Why is "Dektol" called "Dektol"?

rwyoung

Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2006
Messages
708
Location
Lawrence, KS
Format
Multi Format
Curious questions:

Why is "Dektol" called "Dektol"? Looking at the formula for D-72 (not exactly the same thing but close enough) I don't see anything to give me a clue.

Why is "Rodinal" called "Rodinal"? Perhaps its name somehow comes from the p-Aminophenol? But that seem like a pretty weak link to me since the brand name is "al" and the chemical ends "ol".

Anyway, just one of those things that keep me awake at night.
 

Petzi

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2006
Messages
851
Location
Europe
Format
Med. Format Pan

I don't know the full story but it seems to be an Agfa nomenclature.

-ol = Paper developer

Example:
Neutol

-al = Film developer

Examples:
Rodinal
Studional
Refinal
Atomal
 

Photo Engineer

Subscriber
Joined
Apr 19, 2005
Messages
29,018
Location
Rochester, NY
Format
Multi Format
It seems to me that rwyoung and petzi are worth quesitoning as well.

In any case, these names are older than dirt.

PE
 

Petzi

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2006
Messages
851
Location
Europe
Format
Med. Format Pan
In any case, these names are older than dirt.

Yes that's true. Given that the German word "neu" means "new" in English, there must have been some -ol before that. People with old photo books might know about that. I believe I was born after Neutol was invented.
 

jimgalli

Subscriber
Joined
Sep 7, 2002
Messages
4,236
Location
Tonopah Neva
Format
ULarge Format
D eveloper
E astman
K odak
tol

good as any other guess.
 

Photo Engineer

Subscriber
Joined
Apr 19, 2005
Messages
29,018
Location
Rochester, NY
Format
Multi Format
jimgalli is also a curiosity to me.

Dektol is nearly 100 years old, near my age. How about the rest of you???



PE
 

Petzi

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2006
Messages
851
Location
Europe
Format
Med. Format Pan
D eveloper
E astman
K odak
tol

good as any other guess.

What I said is not a guess, I think read it somewhere in an Agfa publication, but I can't find the reference right away.

I was born in 1969.

I have to think of the guy here who said he liked Dassonville paper when it was available.
 
Joined
Feb 22, 2006
Messages
1,213
Location
Hawaii
Format
35mm RF
What?! PE is close to 100? Got to be kidding!
I've heard of an old developer called Geritol or something like that, anybody have the formula?
 

CRhymer

Subscriber
Joined
Feb 8, 2005
Messages
439
Location
Fort Smith,
Format
ULarge Format
etymology

What I said is not a guess, I think read it somewhere in an Agfa publication, but I can't find the reference right away.

I was born in 1969.

I have to think of the guy here who said he liked Dassonville paper when it was available.

Perhaps you are thinking of something like this:

http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=005gxE

I am incrementally younger than PE.

PE-dx

Cheers,
Clarence
 
OP
OP

rwyoung

Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2006
Messages
708
Location
Lawrence, KS
Format
Multi Format
It seems to me that rwyoung and petzi are worth quesitoning as well.

In any case, these names are older than dirt.

PE

Not sure about everybody else's Sunday funnies, but last week, Opus closed with a very valid observation:

The trouble with having an open mind, is that people keep sticking things in it!

This is exactly my problem!:rolleyes:
 

Michel Hardy-Vallée

Membership Council
Subscriber
Joined
Apr 2, 2005
Messages
4,794
Location
Montréal, QC
Format
Multi Format
It seems to me that rwyoung and petzi are worth quesitoning as well.

In any case, these names are older than dirt.

PE

Petzi is a kind Danish bear, also known as Rasmums Klump, that loves pancakes with syrups and travels around the world with a seal capitain, a pelican, a turtle, and a penguin. I used to love reading him.
 

Photo Engineer

Subscriber
Joined
Apr 19, 2005
Messages
29,018
Location
Rochester, NY
Format
Multi Format
What?! PE is close to 100? Got to be kidding!
I've heard of an old developer called Geritol or something like that, anybody have the formula?

This reminds me of another comment about a medical problem called "noassatall".

RidingWaves is also an odd name.

PE
 

Joe Lipka

Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2002
Messages
908
Location
Cary, North
Format
4x5 Format
This reminds me of another comment about a medical problem called "noassatall"
PE

I remember reading in a Weston Daybook, where Edward was complaining of a similar ailment, "lackanookie". Although I do find that difficult to imagine.
 

DBP

Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2006
Messages
1,905
Location
Alexandria,
Format
Multi Format
This reminds me of another comment about a medical problem called "noassatall".

RidingWaves is also an odd name.

PE

Probably American Indian - I refer you to Little Assawoman Bay in Delaware and the town of Assawoman in Accomack County, Virginia.
 

Photo Engineer

Subscriber
Joined
Apr 19, 2005
Messages
29,018
Location
Rochester, NY
Format
Multi Format
DBP and Jovo are also odd, now that I think about it. What kind of community do we have here? A bunch of Klumps?

PE
 

Monophoto

Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2004
Messages
1,689
Location
Saratoga Spr
Format
Multi Format
One of the useless tidbits I picked up during a visit to the George Eastman Museum many years ago was that Eastman had a "thing" about the letter K. He made up the name "Kodak" to take maximum advantage of the magical "K". I wonder if the name Dektol was born of similar illogic.
 

Jerevan

Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2004
Messages
2,258
Location
Germany/Sweden
Format
Large Format
DBP and Jovo are also odd, now that I think about it. What kind of community do we have here? A bunch of Klumps?

PE

And Klumps "headed" by a Photo Engineer? Oh man, this is gonna be weird! (And my nick is... well... the name of a city.) But it all fits alongside the Eastman idea of K-magic I suppose.
 
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Messages
984
Location
Athens
Format
Medium Format
The man who invented Dektol was Greek. His name was Nick Dektolopoulos. The name was shortened for commercial reasons.

Ron is actually 112, but pretends to be only 100.
 

Chazzy

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2004
Messages
2,942
Location
South Bend,
Format
Multi Format

I've always thought that Dektol or Ektar would make a nice name for a cat.
 

Petzi

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2006
Messages
851
Location
Europe
Format
Med. Format Pan
The man who invented Dektol was Greek. His name was Nick Dektolopoulos. The name was shortened for commercial reasons.

Unfortunately, Google has no hit when you search for Dektolopulos...
 
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…