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Metol stored June 2000 - Sep 2007
Metol stored June 2000 - Sep 2007
September 13, 2007, from Lloyd Erlick,
Today I used some Kodak Metol I bought in
June, 2000. The container was the original in
which it was supplied. Only a few grams of
Metol remained inside. I used seven grams,
and perhaps the same still remain now. The
container is full of air, of course, and I
have certainly never excluded the air by
filling with a relatively inert gas like
nitrogen (which I have available). In fact,
the extent of my effort to prolong the life
of the Metol was to keep the bottle carefully
sealed when not in use. It was in darkness in
a drawer. It never saw storage in the
refrigerator.
Well, if you've read this far, you're
probably not surprised to learn that the dreg
of Metol I dug out of the container made up a
developer that developed sheets of
photographic paper very nicely. I did not
perform scientific tests, or even side by
side comparisons with fresher samples of
Metol, but I can see the print develops
exactly as I would expect.
I don't know how old the Metol was when I
finally got it. I bought it from a shop that
placed an order with Kodak Canada and lo, it
appeared, for about fifty dollars CND
including taxes. Maybe it was manufactured a
year before I got it, so that would be 1999.
Anyway, it's the best part of a decade old
now and hasn't deteriorated.
Great stuff; I think they should find it work
in the data processing industry.
regards,
--le
________________________________
Lloyd Erlick Portraits, Toronto.
website: www .heylloyd,com
telephone: 416-686-0326
email: portrait@heylloyd,com
________________________________
--
September 13, 2007, from Lloyd Erlick,
Today I used some Kodak Metol I bought in
June, 2000. The container was the original in
which it was supplied. Only a few grams of
Metol remained inside. I used seven grams,
and perhaps the same still remain now. The
container is full of air, of course, and I
have certainly never excluded the air by
filling with a relatively inert gas like
nitrogen (which I have available). In fact,
the extent of my effort to prolong the life
of the Metol was to keep the bottle carefully
sealed when not in use. It was in darkness in
a drawer. It never saw storage in the
refrigerator.
Well, if you've read this far, you're
probably not surprised to learn that the dreg
of Metol I dug out of the container made up a
developer that developed sheets of
photographic paper very nicely. I did not
perform scientific tests, or even side by
side comparisons with fresher samples of
Metol, but I can see the print develops
exactly as I would expect.
I don't know how old the Metol was when I
finally got it. I bought it from a shop that
placed an order with Kodak Canada and lo, it
appeared, for about fifty dollars CND
including taxes. Maybe it was manufactured a
year before I got it, so that would be 1999.
Anyway, it's the best part of a decade old
now and hasn't deteriorated.
Great stuff; I think they should find it work
in the data processing industry.
regards,
--le
________________________________
Lloyd Erlick Portraits, Toronto.
website: www .heylloyd,com
telephone: 416-686-0326
email: portrait@heylloyd,com
________________________________
--
Re: Metol stored June 2000 - Sep 2007
On Sep 13, 9:29 pm, Lloyd Erlick <Lloyd at @the-wire. dot com> wrote:
> September 13, 2007, from Lloyd Erlick,
>
> Today I used some Kodak Metol I bought in
> June, 2000. The container was the original in
> which it was supplied. Only a few grams of
> Metol remained inside. I used seven grams,
> and perhaps the same still remain now. The
> container is full of air, of course, and I
> have certainly never excluded the air by
> filling with a relatively inert gas like
> nitrogen (which I have available). In fact,
> the extent of my effort to prolong the life
> of the Metol was to keep the bottle carefully
> sealed when not in use. It was in darkness in
> a drawer. It never saw storage in the
> refrigerator.
>
> Well, if you've read this far, you're
> probably not surprised to learn that the dreg
> of Metol I dug out of the container made up a
> developer that developed sheets of
> photographic paper very nicely. I did not
> perform scientific tests, or even side by
> side comparisons with fresher samples of
> Metol, but I can see the print develops
> exactly as I would expect.
>
> I don't know how old the Metol was when I
> finally got it. I bought it from a shop that
> placed an order with Kodak Canada and lo, it
> appeared, for about fifty dollars CND
> including taxes. Maybe it was manufactured a
> year before I got it, so that would be 1999.
> Anyway, it's the best part of a decade old
> now and hasn't deteriorated.
>
> Great stuff; I think they should find it work
> in the data processing industry.
>
> regards,
> --le
> ________________________________
> Lloyd Erlick Portraits, Toronto.
> website:www .heylloyd,com
> telephone: 416-686-0326
> email: portr...@heylloyd,com
> ________________________________
> --
I recently finished off a bottle of Pictol (Metol) that was over 70
yrs. old. It was fine.
