Rodinal clone and current HC-110 shelf-life?

ChrisPlatt

ChrisPlatt

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In the old days Kodak HC-110 and Agfa Rodinal kept forever and always worked reliably.

Today what brand Rodinal clone has the longest shelf-life?

What is the shelf-life of the newest formulation of HC-110?

TIA,
Chris
 
ChrisPlatt said:
In the old days Kodak HC-110 and Agfa Rodinal kept forever and always worked reliably.

Today what brand Rodinal clone has the longest shelf-life?
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Rodinal lasted because of its formula but also because of its packaging. Agfa always had the best packaging for liquid photo chemicals. The best available combination of these is from Adox, who also make Rodinal labelled as such since they bought the name (except in France). It is identical to the more recent Agfa Rodinal in chemical composition, and essentially the same in terms of packaging to the last batches from 2000-2004.

ChrisPlatt said:
What is the shelf-life of the newest formulation of HC-110?
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That is a secret of the universe. Kodak has only just moved their manufacturing back to the US since Sino Promise failed and Photo Systems Inc took over their manufacturing again. Presumably it is the same as Legacy Pro 110, which has had sporadic reports of failure but others of lasting well. I have enough of the old stuff to last me a lifetime, so I don't think it will be me who tests this.

Marty
 
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I could buy HC-110 labeled „Fotoimpex“ but Made in USA. The seller states that it is Adox HC-110 and there is the Kodak data sheet attached. The label on the bottle says that the concettate‘s shelf life is two years…
 
I am probably just stirring the pot here, but you can make a Rodinal clone yourself with Tylenol (Paracetaminophen), Sodium Sulfite and common Lye or Caustic Soda (Sodium Hydroxide NaOH) (many common powdered drain cleaners are just this one ingredient). One of the oldest formulas out there and easy enough to make. You need to pulverize the Tylenol into a powder. Use distilled water, and gloves/eye protection (careful with the Lye).
 
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Benjamin Marks said:
I am probably just stirring the pot here, but you can make a Rodinal clone yourself with Tylenol (Paracetaminophen), Sodium Sulfite and common Lye or Caustic Soda (Sodium Hydroxide NaOH) (many common powdered drain cleaners are just this one ingredient). One of the oldest formulas out there and easy enough to make. You need to pulverize the Tylenol into a powder. Use distilled water, and gloves/eye protection (careful with the Lye).
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I keep my Parodinal in a small, brown, glass bottle with a capacity of 500ml. I only mix 250ml at a time but it seems to hold up fairly well. But I have never really tried to save it to see how long it would last. Mine has lasted over a year for whatever that is worth.
 
No, Rodinal does NOT last forever. My venerable old bottle of RO9, a decade old or maybe even more, did indeed conk out in dramatic fashion. Seven rolls of film completely blank. I was stunned. "But Rodinal lasts forever!" I sputtered as the reels emerged from the stainless tank.
 
sdotkling said:
No, Rodinal does NOT last forever. My venerable old bottle of RO9, a decade old or maybe even more, did indeed conk out in dramatic fashion. Seven rolls of film completely blank. I was stunned. "But Rodinal lasts forever!" I sputtered as the reels emerged from the stainless tank.
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R09 is not Rodinal. R09 is based on the pre-World War 2 formula but updated for modern chemical availability. Also the Compard packaging is not as good as that from Agfa or Adox.

Nothing lasts forever, but I have 1998 Rodinal that works fine, it has essentially the same activity as new. It’s almost black, and has crystals in it, but it develops film. It’s stored in the dark.
 
santino said:
I could buy HC-110 labeled „Fotoimpex“ but Made in USA. The seller states that it is Adox HC-110 and there is the Kodak data sheet attached. The label on the bottle says that the concettate‘s shelf life is two years…
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It is the same as the new Kodak HC-110 and is also made by Photo Systems Inc.
 
