Kodak Rapid Selinum Toner, Negs, & Re-useability

[BrianPhotog]

Thanks to a gift of Kodak Rapid Selinium Toner, I have recently started giving some of my negs a short & light selinium bath (1:30 for 3 minutes) after processing to help bring out some shadow detail, add a small bit of contrast, and for preservation.

My question is this: how re-useable is and what is the shelf life (assuming proper storage) of the working solution?

TIA!

[Doug]

I do the same, Brian, essentially. I combine the toner with the hypo clearing bath. So When I mix up new hypo clear, I get fresh toner as well. Seems to me your toner bath should last nearly indefinitely; maybe the instructions have some guidance on that? Caution: use protective gloves if necessary to prevent skin contact with the selenium toning solution.

[BrianPhotog]

Originally Posted by Doug

Seems to me your toner bath should last nearly indefinitely; maybe the instructions have some guidance on that?

Nah, they don't. They only cover print use.

Caution: use protective gloves if necessary to prevent skin contact with the selenium toning solution.

Thanks. I'll be sure to pick up a pair of kitchen gloves later on today.

[Roman]

Same experience here (only that it is LP-Selenia that I use, not KRST) - you can keep it as long as it works, it will not go bad, just lose activity ater a very long time (because all the selenium in the solution has gone onto the films). One minor problem with my solutions is that after a couple of months, dark flakes have started to float around in the bottle - so I had to filter them off.

Roman

[titrisol]

1:30 seems awfully diluted, but if it works for you. Selenium can be used until there is no more left in there, check Lloyd Elrick's website for info on selenium toning

I prefer not to mix it with HCA, as it harms the life of the selenium toner which is very long.

After you think it is exhausted put a couple of black untoned strips of paper in there and let them soak the selenium for a few hours.

After that you can dilute it further with water and your graden will yield beautiful purple flowers

[BrianPhotog]

Originally Posted by titrisol

1:30 seems awfully diluted, but if it works for you. Selenium can be used until there is no more left in there, check Lloyd Elrick's website for info on selenium toning

Any suggestion for dilution (for film, not prints)? What's the url?

[Doug]

I add the toner 1:16 to the hypo clearing bath...

[BrianPhotog]

Thanks much all!

[titrisol]

I use Patterson Acutone so my dilutions are/maybe different.
I normally use 1+4 for prints and 1+1 for negatives (for intesification)

I prefer using plain water, not HCA as the life of the toer is longer.

Originally Posted by BrianPhotog

Any suggestion for dilution (for film, not prints)? What's the url?

I found this in my notes:

Based on John Sexton workshop notes:

Make sure the neg is fixed and washed properly.

Soak the neg in water for 3-5 minutes

Place negative in selenium toner solution at 1:1 (probably 1+9 for KRST) dilution. You can use HCA instead of water. I find water is fine.

Soak neg in HCA for 3 minutes.

Wash and dry.

You can also paint the solution on large format negatives with a brush, Q-Tip, or a cotton ball (for large areas). Don't use a wetting agent. Sexton said that this causes unevenness of application.

It works great and adds about 1 stop of contrast increase.

Lloyd Elrick's website:
http://www.heylloyd.com/technicl/seuse.htm

Very good pointers (take with one or two grains of salt)