During print sessions I'm getting some black stuff on the prints that comes off if I rub with my fingers in the wash tray. I'm using fresh chemicals, Ilford's paper developer, Kodak Indicator Stop Bath, and Ilford's Rapid Fixer, all according to directions. In the water tray, I put a few cap-fulls of Orbit Bath to help kill the fixer. The prints usually sit in that tray for several minutes before being thrown into the wash. I'm using the same spring loaded stainless tongs that I've been using for over five years. The stuff appears as little streaks on the edges of the print (not necessarily where I have handled with tongs). Sometimes it appears as little "smudges" inward a little from the borders where tongs normally don't go. It almost appears as image detail, but I can use my fingers to wipe the smudge away while the print is soaking in the water tray. Although a little stubborn, on dried prints I can remove it by using a pencil eraser. Any ideas what this stuff is and/or how to prevent it from appearing?

-- Tony Rowlett (rowlett@alaska.net), August 10, 1999

Answers

Maybe you want to try leaving out the orbit bath to see if that is the culprit?

-- Thomas Wollstein (thomas_wollstein@web.de), August 11, 1999.

Tony;

You don't need the wash aid for RC prints as they will wash in 3-5 minutes without it. Just drop the prints from the fixer into the wash tray and wash for 3-5 minutes and then put out(hang) to dry. With this arrangement, you can wash one print at a time and are assured of complete washing. I've found that hanging RC prints is the best way to dry them, as no water spots can accumulate and the print will dry in 15 minutes with normal room humidity.

-- Gene Crumpler (nikonguy@worldnet.att.net), August 11, 1999.

This sounds more like a water problem than a chemistry problem. Check any rubber faucet washers (like under an aerator or at the valve) for deterioration. You might also try an inline water filter and see if the problem goes away. If you have new copper plumbing, you might be picking up some residual soldering flux. Weird answers for a weird problem! I'm curious- please let us know what you find out.

-- Conrad Hoffman (choffman@rpa.net), August 11, 1999.

I found the solution to my problem. Here's what happened. After I posted this message here (and on photo.net), I had another print session. This time I noticed that the black stuff had appeared on the edge of the print in the fixer tray! (so it's not the Orbit Bath, and, incidently Gene, I usually use the Orbit Bath for fiber prints, and I was just in the habit when I did it for RC as well... call me over protective!) Anway, when I changed the developer before the print session, I failed to thoroughly wash the stainless steel developer tray. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the black stuff was the muck that old developer accumulates on your trays. Since beginning to use the stainless tray for the developer, I figured that I wouldn't have to scrub (or use bleach) to clean the tray. So the prints were picking up dead developer residue from the first tray. Moral: Thoroughly wash the developer tray before making prints, even if it's a stainless tray!! Thanks for your input, all.

-- Tony Rowlett (rowlett@alaska.net), August 13, 1999.

I didn't post my original message to photo.net, but rather to the Advanced Photography forum where I was advised to post here, too. Sorry.

-- Tony Rowlett (rowlett@alaska.net), August 13, 1999.

Tony, The simplest way to clean your developer tray is by using you stop bath as rinse. After dumping the developer, pour your tray of stop into the developer tray and swirl it around a little. Then just rinse the tray in water. I forget where I read this, but since setting up my own darkroom, I have had no problem with stained developer tray. Ed

-- Ed Farmer (photography2k@hotmail.com), August 18, 1999.

Believe it or not, ordinary chlorine laundry bleach works almost as well as expensive tray cleaner for getting the slugde and stains off of trays. Use it full-strength, right out of the bottle.

-- Peter Hughes (leonine@redshift.com), August 18, 1999.

Tony, are you sure that the wash-aid had nothing to do with that black residue? I'm asking because I too have had the black marks on prints but only when I use wash-aid (in my case from Paterson).

If you want a print-developer that doesn't make the trays black, try the rather new Agfa Neutol-plus with ascorbic acid (spelling?). It gives a (neutral to) cold tone.

-- Peter Olsson (peter.olsson@lulebo.se), August 20, 1999.