2 lith-developer questions...

[naaldvoerder]

After having stocked up on Forte Polywarmtone, I quite like the feeling of 'full larders". Now I would like to buy lith developer in bigger volumes. I would like to know how long unmixed concentrates are likely to last in opened canisters and which brand is the most durable? I would also like to know whether Maco's Superlith is more "potent"then other brands (Fotospeed, Moersch).

Thanks Jaap Jan

[Dan Henderson]

Hey, I don't know how long it will last, but night before last I cracked open some Fotospeed Lith Developer that I had not used for 2 years, and it worked great. I even spiked it with some 2 year old Old Brown that still worked. It smelled like dead fish, but it worked!

[tim rudman]

After having stocked up on Forte Polywarmtone, I quite like the feeling of 'full larders". Now I would like to buy lith developer in bigger volumes. I would like to know how long unmixed concentrates are likely to last in opened canisters and which brand is the most durable? I would also like to know whether Maco's Superlith is more "potent"then other brands (Fotospeed, Moersch).

Thanks Jaap Jan

Maco and Fotospeed lith devs seem to have an extremely long shelf life - in Fotospeed's case well past (years) the use-by date. Moersch (formaldehyde free) lith developers have a fairly short shelf life though.
Tim

[Robert Hall]

I would also say that they both last quite a while in the dish as well. I routinely get 8 hours of use out of a 1+6 to a 1+12 bath of Macolith developer.

[Annemarieke]

Tim,
What do you call a "fairly short" shelf life? Are we still talking about a year or more, or only months? Would like to know this for unopened bottles.

Thanks.
Anne Marieke

[tim rudman]

Tim,
What do you call a "fairly short" shelf life? Are we still talking about a year or more, or only months? Would like to know this for unopened bottles.

Thanks.
Anne Marieke

I haven't measured it of course but I would say under a year - shorter once opened.
Tim

[Annemarieke]

Thanks for your answer, Tim.

Anne Marieke

[naaldvoerder]

Thanks from me aswell Tim.

Jaap Jan

P.S. How is the book selling?

[Mark Mombarg]

I just tried some Moersch lith today. By coincidence, I opened the bottle for the first time exactly one year ago (Jan 20, 2006). Today the bottle is half full. The capacity appears to be fine, using Forte PWT paper and 1:1:10 (A:B:water).

This doesn't mean the Moersch shelf life is as long as the other developers. However, at least for me, even in opened bottles it's not that bad....

[naaldvoerder]

That is not bad either Mark,
Do you have some results already?

Jaap Jan