On Sep 13, 9:29 pm, Lloyd Erlick <Lloyd at @the-wire. dot com> wrote:
> September 13, 2007, from Lloyd Erlick,
>
> Today I used some Kodak Metol I bought in
> June, 2000. The container was the original in
> which it was supplied. Only a few grams of
> Metol remained inside. I used seven grams,
> and perhaps the same still remain now. The
> container is full of air, of course, and I
> have certainly never excluded the air by
> filling with a relatively inert gas like
> nitrogen (which I have available). In fact,
> the extent of my effort to prolong the life
> of the Metol was to keep the bottle carefully
> sealed when not in use. It was in darkness in
> a drawer. It never saw storage in the
> refrigerator.
>
> Well, if you've read this far, you're
> probably not surprised to learn that the dreg
> of Metol I dug out of the container made up a
> developer that developed sheets of
> photographic paper very nicely. I did not
> perform scientific tests, or even side by
> side comparisons with fresher samples of
> Metol, but I can see the print develops
> exactly as I would expect.
>
> I don't know how old the Metol was when I
> finally got it. I bought it from a shop that
> placed an order with Kodak Canada and lo, it
> appeared, for about fifty dollars CND
> including taxes. Maybe it was manufactured a
> year before I got it, so that would be 1999.
> Anyway, it's the best part of a decade old
> now and hasn't deteriorated.
>
> Great stuff; I think they should find it work
> in the data processing industry.
>
> regards,
> --le
> ________________________________
> Lloyd Erlick Portraits, Toronto.
> website:www .heylloyd,com
> telephone: 416-686-0326
> email: portr...@heylloyd,com
> ________________________________
> --
I recently finished off a bottle of Pictol (Metol) that was over 70
yrs. old. It was fine.
Re: Metol stored June 2000 - Sep 2007
On Sep 13, 3:43 pm, Peter <p2macga...@compuserve,com > wrote:
> On Sep 13, 9:29 pm, Lloyd Erlick <Lloyd at @the-wire. dot com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > September 13, 2007, from Lloyd Erlick,
>
> > Today I used some Kodak Metol I bought in
> > June, 2000. The container was the original in
> > which it was supplied. Only a few grams of
> > Metol remained inside. I used seven grams,
> > and perhaps the same still remain now. The
> > container is full of air, of course, and I
> > have certainly never excluded the air by
> > filling with a relatively inert gas like
> > nitrogen (which I have available). In fact,
> > the extent of my effort to prolong the life
> > of the Metol was to keep the bottle carefully
> > sealed when not in use. It was in darkness in
> > a drawer. It never saw storage in the
> > refrigerator.
>
> > Well, if you've read this far, you're
> > probably not surprised to learn that the dreg
> > of Metol I dug out of the container made up a
> > developer that developed sheets of
> > photographic paper very nicely. I did not
> > perform scientific tests, or even side by
> > side comparisons with fresher samples of
> > Metol, but I can see the print develops
> > exactly as I would expect.
>
> > I don't know how old the Metol was when I
> > finally got it. I bought it from a shop that
> > placed an order with Kodak Canada and lo, it
> > appeared, for about fifty dollars CND
> > including taxes. Maybe it was manufactured a
> > year before I got it, so that would be 1999.
> > Anyway, it's the best part of a decade old
> > now and hasn't deteriorated.
>
> > Great stuff; I think they should find it work
> > in the data processing industry.
>
> > regards,
> > --le
> > ________________________________
> > Lloyd Erlick Portraits, Toronto.
> > website:www .heylloyd,com
> > telephone: 416-686-0326
> > email: portr...@heylloyd,com
> > ________________________________
> > --
>
> I recently finished off a bottle of Pictol (Metol) that was over 70
> yrs. old. It was fine.
Some chemicals are satbler than others. Hydroquinone may not so long-
lived.
On Sep 13, 3:43 pm, Peter <p2macga...@compuserve,com > wrote:
> On Sep 13, 9:29 pm, Lloyd Erlick <Lloyd at @the-wire. dot com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > September 13, 2007, from Lloyd Erlick,
>
> > Today I used some Kodak Metol I bought in
> > June, 2000. The container was the original in
> > which it was supplied. Only a few grams of
> > Metol remained inside. I used seven grams,
> > and perhaps the same still remain now. The
> > container is full of air, of course, and I
> > have certainly never excluded the air by
> > filling with a relatively inert gas like
> > nitrogen (which I have available). In fact,
> > the extent of my effort to prolong the life
> > of the Metol was to keep the bottle carefully
> > sealed when not in use. It was in darkness in
> > a drawer. It never saw storage in the
> > refrigerator.
