OT: How to get photos unstuck

[captain ron]

I have a stack of old photos of my old Harley. Something spilled on them and they are stuck together and very stiff. Any body know how to get them apart without ruining them? Will soaking them in alcohol work? I don't think I have the negatives any more. Any Photo Buffs out there?

[Buffalo SpaceShip]

Back in the days before digital, we would "stop bath" our B&W photos with 15% acetic acid... white vinegar if you make the proper dilution. I would try this first, since it would seem to be safe on the photo papers.

Household-strength ammonia might also work, since it has some pretty good "de-stick" qualities to it. Back in my homebrewing days, it made a great bottle label remover. I'm not so certain about it's use on photo papers, so try a small test strip first.

HTH,
Brian B.

[series60]

Not sure about alcohol, but water would probably be the best.  Let them soak for up to 1 hour and try to seperate them.  If you do use any kind of chemical, rinse them in agitated water for at least 15 minutes, changing to fresh water frequently.

[Busted Knuckle]

Ron, I think it takes 3 wreckers! Oh wait a minute that's a stuck bus, not photos! LOL! Seriously if you find a solution let me know I found a bunch of photos that weren't stored properly that have this same problem! Take care, have a great day, and ride safely! BK 

[captain ron]

Well I can tell you what not to use    OOPS    I ruined the pictures and threw them away 
I soaked them in water to no avail then put them in OOPS and oops! The ink started running when I checked on them but were still stuck together