct 25, 2014

RattyMouse said:
I can't answer your question but I wanted to say THANK YOU for using the word chemical in place of using the word "chemistry". As a practicing chemist the past 20 years, I'm boggled by how the word chemistry is used in these forums.

This could also be posted in the 'Seldom Used Words' thread!

Steve.

Wayne · Oct 25, 2014

RattyMouse said:
I can't answer your question but I wanted to say THANK YOU for using the word chemical in place of using the word "chemistry". As a practicing chemist the past 20 years, I'm boggled by how the word chemistry is used in these forums.

Nobody has thanked me once in the 40 years I've been using the word "chemicals".

Rudeofus · Oct 25, 2014

I think (there was a url link here which no longer exists) have a forum presence here on APUG, so you should be able to contact them directly via PM.

pbromaghin · Oct 25, 2014

Thanks to all of you or your answers. I have to admit that I typed "che" and thought for a moment before continuing.

These working solutions would be affected mainly by time - they have been sitting for several months after processing only a few rolls. I figured before looking that the developer would be no good, but more than one person has posted in the past that the have gotten good results with it being close to this color. I could contact CatLabs, but Omer's answer would probably be the same as Gerald's. It isn't that big a deal to just mix up some new developer, and I will try the bleach & fix test.

Oh boy! Soon it will be time to find new and exciting ways to mess it up!

mklw1954 · Oct 26, 2014

I'm not familiar with that brand but in general air and oxidation ruin developer especially and maybe the other chemicals as well. If they've been stored for this time in bottles that provide a good barrier to air permeation (glass, PET plastic) and they've been filled to the top (no headspace air) the chemicals may be fine.

You could always just develop a roll that's not very important to you to check the chemicals.

Which chemicals are bad and which are still good?

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