What do you think of the orange Ilford microfibre anti-static cloths?

Treymac · Nov 5, 2010

Hey guys. I have one of those orange Ilford microfibre anti-static negative wiping cloths. But I`m a little hesitant to use it. What do you guys think about them, should I trust wiping my negatives clean with them?

23mjm · Nov 5, 2010

I use one to wipe down my 4X5 film holders before vacuuming them off prior to loading them!! I have also wiped down my enlarger too. Does it do anything??? Who knows!

Pinholemaster · Nov 5, 2010

I'm not a big fan rubbing anything across a negative. A little accident grit on one of these cloths can ruin your film.

As said above, I love them for wiping down LF film holders.

railwayman3 · Nov 5, 2010

Pinholemaster said:
I'm not a big fan rubbing anything across a negative. A little accident grit on one of these cloths can ruin your film.

As said above, I love them for wiping down LF film holders.

I'd agree entirely, the Ilford cloths are great for general purposes, but it's best to try to avoid the need to actually "wipe" any negative because of this risk of a speck of grit. If I get dust on a neg, I try to blow it off with an air cleaner, or a soft brush (kept for the purpose) if necessary.

Dan Henderson · Nov 5, 2010

I use mine to wipe off the glass of my negative carrier. And LF holders. But if you keep your darkroom clean and religiously practice a good negative rinsing process you should never have to wipe your negatives with anything.

Mike Wilde · Nov 5, 2010

I also have heard that it's usefulness is negated if it is washed. So try to wipe down things that are otherwise already mostly clean.

hpulley · Nov 5, 2010

Grounding your enlarger should get rid of the static problem anyways when the negative is in the holder. I use a blower and a little brushing if absolutely necessary but once you've scratched your negative there is nothing you can really do to unscratch it so it is probably best not to touch it if you can help it.

I too prefer to get the right mix of distilled water and Infosol/Photoflo in the last rinse or two so that I can just hang my negative strips and dry them (in the winter with the furnace running my darkroom dries them quickly and well). I've tried wiping the water off first but it just smears and streaks the negs and makes it worse than if I leave it alone.

Dan Henderson · Nov 5, 2010

hpulley said:
Grounding your enlarger should get rid of the static problem anyways when the negative is in the holder. I use a blower and a little brushing if absolutely necessary but once you've scratched your negative there is nothing you can really do to unscratch it so it is probably best not to touch it if you can help it.

I too prefer to get the right mix of distilled water and Infosol/Photoflo in the last rinse or two so that I can just hang my negative strips and dry them (in the winter with the furnace running my darkroom dries them quickly and well). I've tried wiping the water off first but it just smears and streaks the negs and makes it worse than if I leave it alone.

I learned to put a capful of isopropyl alcohol and one drop of PhotoFlo in the distilled water final rinse to evaporate the water more effectively. Then hang 'em and leave the darkroom until they are dry. I have not had dust or water spots since beginning this ritual.

holmburgers · Nov 5, 2010

Anbody ever used a KineStat?

http://www.kinetronics.de/seiten/gb/gb_kse.html

23mjm · Nov 5, 2010

Oh yea--I would not use it to rub my negs unless I absolutely have to. I do use an anti-static brush then blow the neg off with a rocket blower.

Mike Wilde · Nov 5, 2010

No, not a kinestat, but I do use a modified Zerostat ion gun. It was originally marketed for LP's way back when. I have aded some insulation so it does not arc over at such a low voltage. I find it works most visibly when you hold a piece of dusty 4x5 film vertically, and squeeze about 6" away. You actually see the dust drop off.

Of course it also tells you when you ned to get the vaccum out and tidy up also. My central; vac exhausts to the garage, so the fine stuff does, at least in this case, not come back so easily.

MattKing · Nov 5, 2010

holmburgers said:
Anbody ever used a KineStat?

http://www.kinetronics.de/seiten/gb/gb_kse.html

I have a predecessor to these from the same company. It is so old that when I wrote to them asking about filters and service, they wrote back and said that even they had no information or parts for it:confused:.

That being said, it works reasonably well.

europanorama · Dec 4, 2010

Ilford Antistaticum- Dont wash it out

It has a special chemical built-in. Thats why not washing it out. it could contaminate the film. at least one could see it on the surface. maybe mine was "prisoned" for a longer period without fresh air-contact. They also say to clean tv-set. I am cleaning LPs.

i also used both the antistatic brush(one has polonium built-in) and the gun. more or less succesfully. good advice is increasing moisture. i also used a small(beacuse it was cheap air-cleaning machine. a larger one would serve better. walking on a carpet in the enlarger-room is not a good idea.

What do you think of the orange Ilford microfibre anti-static cloths?

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