Help! I am terrified of under-fixing and losing everything!

**BigDave** · 01-07-2017, 04:04 PM - **1 Like**

You are concerned about UNDER fixing after fixing for ten minutes with the powdered fixer, yes?. I believe this is Kodak Rapid fixer, but I could be wrong. Once the film hits the fixer, after about 10 second you can expose it to light briefly. The rule of thumb I always heard was you fix twice as long as it takes to clear the film. I would fix for about tem minutes and I still have negatives that show NO sign of deterioration. Unfixed or under fixed film will have a whitish/grayish coating to it. This is the unexposed emulsion before it is removed by the fixer. If you look at the film at this point (usually still on the developing real) you can probably see the darks and lights of images on the first few frames. When you cannot see this anymore, the film is cleared. With fresh rapid fix this usually takes from three to five minutes. Double that time (6 to 10 minutes) and you are good to go. Wash, Hypo Clear, wash again, photoflow and hang to dry.

If you are fixing for 10 minutes and the film is clear, you are very probably fine. I think you are over-worrying about this one.

Regards,

pathdoc · 01-07-2017, 04:39 PM

Originally posted by BigDave

You are concerned about UNDER fixing after fixing for ten minutes with the powdered fixer, yes?. I believe this is Kodak Rapid fixer, but I could be wrong. Once the film hits the fixer, after about 10 second you can expose it to light briefly. The rule of thumb I always heard was you fix twice as long as it takes to clear the film. I would fix for about tem minutes and I still have negatives that show NO sign of deterioration. Unfixed or under fixed film will have a whitish/grayish coating to it. This is the unexposed emulsion before it is removed by the fixer. If you look at the film at this point (usually still on the developing real) you can probably see the darks and lights of images on the first few frames. When you cannot see this anymore, the film is cleared. With fresh rapid fix this usually takes from three to five minutes. Double that time (6 to 10 minutes) and you are good to go. Wash, Hypo Clear, wash again, photoflow and hang to dry.

If you are fixing for 10 minutes and the film is clear, you are very probably fine. I think you are over-worrying about this one.

Regards,

Thank you. I gather that what you mean by "when you cannot see this anymore" is the whitish-greyish coating - it makes no sense for it to mean the images!!!

I have heard of a trick whereby you take the exposed (ruined) leader (which you clipped off before spooling the film) and throw that in the fixer - when it turns from dead black to clear, take that time and double it and that is your safe fixing time. And when that half life doubles from what it originally was, the fixer is spent and needs to be ditched. Does this make sense?

AquaDome · 01-07-2017, 08:06 PM

Originally posted by pathdoc

I have heard of a trick whereby you take the exposed (ruined) leader (which you clipped off before spooling the film) and throw that in the fixer - when it turns from dead black to clear, take that time and double it and that is your safe fixing time. And when that half life doubles from what it originally was, the fixer is spent and needs to be ditched. Does this make sense?

Yes. This is the normal way to establish fixing time for a film. Observe the time it takes to clear and double it.

Wheatfield · 01-10-2017, 08:20 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by pathdoc

...so I fix in Kodak fixer (the one you mix from powder) for TEN MINUTES.

What horrible things might I be doing to my images? Or is the only loss to my time and peace of mind?

ETA (in response to clarifying question): I am talking about B&W film.

Over fixing isn't good.

Fix for twice the clearing time. Take a film tongue and dip half an inch into the fixer for 15 seconds, then dip the rest of it in. When the first part and the second part look the same, you know the film is clear. Double that time for your fixing time.

Nesster · 01-26-2017, 01:00 PM - **2 Likes**

The top is fixed in exhausted fixer, and I didn't have time to re-fix because I was also cooking dinner and dinner was ready.

I went back and dunked the film in fresh fixer, and you can see the result in the bottom picture. You can recover from under fixing if you do it in some reasonable time frame.

**gaweidert** · 02-05-2017, 02:30 PM - **1 Like**

In the ancient day, a rule of thumb was to fix the film for twice the length of time it takes to clear it.