>
> > Well, if you've read this far, you're
> > probably not surprised to learn that the dreg
> > of Metol I dug out of the container made up a
> > developer that developed sheets of
> > photographic paper very nicely. I did not
> > perform scientific tests, or even side by
> > side comparisons with fresher samples of
> > Metol, but I can see the print develops
> > exactly as I would expect.
>
> > I don't know how old the Metol was when I
> > finally got it. I bought it from a shop that
> > placed an order with Kodak Canada and lo, it
> > appeared, for about fifty dollars CND
> > including taxes. Maybe it was manufactured a
> > year before I got it, so that would be 1999.
> > Anyway, it's the best part of a decade old
> > now and hasn't deteriorated.
>
> > Great stuff; I think they should find it work
> > in the data processing industry.
>
> > regards,
> > --le
> > ________________________________
> > Lloyd Erlick Portraits, Toronto.
> > website:www .heylloyd,com
> > telephone: 416-686-0326
> > email: portr...@heylloyd,com
> > ________________________________
> > --
>
> I recently finished off a bottle of Pictol (Metol) that was over 70
> yrs. old. It was fine.
Some chemicals are satbler than others. Hydroquinone may not so long-
lived.
Re: Metol stored June 2000 - Sep 2007
UC wrote:
>> I recently finished off a bottle of Pictol (Metol) that was over 70
>> yrs. old. It was fine.
>
> Some chemicals are satbler than others. Hydroquinone may not so long-
> lived.
Any idea if a can of D-76 with poptop lid would still be of any use today?
The can should likely be airtight, unlike the plastic containers used
today. No date seems to be stamped on the can, so no idea how old it is.
UC wrote:
>> I recently finished off a bottle of Pictol (Metol) that was over 70
>> yrs. old. It was fine.
>
> Some chemicals are satbler than others. Hydroquinone may not so long-
> lived.
Any idea if a can of D-76 with poptop lid would still be of any use today?
The can should likely be airtight, unlike the plastic containers used
today. No date seems to be stamped on the can, so no idea how old it is.
Re: Metol stored June 2000 - Sep 2007
"Infrequent Photographer" <photogr@pher.invalid> wrote in message
news:1p2pr4-d44.ln1@molokai.burrow.ca...
> UC wrote:
>
>
>>> I recently finished off a bottle of Pictol (Metol) that was over 70
>>> yrs. old. It was fine.
>>
>> Some chemicals are satbler than others. Hydroquinone may not so long-
>> lived.
>
> Any idea if a can of D-76 with poptop lid would still be of any use today?
> The can should likely be airtight, unlike the plastic containers used
> today. No date seems to be stamped on the can, so no idea how old it is.
>
IMHO, that can of D-76 is probably more valuable as a sealed can than as
developer. Probably, if you open it, the powder may be a light brown/tan in
color. If you mix it, it will probably go to brown in a short time.
I'd leave it sealed and put it on eBay as a collector's item. You should get
enough money for it to buy several packages of fresh stuff.
"Infrequent Photographer" <photogr@pher.invalid> wrote in message
news:1p2pr4-d44.ln1@molokai.burrow.ca...
> UC wrote:
>
>
>>> I recently finished off a bottle of Pictol (Metol) that was over 70
>>> yrs. old. It was fine.
>>
>> Some chemicals are satbler than others. Hydroquinone may not so long-
>> lived.
>
> Any idea if a can of D-76 with poptop lid would still be of any use today?
> The can should likely be airtight, unlike the plastic containers used
> today. No date seems to be stamped on the can, so no idea how old it is.
>
IMHO, that can of D-76 is probably more valuable as a sealed can than as
developer. Probably, if you open it, the powder may be a light brown/tan in
color. If you mix it, it will probably go to brown in a short time.
I'd leave it sealed and put it on eBay as a collector's item. You should get
enough money for it to buy several packages of fresh stuff.
Re: Metol stored June 2000 - Sep 2007
"UC" <uraniumcommittee@yahoo,com > wrote in message
news:1189717238.502212.295400@o80g2000hse.googlegroups,com ...
