I know most of us suffer from V.S. and film fading.
However how much of us have "film crazing" problems ? Its that problem where the image has developed a
crazy paving effect right across the frame. Any comments on this would be great.

Fortunately, I don't have any films with VS; it would be a disaster for me if some of my treasured 16mm prints got this. The only issue I have is one or two that have some horizontal cinch marks. It hasn't detracted from my enjoyment. Can you show an image of what you are talking about, and do you know how this paving happens?

I found this brief explanation on the website of the National Sound and Film Archive of Australia:
Thin fracture lines on the surface of an acetate recording caused by the shrinkage of the acetate in respect to the substrate.

Hi Rob...There is also a finding that the crazing lines are caused by a mite that eats the organic material that is intrinsic in the emulsion.
These "wee beasties! munch their way through the gelatine.
So its not only due to film shrinkage. I have isolated my crazed prints ( or thrown out ) from the rest of my collection.
Just in case .

I believe crazing is related to moisture from improper storage. The emulsion shrinks and expands while the film base remains stable causing the reticulated pattern on the film.

The 1930's Kodak 'humidor' type film cans with the blotting paper insert are prone to this condition. I believe that distilled water and glycerine was supposed to be added to the humidor vent on the can.

Ian

Thanks for that reply Ian. That's interesting to read. However I am keeping an open mind regarding the "wee beasties" which may be valid.

Films with crazing can have a mould which grows across the frame in spectacular fern-like patterns. This looks like a crystaline deposit like haw frost on a window pane. I agree, it seems to me that some kind of creature or mite eats away at the gelatin on some films causing etching and channeling.

Ian

Ian I am glad you agree . That's why my some of my prints are under "quarantine" in the meantime.
I don't want to start a panic as my prints are stored in normal conditions. The ones that do have it are used secondhand ones
that may have been stored in a damp garage or whatever.

Bell & Howell brought out something similar to the Humidor cans. This statement comes from my copy of 'Cine Photography for Amateurs' 1935. 'When the film is completed it should be stored in a humidor tin, This is a tin large enough to contain the film and spool, at the bottom of which is a pad containing suitable chemicals, which is moistened with water. This keeps the film moist and prevents it from becoming brittle. This is the only satisfactory way of preserving film, and if films are kept for any length of time in the ordinary atmosphere they will soon be found to be continually breaking'.

I can only advise some sort of soaking in a solution, FILMRENEW, VITAFILM ( 2.22, would've sorted the problem, since gone ). Robert
is the man, he has from some ancient tome, a solution to lube and preserve films, if it is some insect, I remember Roberts recipe
contained Lavender oil, bugs hate this, so maybe Robert would put the old formula up, sounds a terrible infection for film.
I don't mean to say go overboard, but bugs also hate camphor, maybe a bit in the can short term. The bugger is that these two
great film treatments are not allowed into the UK, can I say, screw the EU.

2.22 was great. I'll look out the formula and post it later.

Thank goodness I've never encountered this problem!