Kinetronics ... anti-static film cleaners ... anyone using these

[robklurfield]

Anyone have experience with any of the Kinetronics anti-static brushes such as the Ministat, KineStat or KSE? Any recommendations?

I am fed up with dust (and hairs) on my negatives during scanning. Canned air seems to be best at relocating the dust. I use Pec Pads and PEC cleaning liquid with mixed success; sometimes it makes a big difference; sometimes not. I've tried an old Zerostat gun for LP records (what's now know as the Milty Zerostat) with canned air or a Giottos Rocket blower before or after a swipe with the moistened Pec Pads. Static seems to be the enemy in my environment. If I nab the dust, before I can get a strip of negatives or a sheet of 4x5 into my Epson holders, the little devils re-adhere themselves.

I already have tiny anti-static brush (might be Kinetronics; got it from Freestyle). I'm wonder if any of the multi-brush models, or grounded multi-brush models are worth trying.

Some links:
Ministat... ($35 for 35mm size up to $65 for 4x5)
http://www.kinetronics.com/online-store/scstore/ministat.html

KineStat... (more brushes, more money... and this line has a grounding cord)
http://www.kinetronics.com/online-store/scstore/kinestat_prod.html

KSE... (more brushes, more money and something about it blowing filtered air)
http://www.kinetronics.com/online-store/scstore/kse.html

(Or, for big bucks... and way, way outside my budget... the StaticVac... ouch! $625! This one seems to have brushes and a vacuum. Wonder if it will do dishes??? If so, my wife might buy one of these to replace me.
http://www.kinetronics.com/online-store/scstore/staticvac1.html )

Anyone using any of these? What do you think of them? $35-65 I can justify IFit works.

Looking for feedback on any of these. Thanks!

 

[Roger Hicks]

I've been using Kinetronics brushes for years and they're excellent.

Cheers,

R.

 

[shiro_kuro]

I use one in the darkroom .... excellent brush

 

[robklurfield]

Found this one on eBay, supposed new in box for $99.00; seemed like to good a deal to pass up since the list price is $625! The seller is an industrial goods liquidator who seems to have bought 25 of these from either a distributor or some firm that owned processing kiosks/minilabs. Seller has four more left on eBay. Let me know if you want a link. I'll repost when it arrives to give some feedback. If this doesn't solve my dust problem, then I give up.

http://www.kinetronics.com/online-store/scstore/staticvac1.html

Supposed to have brushes, ionization destat and a vacuum. What more could I ask for $99. I figure that's about what they get for two decent manual hand-held brushes for 120 or 4x5.

So, perhaps, at some point in the future I'll post images on RFF that do not have stray hairs. One can only hope.

 

[robklurfield]

Make that three left. Someone else just bought one of these on eBay. Anyone from RFF?

 

[kokoshawnuff]

Make that three left. Someone else just bought one of these on eBay. Anyone from RFF?

I came across this thread earlier tonight (thurs) when there was only one left. Thanks for the heads up, looks like the last 4 where sold in about 48 hours...the seller owes you a commission.

 

[robklurfield]

It arrived late yesterday. It's small, quiet and seems to do the job. Industrial strength dust removal at a bargain price. I still have dust. Probably need to relocate my processing to another room with less ambient dust (this one has wall-to-wall carpeting). That said, this little gizmo seems to work really well. It's co-branded "Fuji Film," with a decal. I presume that it was being sold together with some pro-lab processors.