Powder d-76 packages from the late 80's

[morgan_womble_dahl]

there have never been opened I just have never used them. are they safe to be

mixed and used? I also have a package of dektol and fixer. ok? or not?

[sattler123]

I would mix one package, shoot a roll of film with nothing artcistic on it and give it a try. Please report back and let us know what the outcome is - I am not sure anyone has ever had the opportunity to try powder chemicals that are at least 20 years old. Should be interesting!

[andrew_limiti]

I did and it was garbage. It will look like tea at best. Remember kodak used paper storage packages back then. False economy!

[User_502260]

I agree that you should test the stuff. In the mid 1970s I bought U.S. Army surplus film developer from a store in NY called Bonafide Novelties. Each green can made a gallon of what I believe was D-76. I probably bought 3 or 4 cans. Only one was bad and I saw that right away from the dark color. How old was this stuff? I would guess that it was Korean War era material. If the paper packages were not handled too roughly and if their inner foil isn't punctured the developer can still be good.

[gene_e._mccluney]

If the powder inside is loose and granular, like salt, with no clumping (feel through the

bag), and when open it is near white in color, then it will probably be OK. The Kodak

paper bag, is foil coated on the inside and air sealed. D-76 should be white or almost

white, Dektol might be a little darker. Fixer powder generally does not spoil at all. Mixed

Dektol does normally have a tint, and even with a significant tint to the liquid, I have found

it works just fine on paper.

 

McCluney Photo

[larrydressler]

Man those old cans Kodak used to use were great... I recently got a can in a junk store from I think the early 70s of DK-50.... I figured what the heck... It worked just fine..... since it only cost me 5 cents what was the worry and the can was beat all to heck so not much collection value.

 

Larry

[mike_earussi1]

I've successfully used 40 year old powdered color chemistry stored in a can. The key words here are "powdered" and "can" as liquid concentrates won't last very long (a few years at most) and paper packages don't seal as well as cans. But if unopened, powdered can last virtually forever, as chemicals don't deteriorate unless exposed to heat, light or moisture. As for your packages, since they aren't as well sealed as cans, it depends on how they've been stored. If they feel hard and "caked" there's no way to know until you mix them.

[morgan_womble_dahl]

Thanks every body!! I am gonna try it out on a crappy roll that I messed up yesterday and see how it turns out.

[gary_gumanow]

I asked this same question here a few months ago. I had d76 from the 1980's and when it came out of the packet it was brown. I threw it out. Within two hours someone else responded and was trying the same exact thing. Isn't photo.net the greatest?

 

Anyway, I heard that from a can it should be fine. I would say just make sure that the powder mixes up clear and is a white granular substance. Otherwise, developer is cheap... don't waste your film.