Suggestions - problem with Polymax II RC

About 12 years ago I was given two rolls of Kodak Polymax II 5" and 8" wide both 30metres by a pro lab down sizing. I move abroad not long after and had no time to use it.

The 8" roll is Pearl it prints perfectly but is sticking together emulsion to back and difficult to unroll without damaging. The 5" Glossy roll is fine.

Any suggestions for how to salvage this roll, it's a lot of potential prints

Ian

Turns out the Glossy paper is the same. slightly sticking but it unreels perfectly. he issue is with the Pearl.

The paper itself prints perfectly there's definitely no drop in contrast probably mot in speed either, I'd guess it'sm 15+ years old.

Ian

It is rather obvious that, at some time, through either condensation or other means, the emulsion got wet and dried, melding the two surfaces.

You do not know the history of the rolls, but from what else can this problem be derived?

Salvaging is a problem, as the only way I could imagine would be to rewet it and let it separate. That is a theory that is easier said than done. Sorry, Ian. - David Lyga

Until I was given the rolls they were stored in a lab with other papers so should have been OK, but then they sat in my darkroom in one of my cellars for about 7 or 8 years (I was living abroad), then in my mothers garage a year or two. It's only these two rolls that are sticking the boxes of RC paper the lab gave me are all fine (still print perfectly). Terry the lab owner had tested and marked some boxes (of graded papers) noting slight speed & contrast loss, my own tests maybe 8 years later indicated exactly the same.

I tried using a water spray on the Pearl roll, it'll work slowly but I need something giving a finer almost mist like spray so the paper gets less wet I'd also use a dimmer to turn the safe-lights right down. The main problem is the emulsion side on the rolls is the outside so care is needed. It's worth doing as it's roughly 300+ sheets of 10"x8".

Ian

It's probably a silly suggestion, but would steaming it apart work? That is, stand the roll on end beside an open shower cubicle or such running hot water and unravel the roll a bit at a time over the course of a few hours or on an as needed basis, or would that simply damage the emulsion more?

You might try freezing it Ian and unrolling it when frozen. Another alternative is to separate it through a sheer motion. Press down on the side of the roll until it "gives". Sometimes when I am flattening prints (with heat) they stick together so I twist the pile and they always separate without any harm to the prints.

Hope that helps you somehow.

I'll need to eat some of the food I've frozen first to make space It might be worth a try as it's quite a significant amount of paper and freezing won't do any more harm.. The main issue is it's a tight roll and with the emulsion on the outside that makes handling harder, there's no chance of any twisting of the roll.

Ian