Self-healing scratches?

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

So I borrowed the Crown Graphic again from my old roomate and take a few shots on HP5+. I decide to develop them in Rodinal in trays because it looked less nefarious than HC-110 on my naked hands. I do the shuffle motion, dev, stop, fix. Two reactions: woo-hoo I have a good-looking printable negtive and Oy vey! all these scratches! Whatever, I think, learning is learning. I hang them to dry for the night after a last dip in photo-flo and distilled water.

Then this morning, a miracle like ski glasses: the scratches have disappeared, and the emulsion is smooth as a shave. What did the elves from Ilford did overnight?

 

[Poco]

That's the new film they released along with their flat drying paper -- Ilford is innovating on all fronts.

Seriously, it's sometimes difficult to really judge a negative's health when wet. Water lines can look like scratches, tiny air bubbles like dust, etc... Maybe that's the case here. Be happy.

 

[Kino]

Michel,

It is likely that the emulsion surface tension simply caused the gelatine to reflow back into the scratched areas.

Emulsion scratches can be "healed" by reprocessing the film and swelling the emulsion; this process is called "rewashing" in the motion picture industry and we often use it to rejuvinate older printing negs that have light to medium emulsion abrasions. You typically have to go the entire process to make it work, as PH plays a large roll in the emulsion swelling enough to resettle into the scratches...

Simply run 'em back through the processor or tray...

 

[Claire Senft]

I believe it is called Ilford After Shave.

 

[Markok765]

does it smell like Ilford rapid fix?

 

[Derek Lofgreen]

I think Santas elves work for Ilford in the off season.

D.

 

[Neal]

Dear Michael,

A box of examination gloves is a worthwhile investment if you are going to be developing in trays.

Neal Wydra

 

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

Michel,

It is likely that the emulsion surface tension simply caused the gelatine to reflow back into the scratched areas.

Emulsion scratches can be "healed" by reprocessing the film and swelling the emulsion; this process is called "rewashing" in the motion picture industry and we often use it to rejuvinate older printing negs that have light to medium emulsion abrasions. You typically have to go the entire process to make it work, as PH plays a large roll in the emulsion swelling enough to resettle into the scratches...

Simply run 'em back through the processor or tray...

Frank, the thing that surprised me was that now that my negs are dry, there are scratchless. The scratches were visible only while they were wet.

 

[BrianShaw]

The HEALING

It's a miracle. Get on your knees and praise God!

 

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

It's a miracle. Get on your knees and praise God!

Why didn't I think of that earlier! Hallelujah!

But if scars suddenly reappear, does it mean that my photo is posessed by Jesus and carries His stigmatas? Oh the excruciating pain...

 

[George Collier]

Maybe the scratches were on the base side (not the emulsion side) and were not evident after drying?

 

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

No, I hung my sheets with the emulsion facing forward, and when I looked at them last night they were well scratched, but as it dried the emulsion looked smooth again. It's probably what Frank said about gelatin settling in.