• Welcome to Photrio!
    Registration is fast and free. Join today to unlock search, see fewer ads, and access all forum features.
    Click here to sign up

How to fix a stupid drying mistake

Recent Classifieds

Forum statistics

Threads
201,881
Messages
2,831,698
Members
101,001
Latest member
Jim R
Recent bookmarks
0

maponline

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Oct 5, 2014
Messages
23
Format
35mm
Hi everyone,

Here's another stupid mistake that I'll be sure not to make again: after a couple of hours of my negatives drying over the bathtub I thought they were sufficiently dry (I was in a rush). Mercifully the emulsion side of the negs was dry, but not the back of the negatives.

I cut them up, noticed they were a bit sticky and placed them in between two sheets of pergament paper (without pressing them). As a result the paper stuck to it on the bottom side, and when I removed the negatives it left some white traces (as when we fail to remove the price tag on a book). I used a friendly price tag to remove gently most of the white fibers, but there remains some kind of light stain, and of course the negatives are generally dirtier than anything I've seen before.

Any idea how to fix this? Would some solvent like alcohol help me wipe the bottom part of the negative or is it going to ruin it?

Any ideas welcome...

Many thanks,

Michael
 

pentaxuser

Member
Joined
May 9, 2005
Messages
20,344
Location
Daventry, No
Format
35mm
I'd try a longish soak in water with slightly more wetting agent than normal and periodic examination.

pentaxuser
 

summicron1

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jul 28, 2010
Messages
2,920
Location
Ogden, Utah
Format
Multi Format
rinse, gentle rubbing with finger while wet and perhaps some foto-flow to nudge off, re-dry, pray.
 

bdial

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
7,516
Location
North East U.S.
Format
Multi Format
+ another on a rinse and photo-flo soak. That will probably take care of it if you're patient and let the paper get thoroughly wet.
That assumes you didn't also introduce some adhesive from the sticker you were trying to lift the paper with.
If that is the case, I'd soak and try to get the paper off then dry and attack the glue with pec pads and film cleaner.
 
OP
OP

maponline

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Oct 5, 2014
Messages
23
Format
35mm
You guys are awesome---and it's great to have a rather unanimous answer, and on this forum :smile:

Many, many thanks to all! I'll try this at the end of the week and will let you know what could be salvaged.
 
Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here.

PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY:



Ilford ADOX Freestyle Photographic Stearman Press Weldon Color Lab Blue Moon Camera & Machine
Top Bottom