Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/04/03

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Preserving prints and transparancies
From: Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>
Date: Sat, 03 Apr 1999 05:51:09 -0800

Eric Welch wrote:
> 
> At 12:40 PM 4/3/99 +0000, you wrote:
> >I heard that Selenium toning involves handling a toxic chemical.  How
> >serious is this threat to human health?
> 
> None if you use rubber gloves, which should be done for any toning anyway.
snip
I've used Selenium inline for maybe 20 years. That might have been the
time when I started a stricter use of tongs for myself and my
assistants. Fingers stay dry.
No mutations, aberrations yet to report. I spotted one of my assistants
at a swap meet last week. Wasn't even wearing glasses. They do put it in Vitamins.
One once per quart or liter is how I've always done it and heard it
should be done. Your hypo clear or a coffee measure of sulfite is in the
try with it. Don't dip the tongs that have the Selenium on them in the
fixer. If your tongs are laying in the tray along the edge they will
often get too wet and your fingers will then get wet touching them. If
that's the case keep them up against the front of your sink or rig up something.
I'm not saying don't use rubber gloves as you can't be too carefull. I
just see more people not using Selenium than dealing with rubber gloves
as they print. I use them when I mix up my chemicals at the beginning of
a session and when I roll my tanks during development of film as my
fixer often has hardener in it which is Sulfuric Acid.
Mark Rabiner
It's not the smell it's the way it bites the eyes.