Windisch Surface Developer _ what's correct

[JensH]

Hi Jens,

Good to know that Windisch stock solution does have a useful shelf-life of a few months. Interestingly, Windisch working solution is much stronger (in Catechol) than Pyrocat and OA and yet "too soft on fast films". Could this be also due to the absence of Sulphite?

Yes, the sulfite free variant is slowly acting, but quickly exhausting.
One of the other three original Windisch low sulfite pyrocat reciepes will be better here...

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

Ok, I see it's by design like this as noted by PE. Interesting!

It is not difficult to see that if you wish a compensating developer, you use lower sulfite and if you wish to mitigate the compensation then use higher sulfite.

I would guess that people fell into the error of mistaking this formula due to the high level of catechol in the original formula and decided it was a misprint, misunderstanding that it was there for a reason. They also probably got high fog. So, they inverted the ratios.

 

[JensH]

Ok, I see it's by design like this as noted by PE. Interesting!

Indeed, this is a great thread to understand these developers. Sandy King gave us great resources on the topic, too.
And btw, I know why Jay called his one Obsidian Aqua - after use of a very low sulfite Pyrocat dev. it comes very dark out of the tank, like that blackish stone.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Indeed, this is a great thread to understand these developers. Sandy King gave us great resources on the topic, too.
And btw, I know why Jay called his one Obsidian Aqua - after use of a very low sulfite Pyrocat dev. it comes very dark out of the tank, like that blackish stone.

...or the name was given due to the sharpness that OA can give a negative. Obsidian is volanic glass, and used for some surgical blades.
I read through this entire thread, because of interest in Windisch formula. It's very interesting. Input from important Apuggers of yore.