[pure-silver] Re: PYRO Processing Questions
- From: "Richard Knoppow" <dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:32:50 -0800
----- Original Message -----
From: "Charles" <cgellis@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, November 22, 2008 1:50 PM
Subject: [pure-silver] Re: PYRO Processing Questions
Hi Richard ...
I used the Kodak D-7 metol-pyro formula for many years and
got excellent negatives with nice sharpness and tonality
but stopped using it when I read too much stuff about the
toxicity. Most lately, I've used either Rodinal, Crawley's
FX-37, or a metol-sulfite-carbonate concoction of my own
invention. All these also produce nice negatives. The
FX-37 was especially nice with Agfa APX 100 (rip). With
the D-7 I'd set up a tray with the water and B and C
solutions. Then I'd put in the negatives, shuffle them a
couple of times and then dump in the A solution and start
the timer. I got very consistent results. Films were Ansco
Versapan, Tri-X and T-Max 400 mostly.
I'm talking sheet film here with no great enlargement so I
can't say much about grain and such.
When I used the D-7, not knowing any better, I developed
sheet film in a tray without gloves. When I did a lot of
film, my hands would stain. Maybe this is what made me the
way I am today ... am today ... am today ...
Charles Ellis
Metol is supposed to be a preservative for pyro
allowing formulas like D-7 to have longer tray life. Pyro
stains any collegen like gelatin or fingernails. Old time
photographers often had _black_ fingernails but this is from
Amidol, not pyro which stains brown. I guess you could have
both which would also look black.
I am very skeptacle of the idea that pyro causes
Alzheimers, while some well known photographers died of
Alzheimers there were plenty of others who never had any
symptoms. I am unaware than any proper formal research has
ever been done so IMO its still urban myth. Some developers,
probably most of them are toxic in some way. Metol, for
instance, and some others, is a skin sensitizer causing very
sereous rashes in some people. Others can cause liver
problems, etc., but it takes rather large doses to result in
trouble. However, I think its a very wise practice to use
nitrile gloves for all photogrphic solutions that your are
likely to get your hands into.
--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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