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01-07-2017, 04:04 PM - 1 Like	#16
BigDave Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Hudson Valley, NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,626	You are concerned about UNDER fixing after fixing for ten minutes with the powdered fixer, yes?. I believe this is Kodak Rapid fixer, but I could be wrong. Once the film hits the fixer, after about 10 second you can expose it to light briefly. The rule of thumb I always heard was you fix twice as long as it takes to clear the film. I would fix for about tem minutes and I still have negatives that show NO sign of deterioration. Unfixed or under fixed film will have a whitish/grayish coating to it. This is the unexposed emulsion before it is removed by the fixer. If you look at the film at this point (usually still on the developing real) you can probably see the darks and lights of images on the first few frames. When you cannot see this anymore, the film is cleared. With fresh rapid fix this usually takes from three to five minutes. Double that time (6 to 10 minutes) and you are good to go. Wash, Hypo Clear, wash again, photoflow and hang to dry. If you are fixing for 10 minutes and the film is clear, you are very probably fine. I think you are over-worrying about this one. Regards,

01-07-2017, 04:39 PM	#17
pathdoc Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,381 Original Poster	Originally posted by BigDave You are concerned about UNDER fixing after fixing for ten minutes with the powdered fixer, yes?. I believe this is Kodak Rapid fixer, but I could be wrong. Once the film hits the fixer, after about 10 second you can expose it to light briefly. The rule of thumb I always heard was you fix twice as long as it takes to clear the film. I would fix for about tem minutes and I still have negatives that show NO sign of deterioration. Unfixed or under fixed film will have a whitish/grayish coating to it. This is the unexposed emulsion before it is removed by the fixer. If you look at the film at this point (usually still on the developing real) you can probably see the darks and lights of images on the first few frames. When you cannot see this anymore, the film is cleared. With fresh rapid fix this usually takes from three to five minutes. Double that time (6 to 10 minutes) and you are good to go. Wash, Hypo Clear, wash again, photoflow and hang to dry. If you are fixing for 10 minutes and the film is clear, you are very probably fine. I think you are over-worrying about this one. Regards, Thank you. I gather that what you mean by "when you cannot see this anymore" is the whitish-greyish coating - it makes no sense for it to mean the images!!! I have heard of a trick whereby you take the exposed (ruined) leader (which you clipped off before spooling the film) and throw that in the fixer - when it turns from dead black to clear, take that time and double it and that is your safe fixing time. And when that half life doubles from what it originally was, the fixer is spent and needs to be ditched. Does this make sense?

01-07-2017, 08:06 PM	#18
AquaDome Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: New Carlisle, IN Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,475	Originally posted by pathdoc I have heard of a trick whereby you take the exposed (ruined) leader (which you clipped off before spooling the film) and throw that in the fixer - when it turns from dead black to clear, take that time and double it and that is your safe fixing time. And when that half life doubles from what it originally was, the fixer is spent and needs to be ditched. Does this make sense? Yes. This is the normal way to establish fixing time for a film. Observe the time it takes to clear and double it.

01-10-2017, 08:20 PM - 1 Like	#19
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Originally posted by pathdoc ...so I fix in Kodak fixer (the one you mix from powder) for TEN MINUTES. What horrible things might I be doing to my images? Or is the only loss to my time and peace of mind? ETA (in response to clarifying question): I am talking about B&W film. Over fixing isn't good. Fix for twice the clearing time. Take a film tongue and dip half an inch into the fixer for 15 seconds, then dip the rest of it in. When the first part and the second part look the same, you know the film is clear. Double that time for your fixing time.

01-26-2017, 01:00 PM - 2 Likes	#20
Nesster Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 13,072	The top is fixed in exhausted fixer, and I didn't have time to re-fix because I was also cooking dinner and dinner was ready. I went back and dunked the film in fresh fixer, and you can see the result in the bottom picture. You can recover from under fixing if you do it in some reasonable time frame.

02-05-2017, 02:30 PM - 1 Like	#21
gaweidert Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Rochester, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,325	In the ancient day, a rule of thumb was to fix the film for twice the length of time it takes to clear it.