curled 35mm B&W film from 40's-50's : how to scan?

I have at least one hundred rolls of 35mm B&W film from my grandfather. All

are curled into very tight rolls. They are next to impossible to load into the

Epson 4990 film holder. If I cut the rolls into 6 exp long strips they just

zip up into a smaller roll.

 

Can anyone suggest some ideas, techniques for straightening these films? I

tried wetting and drying with a weight on the bottom but it didn't have much

effect. The film base wants to keep the shape its had for 60 years.

 

Thanks.

The conventional response is to fix, rewash(thoroughly) and dry(after treating with wetting

agent:Photo-Flo, etc) hanging in the normal manner. Cut into strips, place in neg pages. It

sounds, however, like you may have already done this. You may have a special, extreme

case. Perhaps someone from a film archive, still or motion, would have some suggestions.

Easy to hold flat with Nikon's standard and strip holders. Easy to hold flat with betterscanning.com's anti-newton glass carrier on Epsons.

Try flattening the curled film under heavy books for a few months, if you are in no hurry to scan it.

 

It's very risky to rewash old curled film. I ruined a roll of 35mm film that way. As the film dried overnight, hung with weights, it curled in the LENGTHWISE direction, like a long cigar. When I tried to uncurl the film by wetting it again, the emulsion slid completely off the film base.

When I develop film, I routinely reroll it (emulsion side out) loosely after it has dried overnight. I cover it with a blank piece of film and a rubber band and let it sit for about a day. This keeps my negatives very flat. (Fred Picker recommended this.) The same might work for older film. I would suggest looking for a non critical roll. Most photographers made some test negatives or photographed some subjects which won't be a critical part of the family archives.

 

Ken

I had exactly the same problem with film from the 40's that had been kept in the old Kodak metal film cannisters. I was reluctant to do anything too drastic to get them to lay flat because the old emulsion is easy to crack. I cut the film in six frame strips and inserted them in the plastic sleeves. After making proof sheets, I put them under weight in a book for several weeks. It took the curl out just enough to allow me to get them in the Epson 4990 film holders.

 

I know it took awhile, but at least I had the proof sheets while waiting for the film to uncurl. Be patient!

I have asked the same question in a local lab (Ginn in Ottawa). And the lady told me a good idea worth trying:

 

curl the negative in the other way. and fix it that way for some time. Eventually it'll loose the curls. I'll try that this WE.

 

DD.