Cutting your 35mm negatives...

[LeicaVirgin1]

Dear Tom-

Firstly, thanks for answering my coffee filter questions; most appreciated!

Now, onto my second question: how do you cut your 35mm negatives?

I have problems discerning the "edges" with my low-key lit scenes/shots & I sometimes cut into the other shots space instead of cutting into the black-line space.

How do you deal with this scenario? Do you know of any manufacturer that makes a gurantee 35mm straight cut without cutting into another picture area?

Best,
LV1

 

[Spicy]

ruler + razorblade doesn't work for you?

 

[hamradio]

I cut with a scissors over my 'light table,' a hospital x-ray viewer I picked up for $5.

 

[Ronald M]

Hama slide cutter/viewer.

Anything that will back light and scissors with very short thin blades so as not to cast a shadow. Mine are moustache trimers and blade is 1", Jewel Osco years ago.

 

[Tom A]

If the negs are very dense - I simply resort to counting sprocket holes (8 for full frame - 4 for 1/2 frame). You can usually find a "blank" shot at the beginning that will give the reference "bar" to count from. Of course, ideally all cameras should place the sprocket holes nicely on each side of the frame line - few do, but you will soon get good at judging it.
As for cutting tool, I use a Fiskars short blade scissor, made for seamstresses work. Not exactly cheap, maybe $ 18-20 in a "notions" store - but it is a one-time outlay. Blades are about 1.5 inches long and sharp. Using the light table gives too much backlight for my taste, holding the film over a sheet of white paper, illuminated by a desk lamp works for me.

 

[ChrisLivsey]

Just my experience, but placing negatives, especially just developed and dried where the gelatin may not yet be fully stable, on a light table is asking for dust and scratches.

If you know you are shooting those scenes why not bracket, with the lens open, for intermediate shots for a reference frame?

 

[Ljós]

Agree with TomA, whenever I run into this problem, I check with the nearest normally exposed frame. And because of the uniform "frame counter" printed on the film, usually you don't have to count that much, it is more like "one before the full frame number".
And a dedicated pair of scissors, +1 for that, too.

 

[Jack Sparrow]

Scissors. White piece of paper on the desk, well lit - in place of a light table. Makes the spaces between frames much more visible.

 

[shortstop]

I prefer to cut negatives still hanging soon after drying to avoid contact with dust on a table. A witish ground is sufficient. Then i do a small cut at the corbers of every strip to facilitate the insertion in negative carrier

 

[rlouzan]

Safe Precision Mount Cutter - Small

http://www.mdstamp.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=83_90&products_id=25531

 

[Particular]

This question comes up from time to time;
rangefinderforum.com/forums

My scissors method;
I take a piece of thin card (often from some junk mail) and fold it neatly double. I cut the width of the card down to one frame length. That way if I have a thin negative that doesn't show the frame line, I can use the previous frame to line it up to. I then slide the negative in between and line up the space between the frames with the edge of the card. I can now easily hold it tight, avoiding finger prints, and I have a nice straight edge to cut past. It works for 35mm as well as 120 film.

I now made a video of it:
http://youtu.be/jt5CkVrPdkg

 

[noisycheese]

Here ya go:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/318704-REG/Kaiser_202115_2115_AC_Illuminated_35mm.html

 

[finguanzo]

I use my teeth.. 🙂

 

[pagpow]

I use my teeth.. 🙂

Do you mind telling us what teeth, finguanzo?

I used to use my canines, but I wasn't happy with the results, they were just dogs. Now, I'm considering a digital tooth app, iTeeth.

Apologies to all.