Fiber Paper Printing Question

[jrgoresko]

My friend needs to print using fiber paper, and we're not sure how what type of fixer to use. She thought she needed non-hard fixer, but someone at the store we went to to buy our chemicals said she could use hardened fixer but to keep it in the tray longer. We have Kodak rapid fixer professional w/ hardener in a seperate bottle. Help help help.

 

[ksmattfish]

I don't ever use hardener with either FB or RC papers.

 

[terri]

I never thought much about the effects of hardener in fixers until I started toning some images my husband had printed for me. He works as an aerial photographer and develops his stuff for machine printing, so virtually all he keeps on hand is fixer/hardener. It had a disastrous result on the toning, of course.

Sign of the times: when I went to go pick up my own fixer, I had to stand around the store and wait for someone to help me who knew anything about darkroom products. I waited 20 minutes because they kept trying to sell me Kodak rapid-fix, which I'd heard had the hardener in it, and I wouldn't buy it until someone checked it out. I ended up with an Ilford fixer, which also claimed to be a rapid-fix, but the person who finally talked to me went and pulled out the specs book and it plainly stated the product contained no hardener.

When I finally get a chance to start putting together my own darkroom, this is all I ever plan to use. I guess its purpose on a machine print would be to protect the emulsion....? But I don't really know what purpose hardener serves for fine-art printing, if any.

 

[oriecat]

I've wondered that myself. Also about using it with film. Does it make it hard so like it can't be scratched? That could be a good thing.

 

[ksmattfish]

Here's what Ilford thinks about hardener...

For most applications modern camera films are sufficiently hardened when manufactured for most processing circumstances so the general use of a fix hardening agent is no longer recommended.

The use of ILFORD HYPAM HARDENER is only recommended if:-
- the film process temperature is above 30ºC (86ºF)
- poor film drying performance is being experienced
- shorter film drying times are needed
- there is a risk of physical damage to the film, e.g. if a roller transport processor is used.

For paper processing applications using a fix hardener is not recommended.

 

[Soulreaver]

I use Ilford rapid fixer @ school , and I have no problems in toning the prints afterward.We made a sepia toning on a brilliant rc paper from ilford that got metallized when looked at certain angles to the light, but it didnt happen with either pearl or satin paper.

 

[gecko]

i used fiber paper and my regular developer and fixer no problems so far