I have always used a one fixer method on all of my prints with no problems. However, I have been recently hearing of a two fixer method and know nothing about it. Can anyone tell me about it, what fixers to use, how and why. I am about to start using selenium toner on my prints and I am getting the impression that this will help it be more archival. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

-- Larry Mankin (mankin.larry@epamail.epa,gov), March 21, 2000

Answers

Hi Larry,

I've been using this method, but can't give feedback one way or the other as only time will tell for sure and I've only been doing it for a couple of years. Steve Anchell describes the process and benefits in his book "The Variable Contrast Printing Manual."

The theory goes something like this. As the excess silver is being removed from the print certain compounds are formed (I don't remember the name) which become very difficult to remove from the paper. Fresh fixer will remove these compounds. Therefore, a two bath method should be more effective. It minimized the time these compounds can be absorbed into the paper. This method can be used with any fixer. Just prepare two baths and split the total time between the two.

As long as you remove all residual fixer, your prints should be archival regardless of the fixing method. Selenium toning will convert the silver in the print to silver selenite (I think) which is more stable and less subject to oxidization than silver.

Regards,

-- Pete Caluori (pcaluori@hotmail.com), March 21, 2000.

THe idea behind the two bath method is that you can get the print fully fixed in less time,and less time mean less fixer soaking into the paper, which means less washing to remove the fixer. It also means less chance of creating insoluble compounds that may cause trouble later.

To do it, you use two baths with rapid fixer mixed to film fix strength. You fix for 30 seconds in the first bath, and 30 seconds in the second bath. You then do a short wash (2 minutes) do a hypo clearing agent step, then a 10 minute wash, and you are done.

This is for fiber based paper. RC paper doesn't have the trouble in the first place since the fixer doesn't soak into the paper.

-- Terry Carraway (TCarraway@compuserve.com), March 22, 2000.

I like you have used the one fix bath for one minute for 14 years, and have had no problems, why would you want to change something that works well for you? Of course I know that we all like to play sometimes with something new. The two bath fix has not been proven to be better than the single one minute bath recommended by Ilford. Pat

-- pat j. krentz (krentz@cci-29palms.com), March 22, 2000.

Two bath fixing is far superior one bath fixing. The technique has been around for a long time. Ansel Adams recommended it, fer chrissake! Fixer stops working completely at about 25% exhaustion. Then it leaves partially fixed silver compounds called "complexes" in the emulsion that are not water soluble. No amount of washing will remove them. This happens with film and fiber or RC paper. The second fixer bath reduces the complexes to a water soluble form and increases the capacity (with archival quality) of the first fixer by a factor of four. IOW you can use 4 times less fixer with the 2 bath method and still get archival quality. If you search USENET with deja.com for posts by Richard Knoppow you'll find a more eloquent explanation. You can go to www.aseonline.net/~brownt/darkroom.htm for details on how to do it. A seperate issue is that Ilford recommends film strength two bath fixer and very short fixing times for archival processing of fiber paper. I've got 20 year old RC prints that attest to the utility of two bath fixing, and RC paper wasn't as good back then as it is now.

-- Tim Brown (brownt@ase.com), March 22, 2000.

There always seems to be one issue that is overlooked when discussing one vs two bath fixing. That is the length of the printing sessions. If you are in the darkroom each or every few days and going through a large volumn of paper, then a double fixing bath would not be a bad choice to insure that the prints are being fix properly. But if you are only in there once a week and using only ten or so sheets of paper total, then there is no real benefit to using two baths over one, if you pay attention to the agatation while your in the fixer.

-- jim megargee (mvjim@interport.net), March 22, 2000.

The Ansel Adams Guide, Book 1, Basic Techniques of Photography, edited by John Schaefer, 1999 no longer recommends the process for fixing prints described in the 1st edition of this book and all of Ansel Adams' writings. Schaefer reports the past recommendations no longer reflects the best practices. He recommends the Ilford method which uses a one bath, film strength, unhardened fix for 60 sec with constant agitation. The rest of the process is sightly different in wash aid times from Ilford's recommendations.

-- Richard Jepsen (rjepsen@mmcable.com), September 24, 2000.