Sticky tapes for 120 roll film PLEASE!

[arigram]

Ilford, Kodak, Fuji, Rollei, Efke, all film manufacturers I humbly beg you!
I drop on my knees and with tears in my eyes, I extend my hands in utter desperation, for the sake of everything holy in the real of film:

- Please, replace the lick-y paper with a sticky tape on all 120 rolls of film!

I know that my cries are in vain and there is no chance in all the levels of Dantenian and Chinese hell to get this most important request, but this is all the voice I have.
Lick-y tapes very often fail. Very often.
Which means I am left with a roll film of wonderful photographs and no way to hold it together, especially if I am in the middle of nowhere! Sure, I try to bring sticky tags with me, sure I beg for tape or rubber bands, sure as a last effort I use the one that holds my ponytail, but sticky tags can be forgotten when changing bags or just carrying a camera bare and I am often in places where help only miraculously comes as Deus-ex-Machina.

Fuji Color Negative film such as Sensia that I have used, as I am not familiar with all kinds of film, uses wonderful sticky tape to first hold together the unexposed 120 and another one for when you have exposed it. It works great and it has never failed me.

Ilford film that I use for 95% of the time, does not and often sends me in packed quests to save my photographs. I find that totally unacceptable.

 

[Ian David]

How does the tape fail you, Ari? I have never had any problems with the Ilford licky tape, except that it is not my favourite flavour... (I do LIKE the films with self- adhesive sticky tapes though).

Ian

 

[ozphoto]

I have had the tape fail on a couple of occasions - the "sticky" seemed to have disappeared.
I'd much prefer sticky tape than having to lick - after a few rolls, my tongue goes ughhhhh!
I remember using one brand of 120 which was "sticky", not "licky" and I was sooooo thrilled about it; pity I've forgotten whose it was??

 

[benjiboy]

Why not carry a packet of small rubber bands to use in addition to the "sticky" Ari. , I have for years, It works.

 

[arigram]

Am I just unlucky or does refrigerating the film impacts negatively the performance of the licky paper?
I very often find rolls that their paper has given up the ghost.
Most of the time the failing is about the paper not being sticky even after I had performed enough oral sex on it to worth a diploma on the subject. Sometimes I will lick to to oblivion literally trying to get it to stick as it melts in pieces like it was made of sugar. Also on occasion the licky paper will detach itself from the backing paper all together.

Frankly, the sticky tape is a much better, cleaner and dependable solution that has been applied and it works! Why don't all manufacturers change to that? Will it affect the fabrication process and costs that much?

I am tired running in panic to find something to hold my film together, let alone looking like a pervert making out with it.

 

[arigram]

Why not carry a packet of small rubber bands to use in addition to the "sticky" Ari. , I have for years, It works.

As I mentioned above, I do carry some sticky tags that have saved me many times, but they are something that can be easily forgotten to bring along.

And anyway, I shouldn't be "hacking" the solution myself when it is an obvious omission by the film manufacturers.

 

[Ian David]

Maybe you are getting TOO friendly with the tape. A little spit goes a long way...

 

[Greg Heath]

Arista EDU

So funny, and not so funny the lick tape discussion.
I have been buying 120 Arista EDU Ultra 400 B&W, and it has sticky tape.
I love it.
Cheap too @ $2.39/roll.

Greg

 

[bdial]

Maybe you are getting TOO friendly with the tape. A little spit goes a long way...

What I was thinking...maybe we're not passionate enough in our photography compared to Ari.

I've encountered the problem of non-stickyness, but only rarely. Something like the adhesive on 3M Post-it's would be ideal though.

Try licking no more than about 5mm or so of the end of the tape. Then if it doesn't stick you have a second chance.

 

[ozphoto]

Maybe pack a small roll of sticky tape and a small pair of kiddie scissors (rounded ends won't stab you!!) into your camera bag.
I've started doing this since respooling 120 onto 620 rolls for my 6x9 folder.

 

[JohnRichard]

I want you to know, I paper cut my tongue the other day on just such self licky paper. Not a fun time.

 

[eSFotos]

In my bag I have a roll of surgical tape.
Sticks well and removes easily.
No more oral sex.

 

[Xmas]

How does the tape fail you, Ari? I have never had any problems with the Ilford licky tape, except that it is not my favourite flavour...

Ian

hmmmm

 

[Ian Grant]

Like you Ari I have problems with the Ilford tape, in my case undoing the roll sometimes it tears the leader that fit's the take up spool. Sometimes I have problems the other end too, doesn't stick properly.

The Fuji system is by far the best, really nice and easy to use, the spools are better as well.

Ian

 

[Mike Wilde]

Why not carry a few squares cut to the appropriate size of heavy duty aluminum foil as back up? They are thin, and take up almost no room in the camera bag.

If an end of roll wrapper doesn't stick - ok, hold film tight, and then tightly wrap and cinch foil around the film until you get it back into a darkroom and onto a pocessing reel.

 

[mooseontheloose]

I agree with Ian -- don't all Fuji films have sticky tape on their rolls? At least, the ones I use do! (Generally in Japan, people don't lick anything -- it's all sticky tape or glue, even for things like stamps and envelopes).

 

[Q.G.]

I hate the lick-to-stick tape too, and would sign any petition asking manufacturers to do what Fuji does.

I too carry a handfull of elastic rubber bands. They come in handy for a lot of things, including keeping a roll rolled when sticky tapes don't stick.

 

[MattKing]

I have a number of those light-tight plastic tubes with lids for exposed roll film. I got mine from J & C, but Glazer's sells them. Even if the tape doesn't stick, the holder will probably keep the roll together.

I've never had the "stickyness" fail, but I have had troubles with the tape seeming to bond to the paper backing, making it almost impossible to apply it in the first place.

In Aristotelis' case, I wonder if the different climate in a place like Crete (as compared to the generally temperate rainforest where I hang out) might explain the problems he encounters.

One of those little scotch tape dispensers can be easy to pack, and provide a solution. The adhesive "Stick-It" notes can help in a pinch, as well.

Matt

 

[Darkroom317]

Glazer's sells them.
Matt

Where would these be on their website?

 

[Leighgion]

I've not had any problems with Kodak's licky tapes, even after being in the fridge for some time after exposure. As already observed, Fuji appears to exclusively use peel-n-stick as does Arista-branded product.

Maybe the English just don't make good licky tape?

 

[Mike Wilde]

Oh- and for light tight plastic tubes - I have made some for 120/220 out of the foil before being shot.

They consist of a pair of 35mm film cans. Cut the right amount of the bottom and side walls off of one can, and tape the second can, less lid, on with black electrical tape. The right amount is that needed to just accomodate a roll of film without the roll rattling around a lot.

 

[MattKing]

Where would these be on their website?

I've seen them in the store.

I tried to find them on the website under "120 film cannisters" but the search function is wonky.

I'd give them a call on their toll free line.

Matt

 

[k_jupiter]

Maybe the English just don't make good licky tape?

Lucas licky tapes?

Don't have this problem. maybe it's a ph thing with ari and the glue?

tim in san jose

 

[Q.G.]

Even if the lick-to-stick thingies work (which they do most of the time) the taste is horrible.
If Fuji can come up with a better idea, the others have no excuse. They're just trying to safe a bit of money. As if we don't pay enough.

 

[Leighgion]

Where would these be on their website?

I don't know about Glazers, but Freestyle sells Maco-branded roll film containers in two styles. Search for "roll film container."