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Thread: Film stuck to darkslide - best solution?

  1. #1
    Claudio Santambrogio
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    Film stuck to darkslide - best solution?

    Been shooting in rainy conditions recently - and did not think about drying the darkslide before sliding it into the (8x10) holder again, wet-side-in… Now the film is stuck to the darkslide and won't get off.

    What is the best way to deal with this? Somehow I don't like too much the idea of soaking the whole holder… The other thing I was thinking was to cut open the light trap (where you'd usually load the film) and try sliding something between film and slide - but maybe that's too much of a hassle? Any other solutions?

    Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

  2. #2

    Re: Film stuck to darkslide - best solution?

    Can you get a water sprayer - that you would use to spray flowers - and spray between the film and the darkslide in order to loosen the stuck emulsion? Perhaps use a mixture of photoflo and water? If you can do this in the dark, you might even salvage the negative, although it'll almost certainly be damaged, but the damage to the holder would probably be minimal.

  3. #3

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    Re: Film stuck to darkslide - best solution?

    Something else might be going on. Why was the film touching the darkslide? Did humidity from the damp slide make it bulge that much?

    Can you remove the darkslide enough to open the flap at the bottom and moisten it that way? I don't suppose the light trap has a plate over it, like the old Folmer & Schwing filmholders, that you can remove.
    Last edited by E. von Hoegh; 16-Aug-2011 at 12:02. Reason: Punctuation
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  4. #4
    Claudio Santambrogio
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    Re: Film stuck to darkslide - best solution?

    Thank you very much for all your replies!

    Quote Originally Posted by E. von Hoegh View Post
    Something else might be going on. Why was the film touching the darkslide? Did humidity from the damp slide make it bulge that much?
    I guess that's what has happened…

    Can you remove the darkslide enough to open the flap at the bottom and moisten it that way?
    No, I cannot… I expressed myself badly in the first post. I meant, as one possible solution, to cut the flap away to reach in between the film and the slide… Is there a way to spray water in between without removing the flap or damaging the light trap? I guess of the two the least problematic is indeed the flap, isn't it? (You "just" can fix it with a robust tape again, can't you?)

  5. #5

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    Re: Film stuck to darkslide - best solution?

    Yes, slit the tape at the seam between the flap and the body of the holder. Black bookbinder's tape is what I replaced the original tape on all of mine with. If you can get only white, a black magical marker will fix it up. Be sure to get the old tape off, or the holder may not seat properly.

    Are you certain the film is stuck, and dampness didn't cause the slide to stick in the grooves?


    Good luck!
    One man's Mede is another man's Persian.

  6. #6
    lenser's Avatar
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    Re: Film stuck to darkslide - best solution?

    Two other possible thoughts.

    First, if you have a scrap piece of film or negative that you can trim to fit the slot width, you should be able to try inserting it forcefully between the top of the slide and the film. It may actually require jamming it in several times to break through whatever points are bonded by the moisture. A very thin steel rule ( one without the cork backing) might also work the same way.

    Finally, if all else fails, a dark slide is relatively cheap and less potential for permanent damage than working on the hinge, so I would attack it from the outside with a utility knife and take it out in pieces, then just buy a replacement.
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  7. #7

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    Re: Film stuck to darkslide - best solution?

    Quote Originally Posted by csant View Post
    ...
    What is the best way to deal with this? Somehow I don't like too much the idea of soaking the whole holder… ...

    Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
    What do you think would happen so terrible to the holder if emerged for a while in water?

  8. #8
    Big Negs Rock!
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    Re: Film stuck to darkslide - best solution?

    GPS, my thoughts exactly. Put the whole works in water for a few minutes, and the dark slide should release the film.
    Mark Woods

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  9. #9

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    Re: Film stuck to darkslide - best solution?

    I'm not sure the felt in the light trap would like getting soaked?

  10. #10

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    Re: Film stuck to darkslide - best solution?

    Quote Originally Posted by Erik Larsen View Post
    I'm not sure the felt in the light trap would like getting soaked?
    What terrible do you think would happen to it if in water for a while?
    Not to say that if he's so afraid of it he could leave the part with felt out of water...

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