michael@vi.si.com wrote:

Hi Lars,

Unless the film was frozen or refirgerated all these years,
I would not give it much hope.  But shoot a test roll and
see.  Maybe set up a color target for a roll of the
Kodachrome.

As to the nitrate film, I would not store it in the house or
car.  You are right about the fire hazard and with age it is
probably more volatile.

The red washable masking dye powder sounds like Kodak's
Crocein Scarlet, a very useful tool I have found, especially
with larger negatives.  (I always develop a blank negative
and register it to the negative to be masked and do the
masking on the blank.)  Mix up a stock solution, then make
several weaker working solutions, e.g., one with 10 drops of
stock to an ounce of water, another with 6-8 drops, another
with 4-5 drops, and one with 2-3 drops.  This will allow
greater control of the process.  Use a fine brush, e.g. 2-O
or 4-O.

Francis A. Miniter

  The Kodachrome is a curiosity. Beside probably being too
fogged to record an image the processing for Kodachrome has
changed several times over its history.
  You did not mention what format these films are. If you
can identify the DuPont film I may have processing
instuctions for it.
  Nitrate film was discontinued all together in 1951. It
was last used for 35mm motion picture film. Kodak
discontinued its use for roll film in the early 1930s.
Agfa/Ansco continued to make some sheet film using nitrate
base until the late 1940's. I am not sure of when DuPont
discontinued their nitrate.
  Nitrate is not dangerous in small quantity. In large
quantity it can combust spontaneously. Nitrate varies
largely in its stability. Kodak nitrate stock seems to be
the most stable, DuPont among the least stable.
  When nitrate decomposes it emmits nitric acid causing
softening of the gelatin emulsion and rusting of containers.
The film will have a strong odor from the acid and also
often of camphor. Camphor was used as a plasticizer to
prevent brittleness but other plasticizers were used so the
Camphor odor is not always present. Decomposing motion
picture film often looks rusty on the sides of the rolls.
Still film is likely to look shriveled up. If the film is
not decomposing it is not particularly dangerous (I mean
small quantities of still film).
  Nitrate was popular because it has very good mechanical
and optical properties. However, it is chemically unstable.
It also has an ignition temperature of only 106F. Once
burning it is almost impossible to extinguish because it
evolves oxygen. Nitrate will burn under water and under
sand. Large amounts of nitrate base film, as in motion
picture archives, is very hazardous.
  There is no way to preserve nitrate which has begun to
decompose. The only thing that can be done is to copy the
film and then destroy it by controlled burning.
  The red Kodak tape is probably slide binding tape.
  Third class mail was parcel post similar to what is now
called book class.
  I am old enough to remember getting two mail deliveries a
day (morning and afternoon) and businesses got three. I am
now happy if the mail person does't get my mail mixed up
with the same number house in the next block.
  Again, what kind of film and what format is the Dupont
stuff?