Rob, the best thing to clean negatives with, believe it or not, is
water. However, it should only be attempted as a last ditch effort (in
other words, if the negative is so bad that you can't do much more with it).
Lay out a small, flat dish, put some clean, warm water in it. Take an
old, soft, cotton tshirt and cut it up into small rags. Wet a few of the
rags in clean, warm water. Dip the negative in it for a few seconds, and
on a corner, use the cotton rag to gently try to release the grime.
Repeat process if grime is not coming off, leaving it in the water a bit
longer if it appears that it won't remove all the dirt.
Patience may win out, but not all negatives are salvageable. Keep
working on the corners until you get the knack, then you can try for the
main negative surface if it appears it's going to work.
Cheers!
Jan
Rob Adams wrote:
> Stan;
>
> I do still have it. It has a multitude of brown mold/mildew speckles on
> the back of it. I am going to look into the possibility of removing it,
> but obviously the process will have to be a gentle one or the negative
> will be permanently damaged. Many of the negs were in pretty tough
> shape. They obviously had not been stored properly, but at least they
> survived.
>
> Kind regards, Rob
>
> Stan Maddox wrote:
>
>
>> Rob,
>>
>> You mentioned the negative was ruined. Can you be more specific? If
>> it wasn't physically mutilated (scratched or shredded, for example),
>> it might be salvageable. Do you still have it?
>>
>> Stan
>>
>> On May 1, 2006, at 10:27 PM, Rob Adams wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> Pete;
>>>
>>> I'm going to take a shot at scanning some more of the negatives
>>> directly
>>> and enhancing them. The original pictures I posted were scans of
>>> darkroom-printed photos (inluding the views of the people and the
>>> depot), but frankly there were focus and/or exposure problems with
>>> many
>>> of the negs, and their age doesn't serve to enhance any
>>> shortcomings. I
>>> guess we are lucky to have the images at all. I do believe I can make
>>> them better though by scanning them directly and playing with the
>>> files. I wish the negative of the entire signal hadn't been
>>> ruined, as
>>> it was kind of a neat shot. Basically a look to the horizon, with
>>> track
>>> sticking up and water on both sides as far as you could see. I
>>> thought
>>> it was interesting how the debris caught on the signal mast ladder had
>>> caused the ladder to be twisted by the current of the flood waters.
>>> There are many other pictures that I'll share as I'm able to get them
>>> scanned and cleaned up. I really enjoy hearing everyone's input.
>>>
>>> Best regards, Rob
>>>
>>> Jpslhedgpeth@aol.com wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> I too, would "buy" Glenn's theory..The dress of the workmen, and
>>>> the MOW
>>>> equipment all mark all of Rob's photographs, including the others
>>>> on his K&W
>>>> Website as 1930's. Also I agree that the background looks more
>>>> like the
>>>> Republican River in Nebraska than the upper Mississippi.
>>>>
>>>> There are a couple that show a depot in the background with a name
>>>> painted
>>>> on the end, but it's not distinguishable..Would it be possible to
>>>> enhance one
>>>> of these to make the town name legible. That would provide the
>>>> definitive
>>>> answer.
>>>>
>>>> This is fun stuff to look at and discuss.
>>>>
>>>> Pete
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>> --
>>> Rob Adams
>>> Wellman, IA
>>> steamera@netins.net
>>> Modeling CB&Q, CRI&P and Wabash operations in Keokuk, IA,
>>> the Wabash Bluffs, IL to Keokuk branch,
>>> and the CB&Q's Keokuk & Western branch, circa 1938
>>> <http://www.KeokukandWesternRR.com>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Yahoo! Groups Links
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
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>>
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>>
>>
>
>
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