[pure-silver] Re: Ansco 221 Observations & Questions

Re the life of mixed toner.  I've stored used Agfa Viradon toner and after a 
short time it develops a pale yellow waxy sludge.  I've filtered this out and 
reused the toner but the sludge keeps coming back and I usually discard it at 
this point.  Does anyone have any experience storing and reusing this toner?

Janet Ness
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Richard Knoppow<mailto:dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
  To: pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
  Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2007 8:08 PM
  Subject: [pure-silver] Re: Ansco 221 Observations & Questions



  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: "Steve Nicholls" 
<gl1500@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:gl1500@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>>
  To: <pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>>
  Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2007 7:46 PM
  Subject: [pure-silver] Re: Ansco 221 Observations & 
  Questions


  > As a further question on toners -- What type of yoner is 
  > Agfa Viradon?
  >
  > I have found it works well with a partially bleached print 
  > and then redeveloped in a 1:50 bath of Viradon.
  >
  > Quite rich brown as long as the image isn't completely 
  > removed by the bleach.
  >
  > Also does anyone know the keeping quality of the mixed 
  > Viradon toner?
  >

     Agfa made two types of toners under the name Viradon. The 
  older toner was a combination of a Polysulfide and a 
  Selenium toner similar, but probably not identical to, Kodak 
  Polytoner. The later version of Viradon is a Polysulfide 
  toner without the Selenium. I've forgotten how long ago the 
  change was made but I think about ten years.
     Polysulfide toners, like Viradon and Kodak Brown Toner, 
  do not need the bleach step although they will redevelop 
  bleached prints. This is a "direct" toner but both the Agfa 
  and Kodak versions work very slowly unless heated to about 
  100F. Because Polysulfide toners affect all densities 
  equally they provide good protection to an image even when 
  only partially toned. The current recommended toner for 
  protecting microfilm is a Polysulfide toner
     I don't know the life of the mixed toner. I've had some 
  Kodak Brown Toner that was mixed quite a long time ago and 
  still appears to be OK.
     Its possible to get something like (but probably not 
  identical to) the discontinued old Viradon or Kodak 
  Polytoner by mixing Kodak Brown Toner with Kodak Rapid 
  Selenium Toner along with some Sodium Carbonate. This 
  mixture works quite fast even at room temperature. I've 
  posted the formula to this list in the past so it should 
  still be in the archives. The color produced by the 
  combination toner is a bit different than either toner 
  alone.
     While prints toned in a Polysulfide toner can just be 
  washed after toning there is an advantage in treating them 
  in a Sodium Sulfite bath. The Sulfite immediately clears the 
  yellow stain and also stops the toning process which 
  otherwise continues for a time in the wash. While the 
  instructions call for 10% sulfite I've found that working 
  strength Kodak Hypo Clearing Bath seems to work fine.
       Note that Polysulfide toners have the peculiar property 
  of working faster as they become exhausted or diluted. This 
  is one reason for using the sulfite "stop" bath before 
  washing. Also, very diluted or mostly exhuasted Polysulfide 
  toner can leave an overall yellow or peach-colored stain. I 
  don't know of any way to remove this stain.
       Like most other toners the speed of toning and final 
  image color depend on the properties of the original image 
  and emulsion. In general, and for most toners, warm tone 
  papers tone faster and yellower than cold tone ones. This is 
  partially due to the size of the silver particals of which 
  the image is made. Again, as a rule of thumb, the finer the 
  silver grains the yellower the original image color. This is 
  why some extra-fine-grain film developers leave a brownish 
  image.
       AFAIL, Agfa Viradon is no longer made although someone 
  is supposed to be making some of the old Agfa chemicals 
  again. Kodak Brown Toner is definitely still made and is 
  available. One can also make a Polysulfide toner using Kodak 
  Formula T-8.  Polysulfide is also known as Liver of Sulphur.

  ---
  Richard Knoppow
  Los Angeles, CA, USA
  dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 

  
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