Suggestions for how to re-fix film?

[white.elephant]

Looking for some help. I'm fairly certain that, through a series of operator errors, I have two rolls of 35mm b&w film that are only partially fixed. By 'partially' I mean the film spent only approximately a minute or so in the fix (enough to clear but not much longer than that) and then was washed, dried, cut up into strips and then placed in negative sheets.

The fix I used was freshly mixed, and cursory visual inspection of the film when I removed it from the tank was that nothing was out of the ordinary.

I discovered the error only because the next night in the darkroom, when I went to fix that night's newly developed rolls, I discovered my fix was very diluted (took six minutes for film to clear when I tested it that night) and so only then did I realize the night before I had probably swapped a beaker of water for a beaker of fix in my stop-fix-wash sequence, and had then poured water back into my bottle of fix (diluting what was left) and threw the fix (which was used in one of the wash steps) out. Assuming my analysis of the error is correct, the film probably spent 60 seconds in the fix under relatively constant agitation.

I know, I know, label the beakers. No excuse for this error.

Inspecting the film, it LOOKS fine but the individual strips, when pulled from the carrier, have a marked tendency to curl almost immediately. Hence my conclusion that the film was in the fix long enough to clear but not long enough to be fully fixed.

The only way I've ever worked with film during the fix-wash cycle is on the reel uncut. I am assuming that the film should be re-fixed and then re-washed. But how does one do that with cut strips of 35mm film?

Two whole rolls are in this situation.

Thoughts?

 

[2F/2F]

Roll the strips back onto a reel, give a water bath first, and then refix and rewash. If you have plastic reels, it will be easier, but it can be done with stainless no problem.

 

[Erik Petersson]

I had the same problem a couple of weeks ago. I tried what 2F/2F suggested, and it turned out fine. I managed to hang my cut negative strips to dry through hanging them in the sprocket holes on a sewing thread. I also managed to attach clothes pegs on the bottom end of the strips without touching the image area. They turned out to be very flat.

 

[Rick A]

Rule of thumb for fixing-- time for film to clear doubled. If your film cleared in only one minute then should be in fix for two mins. If it took six to clear then leave for twelve mins total. If you snip the leader use it to test for fix time.

Rick

 

[Daire Quinlan]

I've done this before with bleach instead of fix, principle is the same. I just suspended them in a graduated cylinder (probably around 600ml or so) using a paperclip hooked into the sprocket holes so that the entire strip was under the solution. Twirled the film around every now and again. Seemed to do the job just fine.

 

[Mike1234]

I wouldn't try to roll all those short strips back onto a real. Just put plenty of fresh fixer in a tray and put the film in emulsion side up. If it curls just let them stand on their sides and add enough fix to cover them. Rewashing will be a somewhat of a PITA compared to having the full uncut roll on the reels but pain is often the best teacher. I'll bet you never make the same mistake.

 

[GrantR]

I've also had this problem before--it's pretty easy to get the strips onto plastic reels, but if you only have SS, the tray method is about the only way to go IMHO. Then, like a couple of other people have already said, use paper clips through the sprocket holes to give you something to hook them back up together to clip them up and give you something to hook to to weigh them down.