Scratches, what could have caused this ?

[Lauffray]

I noticed this on some freshly developed negs this morning
This is the only roll in two 8 roll batches to have these. It's a straight thin line that goes across the whole roll on the same position, parallel to the edges, and it's much more pronounced towards the end of the roll, barely visible at the beginning.

I have some theories but I'd like your opinion.
1) Something scratched the film coming out of the canister while reeling. I don't rewind all the way in, my friend thinks this is the cause. While it's possible, I find it unlikely because I've been reeling like this for the past 6 years and this is the first time I see anything like this.

2) Something scratched the film while in the camera or while loading. Again, unlikely in my opinion, but it could explain why it's on a straight line.

3) I remember last night while reeling one of the films didn't catch properly, so I had to unwind and start over. It may have caused it to scratch, definitely explains how the line is thicker at the end

 

[Mackinaw]

Is the scratch on the emulsion side or the pressure plate side?

Jim B.

 

[Lauffray]

It's on the emulsion side

 

[icebear]

When I was still developing film, I always used a kind of can opener and pulled the film sideways out of the canister. This eliminates one more chance to experience these kind of scratches. Maybe some dirt particle stuck in the canister slit and you pulled the film along. Sh%& happens, sorry mate.

 

[Lauffray]

Yeah, that's my friend's theory. I've tried opening the canister on occasion before but I have to admit I find it a bit awkward to manipulate and reel the film without the tension rolling it in, not to mention trying to hold it in place with my hands all over the emulsion. I don't know, maybe I'm just clumsy in the dark.

 

[benji77]

Is this bulk rolled film by any chance? If its only one roll amongst the others, it could be the canister fault, but if its consistent across all rolls, then it could be the camera's fault. Sorry to heard this, it must be disappointing.

 

[Lauffray]

Nope, factory rolled. I mean it definitely sucks to scratch an entire roll, but I think I'm more puzzled than disappointed, it's weird, I've never had it happen before and I can't see where I messed up

 

[Bill Clark]

In the dark, which is most of the time for me, I open up the film canister. If it's a canister from a mfgr. like Ilford, I use a pliers to get the end cap off. Then I pull out the wound reel of film. Start the loading process on to the reel for developing from the wound reel. After the film is on the developing reel put into tank, cover, then turn on the lights. Process.

With my reloadable film cassettes it is very easy to pop off the end cap. I reuse them.

Hope this helps you.

 

[zuiko85]

Is the scratch on the entire roll, including the leader that was hanging out of the cassette when you opened the roll? Because if it is I would likely think it came with this flaw from the factory. Remote chance but certainly something to check.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Sure looks like a scratch from pulling it out of the canister (this assumes that the camera didn't have a burr for one roll only). I would strongly encourage you to learn to load the reel AFTER removing the film spool from the canister first. It isn't that hard once you get the touch.

Hmmm...- is the scratch truly parallel, or is there some waver to it? I mean the slightest little waver. It seems to me that the camera would keep the film stable without waver. And that pulling it out of the canister by hand would introduce a slight up/down waver, or at least the chance of some. Slow, small, but if it does waver slightly it points to the canister and the reel loading process.

 

[Lauffray]

Is the scratch on the entire roll, including the leader that was hanging out of the cassette when you opened the roll? Because if it is I would likely think it came with this flaw from the factory. Remote chance but certainly something to check.

Oh I don't remember, it's in the sleeves now and the leader I threw out. But near the beginning of the roll the scratch is very faint

 

[Lauffray]

Sure looks like a scratch from pulling it out of the canister (this assumes that the camera didn't have a burr for one roll only). I would strongly encourage you to learn to load the reel AFTER removing the film spool from the canister first. It isn't that hard once you get the touch.

Hmmm...- is the scratch truly parallel, or is there some waver to it? I mean the slightest little waver. It seems to me that the camera would keep the film stable without waver. And that pulling it out of the canister by hand would introduce a slight up/down waver, or at least the chance of some. Slow, small, but if it does waver slightly it points to the canister and the reel loading process.

No that's the remarkable thing, it's a perfect straight line about two thirds down from the top, runs across the whole roll

 

[yashcannik]

When I worked in the lab I saw this happening a lot with Kodak gold film only . I switched to Fuji for my own photos because of this .After a few months the problem went away. The pictures can be saved by using a liquid scratch filler. Rich