Cleaning Fidelity 4x5 dds

..I checked my film holders prior loading and, predictably, many are stiff with the dark slide reluctant to go back in. What do you people suggest as a way to free them up? THanks.

When you vacuum the interior, leave the dark slide inserted but outside the film area. That reduces the risk of drawing grit into the light trap from the outer end. Vacuum the dark slide slots from the outside - the aim being to pull any grit out the way it went in.

Rubbing the dark slides with used dryer sheets can help, particularly with static. A *touch* of silicone lubricant on a tissue and wiped on the dark slide edges might help, but I have rarely had one bind tight enough for that. Generally you do not want anything liquid in the light trap.

Make sure the leading edge of the dark slide is smooth and even. If it starts sticking part way in, look at the slot in case it is damaged.

When I load holders, I leave the dark slide about 1/4 the way inserted - the film loads from the other end. That way I do not have to insert the slides, I know that the slide is the right way around, and it helps track which side has been loaded. Dark slides only come all the way out when exposing or setting up the holder for reloading. I do not have much trouble with 4x5, but I find 8x10 slides need more care to get them exactly aligned when they are inserted.

As a general rule, start with the least intrusive method first. If it is just one 4x5 holder, and it is not an easy fix, consider retiring it and get a replacement.

I use paste wax on the slides, after making sure they are clean, and there is no crud in the slits they ride in.

I use beeswax on the edges of the darkslides if they are sticky, that works just fine.

As for cleaning:

I have a darkroom vacuum cleaner dedicated to filmholders. It's small and HEPA filtered. I use the upholstery brush attachment with a piece of tape covering the top half of the bristles to give me a bit more suction.

I first vacuum my loading area, then start on the filmholders. The outside gets vacuumed first, then both darkslides are pulled completely. The inside of the holder including under the flap and the inside and outside of the light trap get vacuumed. Then I vacuum both sides of one darkslide and insert it into the holder while holding the vacuum attachment at the bottom side of the light trap. I'll work the darkslide through the light trap two or three times. It's surprising how much dust is released doing this. A quick swipe on the inside of the holder and then insert the darkslide completely. Repeat with the other side. (It takes longer to type this than to actually do it.)

Clean holders go in a pile with a plastic bag on top to keep dust from settling.

After loading, each holder goes into a clean ZipLoc-style bag. Quart size bags fit 4x5 holders just fine. They live there till exposure time. Still, when exposing, I check for dust on the outside of the holder and blow or brush it off before inserting the holder in the camera.

Best,

Doremus