Flattening old, wrinkled negatives?

[winger]

A friend of mine is involved with a historical group and recently received a box of stuff that includes some old negatives. They had been stacked and stored in a box in an attic (yeah, I know). Some of them are 4x5 or 4x5-ish and some appear to be 120. I have not personally seen them, but the friend who has them does shoot film and knows much more than nothing.
But a bunch of the negatives are wrinkled looking. The photos he sent me look like the emulsion and the base are separated in some spots, but not everywhere. I don't know which, but it kinds looks like one shrank or the other grew. The result is a non-flat, almost bubbled-looking neg. I'll try to get the pics on here somehow.
Is there any way to rehydrate them in order to get them flat? He said they don't seem brittle. They're 1940s-1950s, so probably not nitrite base. He wants to preserve the images as well as make the negs themselves ok to survive awhile. There are only a couple that he's willing to sacrifice to experiments, though.
He also said that some of the 4x5 ones are regular 4x5 film, but some look like film that's been cut down and those don't always fit quite right in the sleeves he has for 4x5.

 

[martinola]

As old Nitrate and Acetate film rots, the base can buckle and the emulsion can lift in areas. Kodak had a great publication on conserving archival photographic materials. I've got it buried somewhere in storage... They had a detailed description of how to melt the old base, leaving the emulsion and gelatin layer and then transferring it to a fixed out piece of polyester sheet film. Pretty involved and risky, but the results can be good. Need I say that the materials must all be copied as-is first before anything like that is attempted? ;D

 

[Sirius Glass]

Contact the Eastman Kodak museum in Rochester for suggestions and recommendations.

 

[MattKing]

Contact the Eastman Kodak museum in Rochester for suggestions and recommendations.

Actually, the George Eastman museum - no "Kodak" in the name.

 

[GRHazelton]

Another valuable resource is the Library of Congress. See this: https://www.loc.gov/preservation/ You'll want to browse and see what you can find.
This is peripheral to this discussion but maybe some folks here would have some ideas. My Father stored a number of rolls of 35mm he'd processed back in the day in metal 35mm film cans. Any ideas about removing the film without scratching it?
Many thanks in advance.
GR Hazelton

 

[MTGseattle]

Would that preservation info be contained within any vintage Kodak publications, or was that technique more "pro's only?"

As to getting film out of cans, see if you can gently pinch the innermost edge and "tighten" the roll so that it clears the insides of the can. That's my only idea without having the same situation in front of me to work though on a practical basis.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Actually, the George Eastman museum - no "Kodak" in the name.

But good enough to get the idea across.

 

[cmacd123]

But good enough to get the idea across.

I belive that you are referring to the International Museum of Photography at George Eastman house.
besides that the library of congress has a lot of expertise.

also be aware that Nitrate stoped being in date only around 1952. With WWII running from 1938 to 1945 sheet film on Nitrate base may have been around in the 1940s. Particularly if the film was not made by Kodak.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I believe that you are referring to the International Museum of Photography at George Eastman house.
besides that the library of congress has a lot of expertise.

also be aware that Nitrate stoped being in date only around 1952. With WWII running from 1938 to 1945 sheet film on Nitrate base may have been around in the 1940s. Particularly if the film was not made by Kodak.

You are referring to the film base, not the emulsion.

 

[winger]

Thanks very much, all! I will pass on the ideas to Kevin. He seemed fairly sure they weren't on a nitrite base, but I don't know for sure how he came to that conclusion.

 

[cmacd123]

You are referring to the film base, not the emulsion.

yes, but Nitrate base can damage the emusion. it is more likly to cause fading as well as shrinkage, while deteriorating acetate base (Vinegar Syndrome) my also result in base shrinkage.

 

[MattKing]

I belive that you are referring to the International Museum of Photography at George Eastman house

I believe they changed the name in 2015 to the George Eastman Museum. But in any event, it is a place I'd look to for help, and would love to visit myself.