curled negatives

[olroy2044]

Randy, I don't know if this is the right place for this thread or not. If not, feel free to move it.

Hi all- I have a problem that I would like some advice on. While cleaning my garage (after many moves) I came across a large box of photos and negatives that I had thought were lost many moons ago. Quite a few of the negatives have curled. They aren't creased, and the emulsion appears to be OK on most of them. What is the best way to straighten them? Thanks in advance--Roy

[kiev4a]

You might be able to just put them in one of those notebooks with plain sheets of paper--under pressure for a few days/weeks. I wouldn't put them between pages that have printing on them. You could soak them in water and re dry them but I wouldn't go that route--especially if it is individual negs rather than a strip of negs. Really old negs, I think, are made of celluloid, which is highly flamable and had a lot of curl to it.

[olroy2044]

Hi Wayne--I have some of both individual, which are medium format, and strip which are 35mm and some 110 from my first 110 Pentax (stolen from me right out of my briefcase, locked up in my patrol car!!!). I have them pressed inside a heavy book, but didn't think of the print ink. They've only been in there a few hours, so probably aren't hurt--going right now to get them out! Thanx, Roy

[mickeyobe]

olroy,

If the negatives are still in strips or large enough sections to be manageable I think that rewashing them with a little bit of wetting agent and hanging them up to dry with a film clip or Bulldog clip or spring loaded clothespins or some other weight at the bottom should flatten them sufficiently to be useable.

I would suggest that you test each different kind of film first on a negative that will not break your heart if it is lost.

Mickey

[kiev4a]

Modern inks are more likely to transfer that older inks (in older books).

[olroy2044]

Thanks guys. I'm trying the weighted book (with blank pages) method. If that doesn't work, I'll try re-wetting them. Roy