[pure-silver] More Sepia Toners.

I have some of my references back so here are some "direct" type Sepia toners. Note that I am not including Nelson's Gold Toner because the patent is easily available on-line and has a good set of instructions for mixing and using the toner. It is USP 1,849,245

Kodak Polysulfide Toner T-8
Water                            750.0 ml
Polysulfide (Liver of Sulfur)      7.5 grams
Water to make                      1.0 liter

Dissolve chemicals in order given.
Prints should be well washed.
Immerse prints for about 15 to 20 minutes at 68F and agitate. Toning can be completed in 3 to 4 minutes by increasing temperature to 100F. After toning wipe any sediment off the surface and wash for at least 30 minutes.

Note: The original Kodak instructions do not mention the use of a sulfite stop bath after toning but it should be used. A bath of around 2% works although the bath for Kodak Brown Toner is specified as 10%. A bath of working strength Kodak Hypo Clearing Agent works in practice. Immerse the prints in the sulfite for a couple of minutes, or until any staining clears and then wash.

Kodak Hypo Alum Sepia Toner T-1a
Cold water                        2800.0 ml
Sodium thiosulfate (hypo)          480.0 grams

Dissolve thoroughly, and add the following solution.

Hot water (about 160F)             640.0 ml
Potassium alum                     120.0 grams

Then add the folowing solution, including precipitate, _slowly to the hypo-alum solution while stirring the latter rapidly_.

Cold water                          64.0 ml
Silver nitrate, crystals             4.2 grams
Sodum chloride*                      4.2 grams

After combining the above solutions.

Add water to make                    4.0 liters

*Kosher salt is usually pure sodium chloride. Table salt often has additives such as iodide or silicones. (RK)

Note: The siler nitrate should be dissolved completelely before adding the sodium chloride and immediately afterward, the solution containing the milky white precipitate should be added to the hypo-alum solution as directed above. The formation of a black precipitate in no way impairs the oning action of he bath if proper manipulation technique is used.

For use, pour into a tray supported in a water bath and heat to 120F. At this emperature prints will tone in 12 to 15 iminutes depending on the type of paper. Never use the solution at a emperature above 120F. Blisters and stain may result. toning should not be continued longer than 20 minutes at 120F. In order to produce good sepia tones, the prints should be exposed so that the prnit is slightly darker tthan normal when develoloped noarmally (1.5 to 2 minutes). The prints to be toned should be fixed thoroughlly an swashed for a few minutes before being placed in the toning bath. Dry prints should be soaked thoroughly in water. To insure even toning , the prints should immersed completely, and separated occasionally, especially during the first few minutes. After prints are toned, they should be wiped with a soft sponge and warm water to remove and sediment and washed one hour in running water.

My note: This toner gets better with age since it absorbs some silver from the prints toned. The silver decreases the tendency of the toner to bleach the image slightly. This is the reason for the sliver nitrate in the formula, it is a sort of seasoning ingredient to prevent excessive bleaching. Also, the chemical name for white alum is potassium aluminum sulfate. Sometimes its better to search for chemicals by chemical name rather than the popular name. T-1a is typical of Hypo-Alum toners. (source for both of these formulas is the _Formulas section of the _Kodak Reference Handbook_ dated March, 1945)


Another Hypo-Alum Toner, Ansco/Agfa 222

Solution 1
Water                        2350.0 ml
Sodium thiosulfate            450.0 grams

Solution 2
Water                          30.0 ml
Silver nitrate                  1.3 grams

Solution 3
Water                           30.0 ml
Potassium iodide                 2.7 grams

Add solution 2 to Solution 1. Then addSolution 3 to the mixture. Finally add 105 grams of Potassium Alum to this solution and heat the entire bath to the boiling point, or until sufurizatioin takes place (indicated by a milky appearance to the solution. Tone prints 20 to 60 minutes in this bath at 110F to 125F. Agitate prints occasionally until toning is complete. Care should be used to insure blacks are fully converted befoe removing the prints from teh toning bath otherwise double tones may result.

My note: There is nothing in the instructions about washing but toned prints should be treated as in the Kodak toner, i.e., wiped down and washed for 30 minutes to an hour.

The following is a Hypo-Alum toner with a gold chloride tone modifier. I think I posted something simiar called Gold Medal toner to this list some time ago. I think its a Kodak toner but don't have the reference at hand. This formula came from the Haloid company which later became Xerox!

Gold Toning Bath- Haloid T-2
For Sepia Tones
Boiling water                        550.0 ml
Sodium thiosulfate                   120.0 grams
Potassium alum                        15.0 grams
Boil the above until sulfurization action is complete, 2 to 3 minutes should suffice, then add:
Sodium Phosphate                      15.0 grams
Cold water to make                     1.0 liter
Test this solution with RED litmus paper. If it does not turn blue add sufficient hypo in 30 gram quantities until the bath turns alkaline which woulnd bindicated by the red litmus paper turning blue. Care should be taken in preparing the toning bath so taht it just be slightly alkaline. An acid bath will not work. While allowing the solution to cool to 70F prepare the following two separate solutions:
Solution A
Water                                7.5 ml
Silver nitrate crystals              1.0 gram

Solution B
water                                7.5 ml
Potassium bromide                    3.0 grams

Combine Solution A with Solution B and add to the above cool toning solution while stirring vigorously.

Gold Solution
Gold chloride                        1.0 gram
Water                               60.0 ml

For toning add 8.0 ml of the Gold solution to each liter of working solution Place all prints to be toned intot hes toining bath at once. Tone until the disired color is obtained. Check toning by immersing the print into acid hypo bath for 5 minutes. This is important. Each liter of this toning solution will tone 12 8x190 prints or their equuivalent. If more printsare to be donte, more gold soltuion must be added. After toning , sponge pritns front and back to remove sediment, then wash and dry in the usual manner. Prints to be toned by this process should be fully exposed so that development to proper depth may be obtained without forcing in in th4e developer. Use plenty of bromide in the developer as prints having a pronounced olive tint wil tone more readily.

RK note: The fixing step may be important to longevity of the print as it is for Nelson's.

Note, all formulas calling for sodium thiosulfate mean the crystaline form. If anhydrous thiosufate is used the amount must be adjusted accordingly. I suspect that all of these formulas smell pretty bad when being made up so should be concocted and used where there is plenty of ventillation.

Source for the above two formulas is from the 1945 edition of the _Photo-Lab-Index. Maybe more later depending on how much typing I can stand at once.:-) Defender also has a formula containing potassium iodide. I don't know what effect this has but suspect it may result in colder browns than bromide.

I would love to hear from anyone actually trying any of these toners.

---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx



=============================================================================================================
To unsubscribe from this list, go to www.freelists.org and logon to your 
account (the same e-mail address and password you set-up when you subscribed,) 
and unsubscribe from there.

Other related posts: