Beginner Damaged Prints

Hadley

Hadley

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James
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Hi Guy,

I've just been getting into using my darkroom set up again and I've noticed that some of all old prints look 'damaged', they've developed some strange orange/brown staining? They are about 6 years old and I don't know if it's me not putting them in the fix properly or it's from something else getting spilt on them. I'm curious if anyone one knows what might cause this so I don't end up making the same mistake again?


20160718_182417 by Hadley on Talk Photography


Update: I've discoverd one where the staining continues onto the white part of the paper.
 
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Usually either insufficently fixed (or exhausted fixer), insufficient washing or possibly chemical contamination in storage (e.g. from wood based paper).
 
StephenM said:
Usually either insufficently fixed (or exhausted fixer), insufficient washing or possibly chemical contamination in storage (e.g. from wood based paper).
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I know they've definitely been stored mixed in with pieces of cartridge paper, so it might be that. Or you know, I was just sloppy with the chemicals as you've suggested.

None the less, I'm interesting to learn wood based paper can contaminate prints.
 
Hadley said:
I know they've definitely been stored mixed in with pieces of cartridge paper, so it might be that. Or you know, I was just sloppy with the chemicals as you've suggested.

None the less, I'm interesting to learn wood based paper can contaminate prints.
Click to expand...
We used to mount on acid free mounting board, using dry mounting tissue that gave a total barrier.
Insufficient fixing and washing is certainly a possibility. As is the paper covering them in storage.
glassine is the preferred media to interleave an protect
them.
most prints that can be removed from their mounts can be saved, dependent on what caused it.
It is not so much the wood in paper that is the problem, it is more the acid and other chemicals.
 
Terry is correct about the acid in the paper being the problem; I was taking a short cut insofar as wood based paper was the only specific culprit (the only one I know contains acid). When I started, we were always cautioned about the adverse effects of newspaper paper on prints. And to a lesser extent being careful about using blotting paper to dry prints.
 
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