I have a reel of 35mm film that is creased part way through. It looks like someone unthreaded the film part way through and trampled on it. Is there any way it can be straightened? There is no damage to the sprocket holes. I didn't know if it could be lightly ironed in some way.

Hi Colin. :-) if you were to iron the creases, do it CAUTIOUSLY. If the film runs through the projector o.k., I would personally leave it as is. A certain amount of heat will cause film to shrink, therefore you would certainly have projection problems at that point. Worse case scenario, the damaged section could be removed and you could splice the film back together.

Colin,never heard or seen 35 mm ironed to remove the creases,usually just wind as tight as posible on the reel and hopefully over time the crease will smooth back a little.
Unless others know different once the film is creased it stays that way.If it's only a small section of film it may go unnoticed but otherwise you have to live with it,or worst scenario is to cut and splice.📽📽

Great minds think alike Timothy👍👍

That's a HUGE compliment Gwyn, coming from someone who really knows the ins and outs of this hobby. :-)

I agree, that once a film is creased, it is permanent. :-/

Ironing will dry out the emulsion and cause warping if heat is used, while cold flattening will not remove the creases caused by trampling.

It is not too difficult to apply 'equal and opposite' bends to the film base along the line of the crease while gripped between forefingers and thumbs. I then place the film onto a firm, but giving, support below it, a mouse-mat for instance. I then place a protective sheet of acetate above the film and use a 'smoother' made from an old ivory or bone knife handle. Firm pressure along the line of the crease will remove the crease and conform the film base back to being flat. It is important to keep the wound film coils flat as un-smoothed creases will abrade the emulsion, and including rubbing the adjacent coils above and below the crease.

Ian

Thanks Ian, I'll try it.