Thanks for the replies.
I'm looking forward to trying the ADOX Rodinal.

Has anyone here tried the FPP HC-110 referenced in the previous post?
If so does it keep well undiluted in the original bottle?

Chris
 
Freakscene said:
@dourbalistar uses it, but I’m not sure how long he keeps it.
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I use the LegacyPro L110 clone from Freestyle Photo, not the "new formula" of Kodak HC-110, but...
Freakscene said:
That is a secret of the universe. Kodak has only just moved their manufacturing back to the US since Sino Promise failed and Photo Systems Inc took over their manufacturing again. Presumably it is the same as Legacy Pro 110, which has had sporadic reports of failure but others of lasting well.
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...if the clone is no longer a clone anymore...?

In any case, it usually takes me about a year or more to use a pint size bottle, mixed straight from concentrate. The liquid turns from clear to slightly yellow with some precipitate crystals, but since I started using it in 2016, I've never had any issues of developer failure (knock on wood). I'm halfway through the current bottle I'm using, which I unsealed in June 2023.
 
I have been using the Legacy Pro version of HC110 and it seems to hold up well. My bottle is half gone. Unfortunately I didn't date it when I opened it so I have no idea how old it really is. I know I have been using it for more than a year. I suppose I could go back through my film records and get an idea but that would probably take more time than it is worth.
 
Freakscene said:
That is a secret of the universe. Kodak has only just moved their manufacturing back to the US since Sino Promise failed and Photo Systems Inc took over their manufacturing again. Presumably it is the same as Legacy Pro 110, which has had sporadic reports of failure but others of lasting well. I have enough of the old stuff to last me a lifetime, so I don't think it will be me who tests this.

Marty
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Could you elaborate on this more or any source to clarify this?
I currently still can buy the SINO version and it looks exactly the same as the Tetenal Version except the bottle shape?
Does it mean that this type of bottle will be no longer produced?
Thanks
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This is not what I need to hear. I've been meaning to have a bash at Caffenol (only with tea, because I'm British) for years, now I know I can make my own Rodinal with off the shelf stuff.... oh bugger, another rabbit hole!
 
kiemchacsu said:
Could you elaborate on this more or any source to clarify this?
I currently still can buy the SINO version and it looks exactly the same as the Tetenal Version except the bottle shape?
Does it mean that this type of bottle will be no longer produced?
Thanks
View attachment 4835936
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Sino Promise collapsed and Photo Systems are making the new (since September 2023) chemistry: Photo Systems to Bring Kodak Development Chemicals Back Into Production or Kodak chemistry back in play, less certainty for paper - Inside Imaging or Photo Systems Inc brings Kodak Professional-branded development chemicals back into production

Sino Promise made water-based HC-110. You may be receiving new-old-stock. The glycol product is water-free but more complex to manufacture - it involves a step in which sulfur dioxide and hydrobromic acid gases are bubbled through organic alkali (triethanolamine). This makes ‘liquid sulfite’ and it aids resisting oxidation, but it is much easier to dissolve sodium sulfite in water and bring it and the developing agents to the correct concentration and pH. The new watery product is less viscose and pours better too. I have no idea about the packaging.

Marty
 
Freakscene said:
Sino Promise made water-based HC-110. You may be receiving new-old-stock.

Marty
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Just to confirm that you meant SINO produced the new HC110 version, not the old water-free version used to produced by Tetenal?
And, it’s also confirmed that the old version is no longer produced by anyone else, since Photo Systems certainly is making the new version?

Thanks for your information.
 
kiemchacsu said:
Just to confirm that you meant SINO produced the new HC110 version, not the old water-free version used to produced by Tetenal?
And, it’s also confirmed that the old version is no longer produced by anyone else, since Photo Systems certainly is making the new version?

Thanks for your information.
Click to expand...

Correct, Sino produced the new version which is water-based not glycol based. The old version is not produced by anyone anymore.

Marty
 
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