8mm Forum: What to do about brittle 8mm film.

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Topic: What to do about brittle 8mm film.

Alejandro Olivera
Junior
Posts: 9
From: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Registered: Mar 2015

posted April 11, 2019 04:48 PM

Hello everybody.... greetings from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
A while back I inherented my father’s collection of home movies.
In the 1960's my father was shooting silent 8mm film.
After the film was developed he would add sound by putting a brown liquid on the side of the film. I don't remember how it worked but you could put sound to the silent film. My father would add music, dialog or funny noises. But with time the brown liquid made the film very brittle.Now I want to transfer it to a digital format.
Does anybody have a suggestion on how to deal with this?. I don’t care about the audio, just want to recover the film.
Many thanks, I love this forum.

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alejandro

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Joe Taffis
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1592
From: United States
Registered: Jun 2003

posted April 12, 2019 09:16 AM

Treating the film with a lubricant/cleaner like Filmguard would help; if you can get it shipped to where you are...

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Joe Taffis

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Douglas Meltzer
Moderator

Posts: 4554
From: New York, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted April 12, 2019 09:23 AM

Alejandro,

I agree with Joe. Take a test section and soak it for a few days in a lubricating solution (such as FilmGuard). That could soften it up enough for one attempt at digitizing before it reverts back to its brittle state.

I've asked a Forum member who specializes in archiving and preservation to check out your question.

Doug

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I think there's room for just one more film.....

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Alejandro Olivera
Junior
Posts: 9
From: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Registered: Mar 2015

posted April 12, 2019 10:23 AM

Thank you both to Joe and Douglas for the quick response.
I have to look into getting my hands on that FilmGuard liquid.
Thanks again.
Alex.

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alejandro

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David Michael Leugers
Master Film Handler

Posts: 264
From: Fairfield, OH, USA
Registered: Feb 2004

posted April 16, 2019 11:20 PM

I have had good results putting the film on a metal reel and soaking it submerged inside a metal film can containing FilmRenew for at least two weeks time. Really bad film I first try the same type of technic but instead of liquid FilmRenew, I place Camphor crystals inside the can. I use stainless steel washers or something similar to raise the reel up slightly from the bottom of the can so that the vapors of the camphor can rise up through the film. This process makes the film pliable again. Be very careful using camphor and follow all precautions. I follow up with treatment with FilmRenew. Good luck.

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Live Free or Die

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Alejandro Olivera
Junior
Posts: 9
From: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Registered: Mar 2015

posted April 17, 2019 10:33 AM

Thank you very much David for that info.
I will keep that in mind when it comes to do the actual “restoration”job.
All the best.
Alex

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alejandro

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Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

posted April 17, 2019 11:22 AM

Mix it with peanut butter ...

... and make peanut "brittle".

(I'm in a silly mood) [Smile]

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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