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Gloves For Handling Film: Cotton or Vinyl?

Albert Ramos

New member
I have just ordered a pair of cotton gloves to use for handling my negatives that I intend to scan. However, I read somewhere that vinyl gloves should be used! So, which one would actually be better suited for handling those negs?

BTW, what, actually, are "vinyl" gloves? Would the material be something like the gloves used by painters (which I think are too crude for handling film) or like the ones used for washing dishes (which I feel may be impossible to do fine movements with)? Are they like the latex gloves used in hospitals? Or would they be as thin as the ones used for handling doughnuts? I don't think I've encountered any "vinyl" gloves. But then again, I just might have not been paying attention.
 

Daniel Buck

New member
I've always been told that cotton gloves were best. I don't use gloves though, it's easy to manipulate the film by just touching edges. I've had no problems with 120, 4x5 and 8x10 film without gloves. I just wash my hands with soap before hand, to cut down on skin grease :)
 

Cem_Usakligil

Well-known member
I have seen many documentaries in which curators of musea were handling precious pieces by wearing cotton gloves. Having said that, disposable food/medical grade latex gloves would even make better sense since they are not porous and are used only once. They may be prone to static electricity though.

Alas, like Daniel, I do not use gloves most of the time. I know I should but it is a hassle and my negatives are not such priceless museum pieces ;-)

Cheers,
 
I have just ordered a pair of cotton gloves to use for handling my negatives that I intend to scan. However, I read somewhere that vinyl gloves should be used! So, which one would actually be better suited for handling those negs?

Hi Albert,

Cotton it is.
No statics, no sweaty hands.

Bart
 
I always found gloves a hinderance. Further, I don't think anything should touch wet emulsion before the hardening bath. After the hardner, I would use wet chamois to avoid droplet-marks. Handling dry film may be best with soft cotton.

regi
 
After scratching a print with my fingernail while mounting it for an exhibition, I ALWAYS wear cotton gloves when handling prints and negatives.

I buy the bulk box of 100 at the photo store, I think it works out to less than $0.10 per pair.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Do not use surgical gloves! They are pre-dusted with chalk to ease putting them on. The powder contaminates everything and that's not good for your negatives, developing trays or even the surface of your film scanner!

Asher
 

Alain Briot

pro member
There's also antistatic gloves made especially for handling negs and slides. I use a pair of those when handling films. Cotton gloves have a bit of lint on them (cotton is not lintless) and so you run the chance of having lint on your film. I get these from Kinetronics:

http://kinetronics.com/store/asg.html

They cost more but save you time cloning dust off your scans!
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Alain,

Thanks for the link!

I feel they are very important for handling prints too. I am shocked by folk who actually flip through sheets, holding the corners and leaving fingerprints. One such disappointment is a highly regarded teacher of darkroom printing.

I flinch and shudder when the prints are actually touched. So giving a pair of gloves signals that the prints are precious and worth caring for.

Especially glossy prints! Those are the worse do showing folks mishandling!

Asher
 
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