Cleaning negatives

[Wayne]

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I am using a purpose specific, anti-stat, product to clean negatives. So far, I have limited it's use to non-emulsion side of negatives. Is it wise, or recommended, to use such a product on the emulsion side? For some reason I recall reading that it should not be done; however, I am unable to relocate, or verify this.

 

Best regards,

 

Wayne

[philipus]

What is is you are trying to remove, Wayne - is it drying marks? I posted a similar question at APUG a while back.

 

http://www.apug.org/forum/index.php?threads/how-remove-drying-marks.139454/

 

Br

Philip

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[EoinC]

What is is you are trying to remove, Wayne - is it drying marks? I posted a similar question at APUG a while back.

 

http://www.apug.org/forum/index.php?threads/how-remove-drying-marks.139454/

 

Br

Philip

Thanks, Philip.

[Wayne]

Well, water spots are a continuing problem, even though I am using distilled water for final rinse of B&W negatives. I identified a dark streak on the emulsion side of a number of frames in a color negative strip. My ignorance is such that I am not able to honestly tell you if they were "drying marks."

 

When I got home from work today I went ahead and used soft cotton cloth and the anti-stat film cleaner solution to clean the emulsion side of the problem color negatives. It seems to have removed the marks and the scan still looked good. I guess I answered my own question. Also, the emulsion-side cleaning effort removed a number of small specks that had, previously, appeared as dust on the scan. I am certain it was not dust as there was no visible dust on the negative.

 

I have been mixing my color chemistry, powder components, in distilled water. The spots seem impossible to completely eliminate from the negatives. I have been using a Kodak stabilizer, liquid form, as final step in processing. Additionally, I have been using the "racoon style" washing method- described by Adan- for application of stabilizer. All of this has reduced my problem with spots/specks tremendously. But, alas, I am still plagued by some number of stubborn spots/specks that show up as white specks on scans.

Edited June 6, 2017 by Wayne

[philipus]

Thanks for the explanation Wayne. Good to hear you managed to get rid of the marks.

 

Those stubborn specks might be from the chemicals in which case you could try to filter them. There are a few ways. One is to get a funnel and put a (part of a) cotton ball at the top. One has to test to find the best size depending on the size of the funnel's hole. I have found that a slightly smaller funnel is better than a large one. Another way is to use a coffee filter, though in my experience they often break after a while of pouring the chemicals in which is supremely annoying. Yet another way is to get one of those metal coffee filters with a very fine mesh. They might not filter out as much as a normal coffee filter but at least they don't break and one can always filter a few times. I'm sure there are other ways too.

 

br

Philip

 

 

Well, water spots are a continuing problem, even though I am using distilled water for final rinse of B&W negatives. I identified a dark streak on the emulsion side of a number of frames in a color negative strip. My ignorance is such that I am not able to honestly tell you if they were "drying marks."

 

When I got home from work today I went ahead and used soft cotton cloth and the anti-stat film cleaner solution to clean the emulsion side of the problem color negatives. It seems to have removed the marks and the scan still looked good. I guess I answered my own question. Also, the emulsion-side cleaning effort removed a number of small specks that had, previously, appeared as dust on the scan. I am certain it was not dust as there was no visible dust on the negative.

 

I have been mixing my color chemistry, powder components, in distilled water. The spots seem impossible to completely eliminate from the negatives. I have been using a Kodak stabilizer, liquid form, as final step in processing. Additionally, I have been using the "racoon style" washing method- described by Adan- for application of stabilizer. All of this has reduced my problem with spots/specks tremendously. But, alas, I am still plagued by some number of stubborn spots/specks that show up as white specks on scans.

[Wayne]

Thanks for the information. I have always suspected the chemistry. In this particular case the chemistry is a new batch and the negatives were part of the first roll developed. I guess it is unreasonable to think I will b able to see all of the dust. I do go to pains in order to dry in an area where dust will be limited but do not have a dust free drying cabinet or anything like that.