Scratched Negs

[jonreid]

Hi all,
I seem to have developed (pun intended) a real talent for scratching my negatives. I develop my 5x7 Tri-X in a Jobo 3006 (rollo pyro - not that it matters). I'm pretty sure that I'm doing it when removing the film from the tubes. I find it hard to keep the short sides together and parrallel and I think what's happening is that the bottom corners are crossing over as I pull up and obviously it's easily scratched with a corner against emulsion that's been wet for 1/2 hour.

Funny thing is though that I seem to be doing it more often, even thugh I'm now acutely aware of it. I don't remember it happening when I first started using sheet film. :(

Any tips? How do y'all Jobo users get your film out?

Jon

[Brian C. Miller]

I pull in one side way more than the other, and sort of form a cone. As long as the far corner edges of the film stay on the sides, then the film won't get scratched.

[ic-racer]

Grab in middle of the visible edge with a hemostat and pull straight up.

[Pawlowski6132]

Are you sure you're not scratching them pulling them out of your holder?

[jonreid]

What's a hemostat?
I'm pretty sure it's happening when wet. I've just looked at last night's negs now they're dry and it's happening on the upper corner. So it's not from the bottom corners overlapping but maybe from just finger pressure as I lift them out. I always load with notches up and 3 of last night's sheets have varying degrees of scratching on the corner away from the notched corner. Hmmm
I'm pretty sure it's not happening when I unload holders.

[Robert Hughes]

What's a hemostat?
A hemostat is a surgical tool used to clamp shut blood vessels to stop bleeding.
http://photos3.fotosearch.com/bthumb/FCY/FCY429/42-19637599.jpg
You may know it by its other, more familiar name and usage:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b1/Roach_clip_stats.jpg/220px-Roach_clip_stats.jpg
Roach clip.

[jonreid]

why didn't you just say Roach clip? :D

I just processed and used two pairs of tweezers to get the film half way out, and no scratches this time....