What scissors do you use to cut negs? How do you cut more precisely?

AgX · Jul 16, 2014

analoguey said:
With enough pressure, you could cut negatives by hand as well - at least Thats how I removed them from the canister at times(pre-developing)

Will work with triacetate-base, not with PET one

Newt_on_Swings · Jul 16, 2014

A pair of friskars scissors. If I don't have them any pair that's sharp enough will do. A neat trick is to fold up 2 or 4 layers of aluminum foil and cut that a few times. It really sharpens the scissors up quickly.

grahamp · Jul 16, 2014

The ones I use are probably about 60 years old. They have a WD stamp on them, for the older Brits amongst us Longish blades for their size, and pointed. I don't use them for cutting paper. That is guaranteed to dull the edge. I am mostly cutting 120. The hardest ones are from the Zero image in 6x9 mode, where the frames actually touch.

gone · Jul 16, 2014

I just tear them with my teeth. Works pretty well. Highly recommend it!

GarageBoy · Jul 16, 2014

What do you guys do with the left over frames? I have multiple pages of Print Files of the "left over" frame

AgX · Jul 16, 2014

What are left over frames?

I got all frames, even from handrolled cassettes far extending 36 exposures, into my paper files.

Sirius Glass · Jul 16, 2014

Left over frames are left empty. I keep each roll separately.

removed account4 · Jul 16, 2014

GarageBoy said:
What do you guys do with the left over frames? I have multiple pages of Print Files of the "left over" frame

i usually heat them up and have them with a little salsa

bobwysiwyg · Jul 16, 2014

momus said:
I just tear them with my teeth. Works pretty well. Highly recommend it!

Does your dentist know this?

Poisson Du Jour · Jul 16, 2014

FISKARS shears. Very, very sharp and accurate and cut right to the point. These have been my go-to tool for many years now. I also have a commercial multi-format negative cutter for when I want to get really crafty...

Helinophoto · Jul 16, 2014

I use a pair of small scissors which came with my Phillips hair-trimmer machine, they cut very nicely.

The trick to avoid cutting off your favorite negative, is to carefully place your scissors between the negative frames -and then aim/look at the place on the opposite side of the strip that you want your cut to come out and then make the cut.

Before, I was looking at the point the scissors were cutting, which created slanted and uneven cuts, when I actually started focusing on the end point, my cuts were much better instantly.

MattKing · Jul 16, 2014

I use one of these, which can be found here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Matin-NEGAT...-Films-6x4-5-6x6-6x7-Format-New-/150989845483

bobwysiwyg · Jul 16, 2014

I use this as well. Put on a light table/box and it works like charm.

NDKodak · Jul 16, 2014

Small pair of Fiskars with micro tip around $15 found in craft store with papercutting/scrabooking or sewing supplies. Its easy to mis cut and take a too much off a favorite negative, the smaller Fiskars help out alot with this.

chip j · Jul 16, 2014

I just got, from here or ebay, a Spiratone illuminated film cutter. Doesn't need a lightbox.

Nige · Jul 16, 2014

not sure how this will work but a post in an older thread... ohh you need to click the link

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

damonff · Jul 16, 2014

Luckily my F6 records data between the frames so I just cut there with scissors from Target.

Chris Douglas · Jul 16, 2014

With me, it's not the scissors, it's the eyes! I get good results with just about any scissors if I use a magnifier.

SMBooth · Jul 16, 2014

5 pages for a pair of scissor, glad you didn't ask which brand are best..

GarageBoy · Jul 16, 2014

Hey, if we can be picky about clothes pins, we can be picky about scissors

Truzi · Jul 16, 2014

If you adjust your preferences it's only 2 pages

MattKing · Jul 17, 2014

Actually, this was a good question.
In my case, I don't have sufficient dexterity in one hand to permit holding 120 negs with one hand and operating scissors with the other. So the solutions mentioned in the thread that do not require scissors are very handy for anyone who might deal with a similar situation.
Before I found the solution I posted about I used a small (six inch square) guillotine paper cutter.

Truzi · Jul 17, 2014

Matt, I've a similar cutter and find it is very useful. It makes it much easier to cut where I think I'm cutting, and not mess up the frames.

Poisson Du Jour · Jul 17, 2014

SMBooth said:
5 pages for a pair of scissor, glad you didn't ask which brand are best..

OK then, nearly forgot, didn't we? Now that we know the best type of scissors to use, let's start on which brand is best ...

pdeeh · Jul 17, 2014

Well, obviously, if you are not using Kasho ceramic shears to cut your films, you're simply a hopeless dilettante, and no better than some bearded hipster ...

What scissors do you use to cut negs? How do you cut more precisely?

AgX

Newt_on_Swings

grahamp

gone

GarageBoy

AgX

Sirius Glass

removed account4

bobwysiwyg

Poisson Du Jour

Helinophoto

MattKing

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bobwysiwyg

NDKodak

chip j

Nige

damonff

Chris Douglas

SMBooth

GarageBoy

Truzi

MattKing

Moderator

Truzi

Poisson Du Jour

pdeeh

What scissors do you use to cut negs? How do you cut more precisely?

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