Cutting negatives

[nikon_sam]

Fiskars for me too...Blue handle and slightly rounded ends...Student's model...I got this pair for the rounded ends as I use it in the changing bag and didn't want anything pointed in there poking around...
I also have a bottle opener attached to the scissor's handle to open factory cassettes...

 

[Ronald M]

Believe it or not, but after trying all kinds of high quality scissors I settled on a 1 inch blade ones. Moustache trimmer.

Then I remembered my Hamma slide cutter. Looks lke the $148 Gepe but it was about $20 sometime in the later 1980`s. This is best of all.

 

[lns]

Reading this thread, it occurs to me that photography is a bit like my son's sport of hockey. Every problem can be solved by buying one more piece of equipment you'd never heard of before.

I love that.

That Calumet thingy is mine!

 

[sepiareverb]

I've an old pair of ALEX brand black chrome scissors (match my M's!) I got in college on the orders of Paul Krot (of Sprint chemistry fame, and my photo chem teacher). I use a variant of Toms method of nice bright bulb shining onto a white card, the one that comes in a box of Ilford 810 film. I keep the negative page (print file) on the lightbox, with some ND filters on it to save the eyes.

 

[peter_n]

A couple more interesting things: this is a Hama slide/neg cutter that costs €54:

And here's a link from PN on the topic:

http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=000zDT

 

[Lee Hamiel]

My son & I use Polaroid slide film cutters or scissors - after reading your post I saw this listed:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ILLUMINATED-35m...ryZ29953QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD2VQQcmdZViewItem


Another option is to load the long uncut film strip into your pages & then cut w/scissors just prior to the last frame that fits - then load the strip into the next pocket & - the same.

If you're having the film processed commercially ask for uncut negs & they sleeve the roll into a long plastic envelope - leave the film inside & simply cut through the group with scissors or a cutting board.

Good luck

 

[sienarot]

I'm also using a film cutter not unlike the Calumet one. After I messed up a couple negs (fortunately nothing important), I went and bought a film cutter.

 

[RayPA]

Me too. I use long scissors over a light box. A bit crude but it works pretty well.

Me too. A pair of scissors and the negative held over a white piece of paper or held up in front of a computer screen. I use the sprocket holes as a guide, and cut in one swift movement.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I just won an eBay auction for 4 slightly overpriced rolls of Tri-X (never tried it in my life, I'll report later), and it seems that I'll be shopping for fairly loooooong scissors soon.

Nice how this thread seems to have touched something we all do.

 

[Jeroen]

great idea, i'm gonna start looking for one.

i normally just use long scissors and the light table (now that i have one)

joe

As you can see on the photo, this type also has markings for different frame sizes. Makes it way easier to arrange your 36x24 frame.

 

[spysmart]

The small scissors on a swiss army knife do a superb job.
The knife's bottle opener is also great for cracking film cassettes open in the darkroom.

 

[oftheherd]

Just one of the many things I like about RFF. A simple but needful question and look at all the worthwhile answers. I have used scissors for over 30 years without major problems. But that Calumet solution is intrigueing.