Household B&W Reversal - Help!

[PKarn]

Over the past week, I have been experimenting with a black and white film reversal process using common 3% hydrogen peroxide. With fairly little to go on, these have been my primary sources:
http://www.filmlabs.org/docs/citric-hydrogen-peroxide-bleach.pdf
A Year On Film: Roll Reversal - A Safe Alternative

I started with the peroxide/citric acid bleach, but after 3 tests of changing citric acid concentration and bleach times with no success, I assumed it was because of the lower peroxide concentration. I stumbled upon the second source, which uses 3% peroxide and common white vinegar. Using this process, and after experimenting with first/second development times, bleach times, I was eventually able to produce a reversed image.

However, this image is very dark and low contrast. The leader stays fairly dark, so the process is still leaving silver for some reason. The past few tests are changing the outcome minimally, and I am unsure where to turn next, hence the post. I will attach some scans


I will list the specifics here:
Film: HP5 shot at 400,
Developer: Ilfosol 3 diluted 1:9
Bleach: 330ml 3% hydrogen peroxide, 20ml 5% white vinegar

Process:
Pre-soak 1 minutes
Develop 12 minutes @ 20C
Wash 1 minute
Bleach 6 1/2 minutes @ 66C (surprisingly doesn't melt emulsion)
Wash 1 minute
Re-expose 3 minutes
Develop 12 minutes @ 20C
Wash 1 minute
Fix 4 minutes @ 20C
Wash 5 minutes

I have not been using a clearing bath, as I wish for this process to use relatively non-toxic household chemicals. I am unsure if this is why the leader holds onto silver, as information about this problem is hard to find. I do not think it is due to under-bleaching -- I tried doubling the bleach time but no change, and both articles referenced above were able to get fine pictures using peroxide/acid

Does anybody know anything about this specific problem (Image dark, leader staying dark as well)? I have never reversal processed black and white film, mainly due to non-environmentally friendly chemicals, so I have no experience in this side of film. Should I suck it up and buy some sodium sulfite for a clearing bath? Could it be that ilfosol 3 is not a sufficient developer for black and white reversal? I am at a loss!

 

[compur]

The example in the first link you provided above uses 9% hydrogen peroxide for bleach, not 3% as you used. Have you tried it with 9%?

 

[PKarn]

The example in the first link you provided above uses 9% hydrogen peroxide for bleach, not 3% as you used. Have you tried it with 9%?

I noticed it uses 9%, unfortunately 9% is harder to source/too expensive. I have only tried walmart 3%, though i may try to evaporate with water in order to concentrate it

 

[webestang64]

Wish I could help but I have never done BW reversal.
A friend uses this method and they look very nice..... Reversal Processing

 

[compur]

I noticed it uses 9%, unfortunately 9% is harder to source/too expensive. I have only tried walmart 3%, though i may try to evaporate with water in order to concentrate it

You can buy a bottle of "40 volume" hydrogen peroxide (that's 12%) for about $3 at beauty supply stores and then dilute to 9% or just use it as is. Regular 3% HP is also known as "10 volume."