Alright so this whole idea started when I found an old roll of 35mm film while cleaning my attic. I thought, “Hey instead of paying for special tools, could I just cut this film with regular scissors?” Spoiler alert – turns out it’s a terrible idea, but let me walk you through my dumb experiment.
Gathering My Stuff
First I grabbed my regular kitchen scissors – the cheap kind with red handles. Lay the film flat on my wooden desk near the window for good light. Wiped the surface with microfiber cloth to avoid scratches before unrolling about six inches of film.
The Actual Cutting Part
Held the scissors sideways like cutting paper and squeezed through the film strip. At first I felt triumphant because it sliced through super easy! But when I lifted the cut piece, noticed jagged edges – little plastic shards sticking out where the blades crushed instead of cutting clean. Got dust all over the negatives too since I forgot to wear gloves.
Worst part? Some frames got completely destroyed when scissors slipped mid-cut. Tried again holding the film tighter and heard this awful crackling sound like stepping on potato chips. Saw micro-cracks spreading along the sprocket holes where I’d cut.
Why This Sucks
After ruining five frames, here’s why you should NEVER do this:
- Dust magnet: Static electricity made every hair & lint particle stick
- Film damage: Those rough edges can scratch other frames
- Frame misalignment: Crooked cuts chopped people’s heads off in photos
- Chemical risks: Fingers touching emulsion left oil smudges
The Aftermath
Tried scanning the “good” pieces later. Every cut frame showed hazy marks along edges – dust got sandwiched inside sleeves. Two frames had light leaks where micro-cracks formed. Total waste of a vintage vacation roll from ’89. Should’ve just ordered a $7 film cutter online instead of being lazy. Live and learn folks – always use proper tools!
