I really hate this clamshell case, it destroys film

[Winbert Hutahaean]

Following Ben Klesc's long good reading about storing films to prolong their lives, I have just finished checking my collection and here is the result.

The majority of films kept in clamshell type case are easily destroyed by VS. I did find several film in other plastic type were also infected by VS (jewel case and plastic white case from Universal 8) but not that many as my picture below.

I guess beside my hot and humid place this clamshell is very tight not giving the opportunity for film to breath. Plus the plastic material it self has already attracked more heat.

Now I am putting out the rest film in this type of case out... but I am now overwhelming storing them outisde. It is my headache now indeed...😅

[Osi Osgood]

Love that collection, though.

[Paul Adsett]

Those clamshell cases with their wonderful slipcover art are really great to look at and seemed to be a great idea when first introduced by MGM/Ken films back in the day. But time has shown them to be the worst way to store films due, as Winbert has pointed out, to the total sealing of air. And its not just VS, there is evidence that films stored in clamshells fade faster as well. Next worst are metal cans which also do a pretty good job of sealing air. Best way to store films IMO, and also the cheapest, is the simple cardboard box which allows some breathing of air.

[Steve Klare]

I got a three part Das Boot in these: it smelled worse than the inside of the submarine!

I took them out and the smell gradually subsided. It's been a couple of years and they are still OK, but I hate to imagine what a few more months in there would have done to them.

Winbert?
Sprichst du Deutsch?

[Winbert Hutahaean]

Winbert?
Sprichst du Deutsch?

No... in 2004-2013 I was so intense to buy German releases due to the variation of their releases compared to USA/UK's as I pointed out in other thread. But my mistake many German releases are in this clamshell case and now got VS after I left them in hot and humid storage during my assignment to New Caledonia between 2016-2020.

[Winbert Hutahaean]

... But time has shown them to be the worst way to store films due, as Winbert has pointed out, to the total sealing of air. And its not just VS, there is evidence that films stored in clamshells fade faster as well.

Paul, I believe the heat/humid condition created by the plastic clamshell seem to "burn" the film resulting color fading.

BTW so did you also experience this? I knew you live in Florida, a hotter place than other States, but it is not categorized as a tropical, is it?

[Paul Adsett]

Hi Winbert, Florida is classified as a sub-tropical climate. Temperatures and humidity are very high here for about 5 months of the year. Right now in July afternoon temp is typically 93f and humidity up to 90%. Fortunately just about every house has central air conditioning which typically will maintain indoor temp to around 78f and humidity below 50%. The problem comes when we have power loss during hurricanes or severe afternoon storms. Power is frequently off for several days or up to a couple of weeks and indoor temp will then sore to 95f and humidity to 90%. That situation is murder on my color prints and I cringe whenever it happens. Fortunately all my Derann color prints still have 100% of their original color, but my Ken, Universal, and Fox digests have long faded to pink and the ones in the plastic clamshell boxes (Ken) are starting to smell of VS. There is no doubt in my mind that the cooler climate of the UK is very beneficial for film collectors there.

[Lee Mannering]

Funny Steve :-)

Temperature in my yard has been 29 deg today melting is a understatement. Mad dog a Englishman go out in the midday and all that..

The old clam boxes harp back particularly to Warner VHS cases of the day and how I loved collecting them, The Exorcist being my no1 favorite. These days they command high money but that was video for you.

I'm guessing the Derann ones were created to lift S8 about VHS clam boxes at the time and the Warner ones were very nice. I still cant bring myself to take the films out of the clam boxes to store so have a shelf where I leave the boxes open. Not ideal but oh the memories...
I'm with you Paul on climate and would love to hear something from a collector living in say Norway how films are fairing.

A friend of mine has many 35mm prints of the 80's, we are going thru them testing for VS and so many are degrading which is tragedy but we knew it would happen.

[Brian Fretwell]

I di hasve one tape release with was in a 400ft Super 8 size clam shell style box but with a videotape shape interior molding. It may have been an Iver release, but I haven't seen it for a while.

[Bill Phelps]

I drill holes in the clamshell cases to allow air circulation. They are nice looking cases but they can be bad for the films.

[Joe Caruso]

Gentlemen, and Ladies who also collect...what have I been touting these many years? Light cardboard boxes, stored properly will have a fine circulation of air and ANY film will maintain itself, requiring very little upkeep other than the occasional cleaning...no vinegar,,,cardboard is the ticket...Shorty...although...I have 7 films in metal cans and keep an eye on their maturity, no problems. I continue my baking soda powder/sheets when I have to

[Burton Sundquist]

It's the acetate prints that start breaking down and develop VS. Cannot be reversed but if early enough can be kept by storing in a cardboard box, away from other acetate prints. Clamshell cases are detrimental to Estar prints as well in high temperature storage, contributing to premature fade. As stated many times: Use cardboard boxes. I have received some interesting cases and cans since I started collecting again. I even bought several plastic film cans to keep up with my purchases. I have drilled breathing holes in these but still only store acetate prints in cardboard boxes. As for the Clamshell cases, they are like OB. I keep them too...empty

[Maurice Leakey]

I have a 16mm feature which is in its very early state of VS.
I store it on cores in the special cans designed to have ventilation all round. In the last two years it doesn't seem to have become any worse.

[Osi Osgood]

This series of posts have me thinking, in a good way, about switching out my plastic cases, which is sad, as part of the fun of these digests, are the great box art. What about those plain white generic boxes, as they are certainly not airtight.

[Tom Photiou]

For what its worth, my own opinion is that most peoples homes dont have the ideal conditions for storing films properly, if i kept my films in a normal home environment here, like everyone else at present time, the heat and humidity would be working to ruin the films we have. The humidity is high, (around 70-80) and the temperatures are also high.

Here is an extract i found on cine film care which i'm sure most people are already aware of,

General Guidelines for the Proper Storage of Motion Picture Film

Motion picture films and especially the silver particles or colour dyes that constitute the image are highly sensitive to inappropriate environmental conditions; good storage is arguably the best preservation measure one can take:

• A relatively dry (30-50% relative humidity), cool (room temperature or below), clean, and stable environment (avoid attics, basements, and other locations with high risk of leaks and environmental extremes)
• Distance from radiators and vents
• Wound securely (not loose and not too tight), evenly, and neatly with a generous (e.g., 3") centre diameter, emulsion side out
• Protective enclosures* that physically support the film, block all light, and minimize exposure to dust and airborne (particularly sulphur-containing) atmospheric pollutants.

Regarding humidity, this thread. started by another collector has the information i put up on how we control it now, all be it, 40 years late,

https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/vbb/f...recommendation.

For the last 20 years, my own collection is in a dark room, (no windows at all) and now has the humidity controlled by a dehumidifier, it now never goes above 50-55 and is often around 35-40. The temperature always remains cool due to it being below ground level. In the winter there is heating in the room if we need it.
My guess is, as we are south facing, the sun really does its job of warming us up, if i didn't have the lower ground i reckon many of our films would have faded much faster and more titles would be faded. If you cant keep films cool, humidity down, and preferably the room dark, then there isn't a lot you can do.