8mm Forum: "Liquid Blue" Film Cleaner

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Posted by Melvin England (Member # 5270) on April 10, 2016, 06:59 AM:

I have 2 small bottles of "Liquid Blue - VCL Video Tape Cleaner Liquid" which also states "It's gentle to films,slides and video tapes."
These bottles were bought between 15 and 20 years ago. Looking at the blue liquid in the bottle, it seems to be in the same condition that it was when bought new.... no sign of cloudiness,liquid separation, solidifying or anything. The liquid is 1,2,2,Trifluoroethane.

My questions are.... first, has anyone had any experience of using this item and is it any good?

Secondly, and more obviously, would it still be safe to use all these years later on my super 8 films?

I very much look forward to your responses.

.

Posted by Mathew James (Member # 4581) on April 10, 2016, 08:35 AM:

Hi Melvin,
Interestingly, these bottles you have may not be available to purchase anymore because trichlorotrifluoroethane, also called 1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane or CFC-113 is a solvent that has attracted much attention for its role in the depletion of the ozone layer.

You may want to first see if this is legal to even use anymore.
Maybe someone else will have more info...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Protocol

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on April 10, 2016, 09:16 AM:

It's also extremely carcinogenic which is why it is a completely banned substance in industry now!

Use filmguard if you value your well being. It's harmless to your health and does its job on films first class.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on April 10, 2016, 10:53 AM:

We used trich and carbon tec for cleaning in cinemas which I have worked in.
We were always aware that good ventilation was necessary whilst using and not to inhale too much.

Posted by Steven J Kirk (Member # 1135) on April 10, 2016, 11:17 AM:

Use FilmGuard. Just been doing some cleaning with it yesterday. Lint-free cloth, lightly dampened. Just perfect. Is also a lubricant and has fixed a couple of 'stuttering' prints I had.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on April 10, 2016, 02:07 PM:

Agreed Steven, the very best, most efficient and effective film cleaner that can still be brought into the UK.

It really does enable prints on either stock variety to simply glide through the projector gate with a vast reduction in projector running noise!

[ May 13, 2016, 10:03 AM: Message edited by: Andrew Woodcock ]

Posted by Melvin England (Member # 5270) on April 10, 2016, 03:19 PM:

To all the above people who have responded to this item.... thank you soooo much. It appears I may have opened a can of worms. I did not know how serious this chemical was. Now I have to find a way of disposing of it.

Fortunately, I had never used any of it on any of my films and have subsequently bought several bottles of Cresclean from Phil (CHC) at the Blackpool convention which I HAVE used on my films to great advantage.Not sure how it compares to Filmguard but it does the job very well.

Thank you all, again.

.

Posted by Will Trenfield (Member # 5321) on April 10, 2016, 05:49 PM:

Melvin, I'd suggest you ring your local household recycling centre and ask their advice. Ours has a designated skip for hazardous waste.

Posted by Melvin England (Member # 5270) on April 11, 2016, 02:36 AM:

Thanks Will. I will do that..... let's hope they don't immediately evacuate the area! I'll let you know what the reaction was!

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on April 11, 2016, 05:37 AM:

Will, Melvin, I wouldn't get too carried away here...
This trich stuff was used in huge quantities for years in industry and plenty of us are still ok, for now at least anyway! Ha ha.

Just dispose of it in a similar way as if you did an oil change on your car or were throwing out some batteries from your old cordless drill.

It's banned for a reason, but it ain't nuclear fallout we are talking here! [Big Grin]

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on April 14, 2016, 04:04 PM:

Cresclene is a good product but certainly one to use in well- ventilated conditions! And take care if the film has tape splices.

I know that Filmguard is highly-regarded as a lubricant but it's interesting to see it praised here for its cleaning qualities. But if you're (e.g.) cleaning a 16mm print with a coating of grime, wouldn't something like Film Renew - that doesn't have to be applied so sparingly - be more effective in getting the dirt off?

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on April 14, 2016, 04:45 PM:

Never used Film Renew Adrian, but I know it is a very well respected cleaner.

With regard to Filmguard, all I can say is I've found it brilliant even just as a cleaner since I began to use it. Any marks, just disappear and base scratch lines are all filled in to make them appear totally invisible on the screen.

Posted by Will Trenfield (Member # 5321) on April 14, 2016, 05:11 PM:

Who's the best supplier for Filmguard in the UK for smaller quantities? I've only about 6,000 feet of film (at the moment).

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on April 14, 2016, 05:38 PM:

The cheapest I've found Will, is Jack Roe directly.
It is seemingly where anyone else selling it the UK gets it from.

http://www.cinemasupplies.co.uk/

http://cinemasupplies.co.uk/ProductDescription.php?prod=CFGUARD

Posted by Will Trenfield (Member # 5321) on April 14, 2016, 05:46 PM:

Thanks, Andrew. I'll check them out.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on April 14, 2016, 05:49 PM:

I've always just ordered mine by telephone Will. They are great to deal with, and on each occasion, it has arrived, signed for delivery, the very next day! [Wink]

Posted by Will Trenfield (Member # 5321) on April 14, 2016, 06:09 PM:

There's a problem with their website. Chrome, Firefox, IE & Opera all report that there's a security issue when you go to checkout. It's not something you expect to find on an UK website. They need to fix that asap.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on April 14, 2016, 06:58 PM:

Don't know mate, I've never tried that method of transaction.

Just ring them up sometime tomorrow, it's a lot safer that way Will. [Wink]

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