Toning Black-and-White Materials • G-23 3
Also avoid excessive fixing. Do not fix prints for longer
than the recommended time (approximately 10 minutes for
fiber-base papers, 2 minutes for resin-coated papers).
Prolonged fixing expands the paper and allows the solution
to penetrate the base. Fixer that is trapped in the base is
difficult to remove, and will make prints that are toned in
selenium or sulfide toners turn yellow. Prolonged fixing can
also reduce the silver image.
Washing
Thorough washing is especially important when you prepare
prints for toning. Residual silver salts and traces of hypo in
the paper may cause stains, uneven tones, and fading.
Wash fiber-base prints for one hour with agitation in a
tank or tray; the wash-water flow rate should provide a
complete change of water every 5 minutes. To reduce
washing time and conserve water, use KODAK Hypo
Clearing Agent according to the instructions.
Wash resin-coated papers for 4 minutes in running water.
The wash-water flow rate should be sufficient to change the
water completely during the 4-minute wash. We do not
recommend using Hypo Clearing Agent with resin-coated
papers.
Agitate prints and keep them separated during washing.
Don’t overload your wash tank.
Toning
Do not use metal trays or tanks to hold your toning solutions.
Use only unchipped enamel, hard-rubber, or plastic trays.
You can tone prints immediately after washing. (See the
instructions for specific toners under Using KODAK
Packaged Toners and Using Mixed Toners.)
If you tone prints that are already dry, soak them in water
for 2 to 3 minutes before toning.
Note: Prints toned after storage may show stains due to
adverse storage conditions.
When you tone resin-coated papers, keep toning times to
a minimum to prevent the solution from penetrating the
edges of the papers. If you tone resin-coated prints for longer
than 8 to 10 minutes, leave a large border around the image
so that you can trim off the edges if the toner penetrates
them. (It is difficult to wash toner from the edges of a print.)
After you have soaked prints in toner solution, wash them
as directed in the toner instructions.
Drying
Dry toned fiber-base prints slowly between sheets of blotting
paper or on a drying rack.
Remove excess water from the surface of resin-coated
prints, and air-dry them at room temperature or use
circulated warm air.
Note: Drying with heat causes a shift to a cooler tone with
some paper/toner combinations. Set the speed and
temperature of the dryer to the lowest settings. You may
have to adjust the amount of toning to compensate for the
shift to a cooler tone.
SAFE HANDLING OF PHOTOGRAPHIC
CHEMICALS
• Handle all chemicals carefully.
• Packages of Kodak photographic chemicals carry
precautionary labels when necessary. Always read the
labels and follow the instructions carefully. For
safe-handling information for particular Kodak
chemicals, see the product label or the Material Safety
Data Sheet (MSDS). To obtain MSDSs, go to
www.kodak.com/go/MSDS.
• Keep the darkroom and mixing room clean. Clean up
spilled chemicals as soon as possible.
• Wear protective clothing, such as a waterproof apron
and rubber gloves, when mixing solutions. Always wear
goggles or a safety glasses when handling acids or
strong alkalis.
• Avoid contact of any chemicals with your skin. Some
photographic solutions and powders can cause skin
irritation and an allergic skin reaction. (Use plastic print
tongs and wear clean rubber gloves when you use
KODAK Brown Toner, because the solution is quite
alkaline.)
• Keep chemicals and processing solutions out of the
reach of children and pets. Do not store chemicals where
you handle or store food. Do not eat, drink, or smoke in
chemical-handling areas. Always wash your hands
thoroughly after handling chemicals, especially before
eating or drinking.
• Maintain proper ventilation in the mixing room and
darkroom.
• Dispose of used chemicals safely. Do not discard
sulfide-type toners with stop baths or fixing baths. The
combination of these solutions will generate hydrogen
sulfide gas. (Hydrogen sulfide gas can fog unexposed
paper and film, and will oxidize unprotected silver
images in negatives and prints.) Discard the solutions
individually, and flush the drain with plenty of water
after you discard each solution.