> On Sep 13, 3:43 pm, Peter <p2macga...@compuserve,com >
> wrote:
>> On Sep 13, 9:29 pm, Lloyd Erlick <Lloyd at @the-wire. dot
>> com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> > September 13, 2007, from Lloyd Erlick,
>>
>> > Today I used some Kodak Metol I bought in
>> > June, 2000. The container was the original in
>> > which it was supplied. Only a few grams of
>> > Metol remained inside. I used seven grams,
>> > and perhaps the same still remain now. The
>> > container is full of air, of course, and I
>> > have certainly never excluded the air by
>> > filling with a relatively inert gas like
>> > nitrogen (which I have available). In fact,
>> > the extent of my effort to prolong the life
>> > of the Metol was to keep the bottle carefully
>> > sealed when not in use. It was in darkness in
>> > a drawer. It never saw storage in the
>> > refrigerator.
>>
>> > Well, if you've read this far, you're
>> > probably not surprised to learn that the dreg
>> > of Metol I dug out of the container made up a
>> > developer that developed sheets of
>> > photographic paper very nicely. I did not
>> > perform scientific tests, or even side by
>> > side comparisons with fresher samples of
>> > Metol, but I can see the print develops
>> > exactly as I would expect.
>>
>> > I don't know how old the Metol was when I
>> > finally got it. I bought it from a shop that
>> > placed an order with Kodak Canada and lo, it
>> > appeared, for about fifty dollars CND
>> > including taxes. Maybe it was manufactured a
>> > year before I got it, so that would be 1999.
>> > Anyway, it's the best part of a decade old
>> > now and hasn't deteriorated.
>>
>> > Great stuff; I think they should find it work
>> > in the data processing industry.
>>
>> > regards,
>> > --le
>> > ________________________________
>> > Lloyd Erlick Portraits, Toronto.
>> > website:www .heylloyd,com
>> > telephone: 416-686-0326
>> > email: portr...@heylloyd,com
>> > ________________________________
>> > --
>>
>> I recently finished off a bottle of Pictol (Metol) that
>> was over 70
>> yrs. old. It was fine.
>
>
>
> Some chemicals are satbler than others. Hydroquinone may
> not so long-
> lived.
Developing agents all absorb oxygen readily. Usually,
but not always, there is some sign of the oxidation.
Hydroquinone changes from white crystals or powder to stuff
that looks like coffee grouds and smells awful. Metol will
turn brown or black. There may have been enough Metol in the
container to absorb all the oxygen without becoming
sufficiently oxidized to change color or become inactive.
--
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@ix,net com,com
"UC" <uraniumcommittee@yahoo,com > wrote in message
news:1189717238.502212.295400@o80g2000hse.googlegroups,com ...
> On Sep 13, 3:43 pm, Peter <p2macga...@compuserve,com >
> wrote:
>> On Sep 13, 9:29 pm, Lloyd Erlick <Lloyd at @the-wire. dot
>> com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> > September 13, 2007, from Lloyd Erlick,
>>
>> > Today I used some Kodak Metol I bought in
>> > June, 2000. The container was the original in
>> > which it was supplied. Only a few grams of
>> > Metol remained inside. I used seven grams,
>> > and perhaps the same still remain now. The
>> > container is full of air, of course, and I
>> > have certainly never excluded the air by
>> > filling with a relatively inert gas like
>> > nitrogen (which I have available). In fact,
>> > the extent of my effort to prolong the life
>> > of the Metol was to keep the bottle carefully
>> > sealed when not in use. It was in darkness in
>> > a drawer. It never saw storage in the
>> > refrigerator.
>>
>> > Well, if you've read this far, you're
>> > probably not surprised to learn that the dreg
>> > of Metol I dug out of the container made up a
>> > developer that developed sheets of
>> > photographic paper very nicely. I did not
>> > perform scientific tests, or even side by
>> > side comparisons with fresher samples of
>> > Metol, but I can see the print develops
>> > exactly as I would expect.
>>
>> > I don't know how old the Metol was when I
>> > finally got it. I bought it from a shop that
>> > placed an order with Kodak Canada and lo, it
>> > appeared, for about fifty dollars CND
>> > including taxes. Maybe it was manufactured a
>> > year before I got it, so that would be 1999.
>> > Anyway, it's the best part of a decade old
>> > now and hasn't deteriorated.
>>
>> > Great stuff; I think they should find it work
>> > in the data processing industry.
>>
>> > regards,
>> > --le
>> > ________________________________
>> > Lloyd Erlick Portraits, Toronto.
>> > website:www .heylloyd,com
>> > telephone: 416-686-0326
>> > email: portr...@heylloyd,com
>> > ________________________________
>> > --
>>
>> I recently finished off a bottle of Pictol (Metol) that
>> was over 70
>> yrs. old. It was fine.
>
>
>
> Some chemicals are satbler than others. Hydroquinone may
> not so long-
> lived.
Developing agents all absorb oxygen readily. Usually,
but not always, there is some sign of the oxidation.
