How to fill pinhole/scratches in negatives?

[James Drukeli]

I have a few ortho litho film negatives that I will be contact printing onto paper. My question is, how do I fill the small pin holes and scratches in the black areas of the film? I've found Nikken addition and deleting pens but from what I understand these are only for metal printing plates. Can these be used on a film negative (ortho litho 3.0)? What is usually used to touch up these negatives?

 

[James Drukeli]

I've just discover Lithco Correct-A-Neg pens. Is what I should be using?

 

[AgX]

In the long past there was special red ink for such retouching.

Today one may consider black drawing ink applied by technical ink-pen.

 

[L Gebhardt]

The pens look useful, though they will almost certainly create a white hole you will need to fill with spotting fluid on the prints (though with litho negatives maybe there isn't much tonality there). With crocein scarlet (see https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?99980-Mixing-Kodak-Crocein-Scarlet) you can build up density and potentially get a perfect repair (I've never mastered that and usually need to spot the print too). I don't think it's available any more, but probably pops up from time to time. If you were

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I was lucky enough to inherit a jar of Kodak Crocein Red off of a retired screen printer. It's the best stuff I've ever used for covering up holes and scratches on negatives. You can build up thin layers until it disappears. Before that, I used Spot Tone dyes.

 

[Ian Leake]

I use an ordinary pencil: a couple of gentle taps with a very sharp point. It doesn’t last forever, but it is easy to remove and doesn’t damage the negative.

 

[Jerevan]

For whatever it is worth, I remembered now that Rohrer & Klingner, www.rohrer-klingner.de has photo dyes in various colours. I also seem to remember they at least used to have a red dye, specifically made for retouching negatives, but I can't find it on their site anymore.

 

[silveror0]

Here's a product that you could try; I believe it's similar to the unavailable Kodak product.
http://stores.photoformulary.com/crocein-scarlet-biebrich-scarlet/

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Here's a product that you could try; I believe it's similar to the unavailable Kodak product.
http://stores.photoformulary.com/crocein-scarlet-biebrich-scarlet/

Looks like a powder that you mix with water?

 

[L Gebhardt]

Looks like a powder that you mix with water?

That's how the Kodak Crocein Scarlet I have came as well. Once I got through mixing just a small amount and making ever decreasing dilutions I have more fluid than I'll ever use in my life and 95% of the original bottle left.

 

[faberryman]

Five decades ago, I was taught nose grease. I think Edwal use to offer a solution in a bottle with a brush called Scratch-Off.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

I use a Sigma Micron pigment pen. You will need to spot it afterwards though since it will leave a white dot.

 

[James Drukeli]

Thanks everyone. I ended up purchasing this.

https://baypressservices.com/shop/lithco-correct-a-neg/