[pure-silver] Re: Iron Toners

  • From: "Don Feinberg" <ducque@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2007 20:25:05 -0500

I would second (and "third") the need for acidified water.

I've tried several versions of prussian blue toners.  But my household water
is ~ pH 7.15, and I have found that far and away alkaline enough to
completely destroy the toning within 20 to 30 seconds.  I found even
distilled / bottled water frequently alkaline enough to have the same
effect.

I have concluded that using acidified water is simply not an option with
iron toning.

Now, my (not so simple) question:

I had made a number of very nicely iron toned prints.  They seemed to be
quite permanent.  However, I had a gallery show.  I entrusted two of the
blue prints to the gallery.  The owner of the gallery liked one of the
prints so well that he put it into the window of the gallery.  Within a
week, the print had turned rust-brown.  Not unattractive, mind you :-)  :-)
but definitely not the blue print I had made!

Well, of course! The print does have residual iron in it.

The second print I have hanging in the gallery, which has been there for
about 6 months, is not in sunight, and it is also starting to "turn".

(I had had these prints previously stored in portfolio cases.)

So:  does anyone know a way to dramatically reduce the amount of free iron
left from iron / prussian blue toning, so the prints are more permanent?  Or
have I completely misunderstood something here?

Don Feinberg
ducque@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pure-silver-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
> [mailto:pure-silver-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Graham Max
> Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2007 6:51 PM
> To: pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [pure-silver] Re: Iron Toners
> 
> The Somerville two-stage blue toner will give more subtle 
> tones than a direct toner. It does not intensify the print 
> and, depending on the degree of bleaching, can produce split 
> tones or replace the blacks with blue. The formula below is 
> from Larry Bartlett's B & W Printing Workshop.
> 
> If contamination is avoided, both solutions will keep well 
> and can be re-used to exhaustion.
> 
> Bath 1 ( Bleach )
> Potassium ferricyanide, 10% solution        200 ml
> Ammonia, 10%                                             100 ml
> Water to                                                      
>    1000 ml
> 
> Test the effect of varying degrees of bleaching. Partial 
> bleaching will produce a split-toned print, bleach to 
> finality and even the darkest tones will be replaced by 
> shades of blue.
> 
> Wash VERY thoroughly between baths, preferably with slightly 
> acidified water.
> It's worth testing with scraps of print and small volumes of 
> toner to see how long you need to wash because the slightest 
> carry-over of bleach will produce a blue precipitate, 
> impossible to remove, which will ruin the print AND the toner bath.
> 
> Bath 2 ( Toner )
> Ferrous sulphate                                            20 g
> Hydrochloric acid, 10%                                100 ml
> Water to                                                      
>    1000ml
> 
> I find that the process is more controllable if the toning 
> bath is weaker than shown in the formula, and I make it up at 
>  half the strength shown - it will still keep well.
> 
> The final wash should be acidified to preserve the blue tone. 
> Conversely, to weaken the tone, try slightly alkaline water.
> 
> Blue toning seems to emphasise any marks on the emulsion 
> surface, so handle the print with extreme care at all stages. 
> The counsel of perfection is to use over-sized paper, touch 
> only the edges and trim the dried print back to the required size.
> 
> Only experiment will show how individual papers will respond 
> to toning - I find it helps to keep all the test strips for 
> any prints intended for toning and use them for toner tests.
> 
> Graham Max,
> Somerset, UK
> 
> .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Eric Nelson" <emanmb@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: <pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Friday, April 13, 2007 6:29 PM
> Subject: [pure-silver] Iron Toners
> 
> 
> >I need to Blue (iron) tone a print today and was
> > looking at my formula I've used in the past and
> > comparing with those I found online.
> > What I've used in the past is this formula:
> > SOLUTION A
> > WATER                                            206
> > mls
> > POTASSIUM FERRICYANIDE        2 gms
> > GLACIAL ACETIC ACID                  30 mls
> >
> > SOLUTION B
> > WATER
> >          309 mls
> > FERRIC AMMONIUM CITRATE (GREEN)     3 gms
> > GLACIAL ACETIC ACID
> > 45 mls
> >
> > As I recall and from samples I have that I did a long
> > time ago, the borders aquire a blue cast as well.  I'm
> > wondering if anyone has any experience with other
> > formulas such as this one that might NOT tone the
> > borders as well.
> >
> > TONER WORKING SOLUTION A
> > Distilled Water (120°F/48°C) 500 ml
> > Ferric Ammonium Citrate              8g
> > Potassium Ferricyanide              8g
> > Succinic (tartaric) acid*             37 g
> > Distilled Water to make         1000 ml
> >
> > Eric
> >
> >
> > __________________________________________________
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