Hydroquinone changes from white crystals or powder to stuff
that looks like coffee grouds and smells awful. Metol will
turn brown or black. There may have been enough Metol in the
container to absorb all the oxygen without becoming
sufficiently oxidized to change color or become inactive.
--
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@ix,net com,com
Re: Metol stored June 2000 - Sep 2007
Richard Knoppow <dickburk@ix,net com,com > wrote:
> Developing agents all absorb oxygen readily. Usually,
> but not always, there is some sign of the oxidation.
> Hydroquinone changes from white crystals or powder to stuff
> that looks like coffee grouds and smells awful. Metol will
> turn brown or black. There may have been enough Metol in the
> container to absorb all the oxygen without becoming
> sufficiently oxidized to change color or become inactive.
This is of course correct. The main factor however is that
the Metol was dry and powdered. A watery solution of Metol
will go bad fast, a dry powder lasts really long. My stash
is about 10 years old now (I bought 1kg and have lots of
it left...) and is as good as new (at least my FP4+ test
strips say this...)
Martin
Richard Knoppow <dickburk@ix,net com,com > wrote:
> Developing agents all absorb oxygen readily. Usually,
> but not always, there is some sign of the oxidation.
> Hydroquinone changes from white crystals or powder to stuff
> that looks like coffee grouds and smells awful. Metol will
> turn brown or black. There may have been enough Metol in the
> container to absorb all the oxygen without becoming
> sufficiently oxidized to change color or become inactive.
This is of course correct. The main factor however is that
the Metol was dry and powdered. A watery solution of Metol
will go bad fast, a dry powder lasts really long. My stash
is about 10 years old now (I bought 1kg and have lots of
it left...) and is as good as new (at least my FP4+ test
strips say this...)
Martin
Re: Metol stored June 2000 - Sep 2007
On Fri, 14 Sep 2007 06:55:17 +0000 (UTC),
Martin J <maja@dwf.de> wrote:
>Richard Knoppow <dickburk@ix,net com,com > wrote:
>
>> Developing agents all absorb oxygen readily. Usually,
>> but not always, there is some sign of the oxidation.
>> Hydroquinone changes from white crystals or powder to stuff
>> that looks like coffee grouds and smells awful. Metol will
>> turn brown or black. There may have been enough Metol in the
>> container to absorb all the oxygen without becoming
>> sufficiently oxidized to change color or become inactive.
>
>This is of course correct. The main factor however is that
>the Metol was dry and powdered. A watery solution of Metol
>will go bad fast, a dry powder lasts really long. My stash
>is about 10 years old now (I bought 1kg and have lots of
>it left...) and is as good as new (at least my FP4+ test
>strips say this...)
>
>Martin
September 14, 2007, from Lloyd Erlick,
Since last summer, for about a year now, I've
been playing around with Glycin. There's a
developing agent that is short lived! My
first container darkened steadily over its
six month life. Even keeping it refrigerated
between uses only slows the deterioration. No
way to stop it. Supposedly Glycin keeps
better in solution. I've never tried.
regards,
--le
________________________________
Lloyd Erlick Portraits, Toronto.
website: www .heylloyd,com
telephone: 416-686-0326
email: portrait@heylloyd,com
________________________________
--
On Fri, 14 Sep 2007 06:55:17 +0000 (UTC),
Martin J <maja@dwf.de> wrote:
>Richard Knoppow <dickburk@ix,net com,com > wrote:
>
>> Developing agents all absorb oxygen readily. Usually,
>> but not always, there is some sign of the oxidation.
>> Hydroquinone changes from white crystals or powder to stuff
>> that looks like coffee grouds and smells awful. Metol will
>> turn brown or black. There may have been enough Metol in the
>> container to absorb all the oxygen without becoming
>> sufficiently oxidized to change color or become inactive.
>
>This is of course correct. The main factor however is that
>the Metol was dry and powdered. A watery solution of Metol
>will go bad fast, a dry powder lasts really long. My stash
>is about 10 years old now (I bought 1kg and have lots of
>it left...) and is as good as new (at least my FP4+ test
>strips say this...)
>
>Martin
September 14, 2007, from Lloyd Erlick,
Since last summer, for about a year now, I've
been playing around with Glycin. There's a
developing agent that is short lived! My
first container darkened steadily over its
six month life. Even keeping it refrigerated
between uses only slows the deterioration. No
way to stop it. Supposedly Glycin keeps
better in solution. I've never tried.
regards,
--le
________________________________
Lloyd Erlick Portraits, Toronto.
website: www .heylloyd,com
telephone: 416-686-0326
email: portrait@heylloyd,com
________________________________
--
