B&W reversal bleach

Description

The second bath: it dissolves the negative silver and leaves only the unused halide in the emulsion — the positive to come. Reversal is impossible without it.

What it actually does

The bleach oxidises and dissolves the silver the first developer produced. The film looks almost empty afterwards — that is normal and means the step worked. The whole image you will eventually see is still held in undeveloped halide.

Handle with care

This is the most aggressive solution in the process. Wear gloves, work in a ventilated room, do not mix it with acids and do not pour it away with fixer. Wash the film thoroughly after bleaching or the clearing bath will be wasted.

Questions and answers

The film looks blank after bleaching — is that wrong?

No, it is correct. The image appears after re-exposure and second development.