Polaroid 40-series stabilization

[Truzi]

Can anyone tell me what was in the little tube that came with old Polaroid roll films? It was supposed to be spread on the print after development. Is it some sort of fixer? I there something I can substitute?

I unearthed my Great Grandmother's Polaroid The 800 camera a year ago, fixed the shutter, and used it with some 4x5 film.
Occasionally I'll pick up some old 40-series film (usually Type 47). It's hit-or-miss; sometimes it is dried, but some rolls are still "good." The images aren't great, but are usable, and it is fun to use the camera as it was intended. Oddly, I've had better luck with film from the 60s as opposed to the 80s.

On the rolls that aren't totally dried, the little tube usually is, or is too sticky to spread on the print.
Basically, I want to keep the images that do come out from degrading (or, degrading more than was typical).

 

[AgX]

In some materials from Polaroid the image was very succeptible to chemical and physical damage. The same time they enabled easy washing off of salts, like with those PE-coated papers from classic processes.

Thus an aqueous solution of a polymer had been chosen that by wiping the image layer with would act as rinse, and after that would form a film to protect that layer.

A two-in-one product so to say...

 

[Gerald C Koch]

The coating served two purposes. Besides being a protective coating as mentioned above it was also acidic to neutralize the alkalinity of the monobath used to process the picture. As a substitute you could briefly wash the print, allow it to dry and then apply a spray used for protecting regular prints. I would check the spray first on an unimportant print.

 

[Truzi]

Considering 40% of the film I've tried has completely dry pods, all the photos I take with this will be unimportant

Should I wash in a dilute stop bath, or is water sufficient? I'd never thought of the spray protectant, thanx. Any specific type of spray I should look for, or will a trip to a local arts/crafts store be satisfactory?

 

[nickrapak]

If you would like a tube of the coater, I could send one to you for shipping. PM me if you're interested.

 

[Truzi]

Thanx Nickrapak, but I'll pass. My playing with this camera is still a bit sporadic. I still have some unopened rolls of film which may or may not have good coaters, and I did find some information online. Odd, I searched yesterday with no luck, but managed to find some tonight, including the MSDS.

I may try this:
http://new55project.blogspot.com/2010/04/cure-for-dried-coater.html

Also, it seems there was a thread on Apug before:
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[Gerald C Koch]

Plain water should be perfectly fine.

Use whatever spray is recommended for silver prints.