Curling 4x5 negs

[Shootar401]

I have about 10,000 4x5 negatives from the 40's through the early 60's that were given to me recently from an old newspaper photographer. they were stored in the original cardboard film boxes and I noticed that they are all starting to curl to the point where they can't be flattened in the scanner.

Other than rewashing the negs and drying them, would anything else work? Maybe sandwich them between some tissue paper and apply some weight?

[ic-racer]

What kind of contact frame or enlarger negative holder are you using? Usually the spring on a good contact frame is pretty tight.

[vinny]

He's scanning them.

[Jon Shiu]

I read somewhere where someone used a dry mount (heat) press to flatten old film strips. Might be worth experimenting with.

Jon

[Shootar401]

Thanks for the info I might give the heat a go with some of the copies and see how that works, worst case I'll just rewash the ones I want to scan and see whats happens.