Vinegar syndrome--what to do now?

[DOS4dinner]

I've been Google-ing a bit, and I couldn't find an obvious answer. Partly because there isn't one, I know...

I have a non-valuable cel (I like it quite a bit, but financially it's worth like $20), and it's severely vinegar-ing. It's warped on the edges; however, the paint is still very good.
Currently the cel in the ICCU (Intensive Cel Care Unit), with constant airflow for the last two days. If I let it sit, it starts smelling again.

Any tactics/ideas to help? I'd consider cutting the cel if that would help; the image is centered well, so it would be easy.

I've also considered giving it a lightly basic bath, and then sealing it with NOVUS 1
http://www.amazon.com/NOVUS-PC-10-Plast ... B002UD0GFE.

(It's a plastic cleaner/polish that doesn't have any alcohol/ammonia/anything; I think it's even considered non-toxic. I've sprayed it directly on (trash) cel paint with no issues).
If anybody thinks that's a worthwhile endeavor, I'll try it and report back.

Thanks in advance

[LWK]

You have any updates to share with this experience? I used Novus 3 to restore a Candy Cabinet control panel with amazing results, curious about your experience with this vinegar cel. Would be nice to see pictures to!

[Jadeduo]

That's interesting the cleaner let us know what it does!

I have had success with a couple cels that were starting to curl by airing them out paint up for six months and then bagging them with a full sheet of MicroChamber paper. I can report that the cel has no stink now and has flattened out. It seems to work really well ^_^

JD

[under9000]

What causes the vinegar condition? Is it just age? Or was it at some point kept in a terrible place to keep cels?

[sensei]

Vinegar syndrome is caused by the natural tendency of celluloid acetate to revert to its simpler components (2nd law of thermodynamics). One of these is acetic acid aka vinegar, which in turn sets off a cascade of destructive chemical reactions.

The process is inevitable, like death and taxes, but is hastened by storage in airtight conditions combined with high temperature and high humidity. It was first noticed with cans of motion picture film in India. At first the phenomenon was not anticipated, scientists thinking that "safety film," or film stock made of celluloid acetate, was stable indefinitely; then the phenomenon began to be seen elsewhere. (The issue is of particular concern with microfilm and microfiche copies of newspapers and magazines, which often were pulped once these "permanent" copies were made. Sadly, the paper was in many ways more stable than the "safety film" used to replace it, and so much information is being lost through vinegar syndrome.)

There is a long thread elsewhere on this forum (when I get a chance, I'll move it to the new "What every anime art collector needs to know" forum). But JadeDuo is right: microchamber paper does a good job of taming the smell and halting the process, as does storing the cel at 50 degrees or less (the Disney "cold room" solution). Otherwise, storing cels in a controlled environment, allowing for ventilation enough for fumes to vent, and checking for problems periodically are best practices. A cel with incipient vinegar syndrome will begin to warp the plastic sleeves of an Itoya Profolio, so this is something to watch for regularly. The cels responsible should be isolated, as vinegar syndrome can spread to healthy cels and cause them to begin to deteriorate too.

[figital]

thanks for all that great info!

i just went through my collection and i am happy to say it all smells nice.

i did notice that i need some new bags as the ones i have are all about 10 years old and could
use a change. luckily there's a comic book shop right around the corner.

[LWK]

My cels are from anime around 93-94. I'm curious if they're gonna vinegar at some point. If you can halt the process, does the cel always stink?
I have all my cels in bags cut completely down the side. Albums are two itoya's, 11 x 14, stored a bin that is not air tight that I can vent.

[sensei]

All my VS cels are from the early 1980s and probably suffered from inadequate storage in the past. Japan and the Far East has a long humid summer, which is the worst possible situation (and why the condition was first seen in films stored in canisters in India). Many Disney cels, which are on celluloid nitrate, an even more unstable substance, are still in good condition, though a few, even in Disney's state-of-the-art archive, have gone over the edge. So it's difficult to tell. Anecdotally, I hear that independent cel-based OVA projects may be more at risk, because the makers tended to cut corners and buy cel stock that was low-quality and cheap. (I do know that my Rayearth OVA cels have a stronger chemical smell than my mainstream Magic Knight Rayearth TV series cels.)

As I understand, VS is not curable, though good storage can slow it appreciably and Microchamber paper absorbs much of the smell. But overall good storage will keep a collection healthy for a long time. I've had some cels for 15 years now and not seen any serious trouble beyond some softening of trace lines under reactive paints like browns, oranges, or yellows.

[DOS4dinner]

Still working on pics, but I figure I'd give a quick update since this thread hasn't died:

Some stuff came up, so I only got to try the Novus test last week; Anyway, I basically handled the bulk of the vinegar syndrome with Microchamber paper and airing out/bag replacements. I think I acted fast enough to prevent most of the damage, as it didn't really get much worse once I started aggressively airing it out. Clarity is still very good, although it still has a vinegar smell if left in a bag for too long.

Some Novus 1 tests:

Novus 1 is very very very very gentle on paint. I sprayed it directly on the paint and it had no negative effect, and it seemed to do a good job of cleaning the vinegar residue. It didn't even hurt front-cel trace lines...

That said, the application process is a little rough. Novus 1 really wants you to buff it, and that was a bit rough on the cel; it tended to make the cel temporarily curl a bit.

I'll try to report back on long-term problems. At this point I don't recommend it, since I don't know what long-term damage it might do; however, in terms of paint/general safety, it seems okay. I'll try to get another test in some time.

[lunacels]

I am really nervous about vinegaring of my collection. I have a Chibiusa cel (this one here: http://lunacels.rubberslug.com/gallery/ ... emID=58828) that I dearly love...it's been in my collection for more than a decade, but I'm beginning to suspect some issues. I can just barely pick up a hint of vinegar, but it is very faint. However, the cel itself is beginning to warp a bit across the painted areas. Not so much around the edges. Could that be normal? I have other cels that are covered end-to-end with paint that aren't showing any warping whatsoever...this one is just very wavy. I've removed it from the cel book as a precaution and am airing it out, atop a piece of microchamber paper.

[sensei]

The cels that I've seen with full-blown VS issues were all very stinky, and they have the common trait that the warping has led to what I call a "washboard" effect on the top of the cel (the side with the registration holes). That is, this part of the cel no longer lies flat, but has a series of tight ripples from left to right, that remind me of the old-fashioned washboards with the rippled surface. It's not that tight a ripple, but it's more than what you describe. I'd say your reaction is prudent, and it would be good to keep a sheet of microchamber paper with the cel, or at least in the cel book sleeve with the cel. But it doesn't sound like a serious case to me.

I'm not aware of SM cels having this problem -- all the examples that I've seen are from the 1980s, and others people have brought to my attention are from OVAs where perhaps the creators used subpar cel stock to save money. But time wears on, and frequent inspection of your collection is a necessity. Let us know how your treatment works out with this cel.