straightening a folded roll of 30 yr. old film

[william_bisbee]

I have several rolls of 35mm b&w film professionally developed 30

some years ago. This uncut film was rolled on a 4 1/2 by 1 1/2 by

3/4 cardboard tube. When taken off, it retains the folds. I would

like to cut the film into strips to put in a binder neg. sheet.

How can I return the film to it's original condition? Soaking it and

hanging it to dry seemes to be logical. What sort of solution should

I use, what temp., how long, etc.?

[bruce levy]

You might try creating a little humidity chamber. You can use an upsidedown aquarium. Personally I would use soaked and squeezed blotter paper and introduce the film and blotter in the container, but obviously not touching. Keep an eye on it and watch how much it relaxes over a couple of hours. It might be enough for your purpose. If you do bath the film use a small text length first. Whatever you do, just to be safe, I would use distilled water. Air dry (filtered preferred).

[jtk]

I've recently dealt with exactly that by scanning it with Nikon using FH-3 carrier, which flattens film very well while scanning. I doubt that you'll eliminate the memory that's in the VERY MODERN film base used in the Seventies. It was never sensitive to water. Heat might work, but you'd fry the emulsion.

[bjcarlton]

I had the same problem with some film from the 1950s, only this film had been rolled up in 35mm canisters the whole time. I tried wetting a small clip from it, then hanging it straight, with film clips at each end. Several weeks later, I unclipped the film and it sprang right back the way it was before. I finally decided it was a good reason to keep my enlarger, because there was no way I was going to be able to force that into my scanner.

 

I had a similar experience with 120 film from the 1960s. I didn't wet it, but I did cut it in strips and try to press it flat under weights. Didn't work.

 

Conclusion: the stuff is awfully stubborn. I haven't yet been able to find a solution.

[jmconner]

I have the same problem with 35mm neg film. I have rolled it the opposite way and am storing it in a cannister. I have just done this but don't know how long it might take, if at all.

[jmconner]

I rolled the film more tightly in the reverse direction and taped it. After storing it in a 35mm cannister for about ten weeks, the original roll was mostly gone. Plenty enough to work with.