PMK: is an after-fix bath in used developer needed if alkaline fix is used?

I'm going to begin testing with PMK developer in earnest over the next few weeks. I've never used it before, although I have a lot of b&w darkroom experience.

I know that Gordon Hutchings, the inventor of the formula for PMK, recommends a bath in the used developer after fixing and before washing, in order to intensify the pyro stain.

I'm going to be using Photographer's Formulary's alkaline fixer (TF-4 if I'm not mistaken). Hutchings' advice is based on use of a standard acid fixer.

Those of you who have used PMK, do you find the developer staining bath to be necessary? Does it provide any tangible benefit if an all-alkaline chemical sequence is being used?

I'm going to be testing it with Ilford Delta 100 & 400 (my standard films), plus I bought some FP4+, HP5+, Kodak Tri-X and Plus-X to see if I like traditional emulsions with this developer better (this is not relevant to the question but if you have specific advice about these films, I'm all ears).

Thanks.

Jim

[ Previous | Next ]