The DARKROOM COOKBOOK, Third Edition

282 THE DARKROOM COOKBOOK
Toner
Water at 125F/52C, 750.0 ml
Sodium thiosulfate, pentahydrate, 150.0 g
Place the hot water in a mixing bowl and add the hypo. Stir until the solid goes into solution.
Then add a little at a time:
Potassium alum, 25.0 g
Ripening the Toner: A solution containing only thiosulfate and alum will bleach a print by
removal of the silver. When the silver concentration in the bath is high enough the solution
will act as a toner. In order to convert a fresh hypo-alum solution to a toning bath, silver must
be added. This can be done by adding silver nitrate and then immersing spoiled prints in the
bath until the desired toning result is reached. If silver nitrate is not available, the bath can be
ripened by immersing a series of spoiled prints alone.
Chemical Ripener
Water, 5.0 ml
Silver nitrate, 0.12 g
Add the water to the silver nitrate and mix well. Add the nitrate solution to the toner. Ignore
any precipitate. Stir the solution to ensure it is homogeneous.
IT-2 tends to give cold tones. If warmer tones are desired add the following solution.
Iodide Warming Solution
Water at 68F/20C, 50.0 ml
Potassium iodide, 1.0 g
Pour the iodide solution into the toner. It is normal for a precipitate to form. Once the toner
is mixed, the ripening solution added, and the optional warming solution, add cold water to
bring the total volume to 1.0 liter.
Prints to be toned should be developed more than usual. RC papers will tend to appear
gray due to the loss of their brighteners in this bath. The bath should be used undiluted at
120F/50C to minimize the toning time. Rock the tray to keep precipitate off the surface of
the print, and tone for approximately 10 minutes. After toning wash the print for 10 to 20
minutes and use a wet cotton ball to wipe any scum off the print surface.
FORMULA #146
IT-8 Ilford Pyrocatechin Toner
For olive-black tones.
(Thanks to Ian Grant)