Soaking to Remove Film Scratches?

[Rick A]

Wasn't there an Edwal scratch remover?

Yes there was, I still have a bottle, it works for minor scratches.

As for using anything to wipe wet film, don't. While the film is still on the reel shake the water off before unspooling and hanging. I rap the center of the reel on the heel of my hand several times until I can't feel any water coming off.

 

[Tom Taylor]

Isn't there a "hardener" for film developers?

 

[Chuck1]

Yes but if there is something to scratch the film, you'll still get scratches

 

[koraks]

Isn't there a "hardener" for film developers?

For fixers, yes (it can also be applied separately, e.g. after fixing). But it doesn't affect the film base. And it also doesn't render the emulsion immune to scratches.

 

[Pieter12]

I remember being taught to rub your nose and then pass your finger over the scratch. The skin oil will fill the scratch.

 

[tomkatf]

Never soaked film for scratches... Used this stuff (or modern packaging equivalent) for decades.
Works well on non catastrophic scratches. Yes contains turpentine, use film cleaner when done printing. T

 

[Augustus Caesar]

Yes yes. I've come to that conclusion!

I put a few drops of photo-flo in the last rinse water, hang up the wet film, then pour the water (with photo-flo in it) over the film from the top. Just put a tub under the hanging film to catch the dripping water. DON'T TOUCH IT!

 

[jim appleyard]

In my high school photo class we used glassine envelopes for negative storage and I used a ball-point pen to write on the glassine. Yup, I scratch the emulsion side of the neg and it showed up in the 8x10's we made. My teacher suggested I soak the neg overnight and the emulsion might flow into the scratch. This never worked.

Edwal No-scratch works on scratches on the base side, not the emulsion side, as does nose oil.

Never Squeegee a strip of film, just air or filtered warm dry.

 

[bernard_L]

I have succesfully scanned a badly scratched 135 frame by cutting a single frame and mounting it in a slide frame with AN "glass" and some propanol between the negative and the "glass". I guess one could somehow insert that "mounted slide" in an enlarger. Or, still with an enlarger, use a 2xglass carrier and, again propanol.
Really desperate methods.
Exécutive summary : NO SQUEEGEE !

 

[agentlossing]

Exécutive summary : NO SQUEEGEE !

Yep, got it.