[pure-silver] Re: Sodium Hydroxide = Red Devil Lye
----- Original Message ----- From: "Bogdan Karasek" <bkarasek@xxxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: <pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, January 18, 2008 10:09 PM
Subject: [pure-silver] Sodium Hydroxide = Red Devil Lye



Hi All,
This is a bit off the wall but I'm taking a chance that somebody in our august and diversified group might be of help.
The only large supplier of photograde chemicals in Canada is a 15 minute ride from my place. In my order I needed Sodium Hydroxide to make a particular solution of Sepia Toner. She informed this afternoon that she doesn't carry it anymore because of the very low demand. I was the first person in year who asked for it. So I substituted Potassium Hydroxide at the ratio of 10:14 by weight.
Now the question? Anchell in the "Darkroom Cookbook" suggests that a substitute for Sodium Hydroxide is RED DEVIL Lye. This is an American label (I'm Canadian) and several people I have spoken to have never heard of it. My wife told me that her mother used to use LIONS Lye to flush out the drains but I don't know if it is a substitute for RED DEVIL; I don't know if it can even be bought anymore.
Would anybody, perchance, on the off chance, trivial pursuit question, ...... have an idea of a Canadian substitute for RED DEVIL Lye to replace the Sodium Hydroxide????? 

Pleeeeeese.......
It's nice to be able to lug home a 5 Kg container of Sodium Thiosulphate 

Cheers :)

Bogdan
According to a site dedicated to soap and candle making Red Devil lye was removed from sale a few years ago. Sodium hydroxide is still available from stores that sell supplies for this hobby. I could not find Lion's Lye on the internet, perhaps its also off the market. For most uses potassium hydroxide will do as well as the sodium salt but is a bit more alkaline (higher pH). What sepia toner formula do you have that requires hydroxide? 

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