Paper stuck on negative

[Jack Latham]

I'm brand new to this site, and have a question in regards to paper stuck on a 120 negative. How do I remove it properly without damage to the neg. I've been away from the darkroom for thirty two years, and anxious to get started again. Thanks, Jack.

 

[timk]

do you mean the bit of sticky at the start of the roll that holds the film to the backing paper?

I normally just fold it over when I'm loading it on the reel. It has never caused me any issues.

 

[pgomena]

Soak the negative in 20-degree C (70F) water until the paper releases by itself -- don't pull it off. Let the negative sit in the water a while to thoroughly reconstitute the gelatin. You may need to run a little water over the spot where it stuck to try to remove any remaining paper fibers. DO NOT SCRUB! Rinse in Photo-flo or other rinse aid, hang negative to dry. The paper may have permanently damaged the negative, so you may not be able to restore it perfectly. Depending on how long the paper and negative were in contact, some paper fibers may have permanently bonded to the gelatin or may leave permanent marks.

Peter Gomena

 

[PBrooks]

I've always cut the tape off. There is always room between the last frame and the tape. I just don't like the idea of paper tape coming off and floating around in my tank.

 

[Photo Engineer]

If it is plain paper stuck to the negative, just soak in water for about 1/2 hour and gently peel or rub the paper away taking care not to scratch the negative by over eager rubbing. Then dip the negative in photo flo or something similar and dry.

If it is before processing, and the paper backing is stuck, process as normal and then in the wash follow the procedure in the above paragraph. The paper should peel away slowly and easily. If it is stuck on the emulsion side, the negatives will likely be ruined though due to uneven development.

PE