color film fixer, can I use it to fix B&W?

If your B&W film is C-41, yes, without a doubt.

If not, I'm not sure either, but I do know that developing and fixing C-41 film with conventional B&W chemicals is possible, but not recommended, as the image will fade over time (C-41 process is "dye-based" whereas traditional B&W is "silver/salt based" --to extremely simplify things)
 
Gabriel M.A. said:
If your B&W film is C-41, yes, without a doubt.

If not, I'm not sure either, but I do know that developing and fixing C-41 film with conventional B&W chemicals is possible, but not recommended, as the image will fade over time (C-41 process is "dye-based" whereas traditional B&W is "silver/salt based" --to extremely simplify things)
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C41 fixer is usually a combined "Bleach/Fix" whose purpose is also to remove silver, so the simple answer with conventional B&W film is "no". (All you'll get is a clear, blank strip of film base.)
 
Mark Wood said:
C41 fixer is usually a combined "Bleach/Fix" whose purpose is also to remove silver, so the simple answer with conventional B&W film is "no". (All you'll get is a clear, blank strip of film base.)
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Well, there you go. I did mix up my chemicals (both figuratively and literally). When I read "fixer" I remembered the developer part.

This jogs my memory a little: I once had a roll I didn't know what kind it was (this was during my first year of developing film), as I had a mix of C-41 and silver B&W. I remember two strips were completely clear (not even the brand, lettering, numbers, nothing). It must've been the silver fixed with the C-41 fixer.

That's when I learned never to venture into crossprocessing by myself ever again.
 
There's a nice explanation of the C-41 process here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-41_process

Intriguingly I once developed a roll of Ilford XP1 in Photocolor C-41 chemicals (XP1 could be processed as C-41 but Ilford had a special kit that was supposed to do a better job) and got a completely clear strip of film base. (In fact I've still got it somewhere!) I then read a few months later some speculation that Ilford had loaded a batch of FP4 into XP1 cassettes which would explain the problem. This was in pre-internet days though (1982 in fact), so no quick way of confirming the story. Another explanation is that the developer could well have gone off as it wasn't fresh but I've always wondered if the Ilford mix-up story was true...
 
I used to use the Kodak C-41 fixer for b&w. It was cheaper, faster and seemed to last longer. Then Kodak discontinued it in gallons.

I remember reading that Kodak made 2 different C-41 fixers and I cannot remember which I used. So I cannot give the absolute response to all C-41 fixers. But I do know one works very well.
 
Mark Wood said:
C41 fixer is usually a combined "Bleach/Fix" whose purpose is also to remove silver, so the simple answer with conventional B&W film is "no". (All you'll get is a clear, blank strip of film base.)
Click to expand...

Right where most common amateur and minilab ready kits are concerned. The genuine C-41 and E-6 from Kodak as well as most competing large scale processes use a separate bleach and fix (where the fix is the same as some marketed for black and white), as blix is rather short-lived which makes it a poor choice for long-term economic replenishment.

Fresh fixer from a separate bleach and fix system can be used for black and white - as long as it has never been used for a colour run, as bleach carryover (harmless for chromogenic images) might affect the black and white silver image.

But as used colour film fixer may damage black and white silver images and blixes (usually recognizable by being red or brown) will even completely obliterate them, you'd better ignore the above exception and stay clear of all and any "colour fixer", unless you exactly know what you are doing...
 
I must ask the guy to be sure that he gave me c-41 fixer at the first please. We put in an empty bottle and I did not pay attention to the original bottle. Well at least I know now I need to be careful. Thanks guys,
 
sevo said:
Right where most common amateur and minilab ready kits are concerned. The genuine C-41 and E-6 from Kodak as well as most competing large scale processes use a separate bleach and fix (where the fix is the same as some marketed for black and white), as blix is rather short-lived which makes it a poor choice for long-term economic replenishment.

Fresh fixer from a separate bleach and fix system can be used for black and white - as long as it has never been used for a colour run, as bleach carryover (harmless for chromogenic images) might affect the black and white silver image.

But as used colour film fixer may damage black and white silver images and blixes (usually recognizable by being red or brown) will even completely obliterate them, you'd better ignore the above exception and stay clear of all and any "colour fixer", unless you exactly know what you are doing...
Click to expand...

Indeed. I don't recall seeing separate bleach and fixer in the majority of (any?) amateur C41 kits (even those from 30 years ago when 6-bath amateur E6 kits were still common) hence my "no" reply!
 
I used agfa FX-Universal to fix my B+W negs and prints. It worked fine. FX-Universal was a C41 fixer used by mini labs for colour processing. Colour process use midly alkaline fixers cos acid kills dyes. It was dirt cheap by comparison with the modern acid fixers.

But I think it may depend on which particular fixer you are thinking of.
 
Guys, I asked the guy and he said it is a universal fixer for both c41 and b&w so told me to use without hesitation...over and over indeed he said up to 30 times!

What are your suggestions?
 
These days, not everybody is aware that there is a black-and-white world beyond BW400CN, so proceed with caution. If it should be red, orange or brown, it is blix rather than fixer! If it is clear, go ahead - but test it on a snippet before you put anything important through it.

Be aware that most C-41 and E-6 fixers are alkaline (as that improves longevity and there is no need to use the fixer for stopping in these processes), so you will need a stop (which you could do without if you use a modern "rapid" black-and-white fixer).
 
It won't have the same capacity as Hypam for example. For film use it the same as regular non hardening acid fixer. For paper 1+7. You'll soon know if its exhausted.

And monitor your film base fog levels cos some fixers can push the base fog up.
 
developer is normally alkaline. Stop bath which is acid neutralises the alkaline before putting the film or paper into acid fixer thereby prolonging life of acid fixer. In your case you will be taking alkaline to alkaline and using acid stop would shorten life of fixer.
 
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