Reeking film holders

[Racer X 69]

While the vast preponderance of items imported from China are "Walmart junk," some otherwise high-quality Chinese products can also found. Unfortunately, almost all of them stink too.

Like tires on Chinese wheelbarows.

[Michael Alpert]

I have several 8x10 Toyo filmholders that I have stopped using because I cannot stand their odor, which seems to be coming from the plastic that they are made of, not from anything applied on them after manufacture. Perhaps spraying the holders with the spray fixative used by artists would help. There must be an odorless permanent fixative available. I'm quite busy these days, but I'll test that idea if I get a chance. There's really nothing to lose.

[Racer X 69]

I have several 8x10 Toyo filmholders that I have stopped using because I cannot stand their odor, which seems to be coming from the plastic that they are made of, not from anything applied on them after manufacture. Perhaps spraying the holders with the spray fixative used by artists would help. There must be an odorless permanent fixative available. I'm quite busy these days, but I'll test that idea if I get a chance. There's really nothing to lose.

Good idea, but . . . .

The material the slides are made from is quite slick. I doubt the spray fixative will stay adhered to them for long, and will become a problem as it peels and flakes off onto the film.

[Michael Alpert]

Good idea, but . . . .

The material the slides are made from is quite slick. I doubt the spray fixative will stay adhered to them for long, and will become a problem as it peels and flakes off onto the film.

I wrote that it needed to be a permanent fixative with that possibility in mind. You and I really don't know what kinds of spray coatings are available, so we're flying blind without a rudder, so to speak. Given the situation, any solution is better than no solution. I just don't know when I'll get around to trying to fix the problem.

[Jim Noel]

I recently bought some Toyo-View 4x5 filmholders. Unfortunately they have changed their design and now use a plastic darkslide. Worse than that, they absolutely reeked, a kind of aromatic benzene odor that didn't go away despite two weeks in the open air. I returned them. What's the next best 4x5 filmholder? I have had problems with Rite-Way filmholders scratching the back side of the film sheet. Also, anyone else had a negative experience with the new Toyo film holders?

If you have trouble with Riteway holders, you must do something wrong. I have over 100 which I have had for over 30 years and never had a scratch on the base side of the film.

[Doug Herta]

Like tires on Chinese wheelbarows.

Is that the same smell that you get when you go to Harbor Freight tools? That rubber out gas smell?

[Farside]

When a house has a fire it is suggested to put out saucers of vanilla which somehow neutralizes the odor.

I wonder if putting a smelly film holder into a box with an open jar of vanilla would cure the problem.

What works in a smelly microwave oven is to put a saucer of sodium bicarb in it.

[John Kasaian]

Why don't you just return the stinkers to where they came from?
Unless they were gifts (in which case you're not out anything) you had to pay something for them.
What's so hard about returning defective merchandise?
Toyo products are usually very well made and certainly don't come cheap! For less $$ you could have bought sweet smelling Liscos (and perhaps if you did, Liscos would still be in production)

[Sal Santamaura]

Why don't you just return the stinkers to where they came from? Unless they were gifts (in which case you're not out anything) you had to pay something for them. What's so hard about returning defective merchandise?...

This thread is 10 years old. The OP did return his. I returned my reeking 8x10 holder. The two 4x5 Toyo holders I bought as a long-term test are nine years old and serving their purpose, namely determining whether their stink ever dissipates. Michael Alpert says he's stopped using his because of the smell, but doesn't specify how long ago he purchased them, so we don't know if they're remotely close to being returnable. Is your question directed to Michael?

...Toyo products are usually very well made and certainly don't come cheap! For less $$ you could have bought sweet smelling Liscos (and perhaps if you did, Liscos would still be in production)

A bit more than 15 years ago, when Calumet was still a photo retailer that carried something I'm interested in, I bought a dozen 8x10 Lisco holders from its local store. While the Lisco holders exuded no actual smell, their manufacturing tolerances stunk, as did those of Fidelity and Riteway holders made in the same plant. I arrived with some precision ground bar stock and a depth gauge. In order to select twelve Lisco holders for purchase, it was necessary to measure and reject approximately two dozen more which were seriously outside the ANSI specification's tolerances.

Toyo holders have never exceeded ANSI specifications when measured the same way. That's why I had four of them in 8x10 and 10 in 4x5. Since new production Toyos stink, I've kept an eye out for NOS opportunities. This has lead to my acquiring two more 8x10s and eight more 4x5s, the latter from Kerry Thalmann a few years back. Sharp negatives and a happy olfactory system have been the result.

[Michael Alpert]

Why don't you just return the stinkers to where they came from?
Unless they were gifts (in which case you're not out anything) you had to pay something for them.
What's so hard about returning defective merchandise?
Toyo products are usually very well made and certainly don't come cheap! For less $$ you could have bought sweet smelling Liscos (and perhaps if you did, Liscos would still be in production)

John,

I thought Time was going to solve my 8x10 filmholder problem. All I needed was patience. Now it's a decade later and I admit that I was mistaken. (Since 2003 I've been happily using a 5x7 camera.) You don't need to be a genius to know that there's a lesson to be learned here.