Do not identify an unknown reel by trial and error
An old can, a remembered family story or the age of the subject does not reliably establish the physical film stock. The BFI explains that nitrate was used historically and later replaced by other stocks. If you suspect nitrate, do not run a projection test, open out the reel or improvise a handling method to satisfy curiosity.
Use the archive’s stated specialist route
The BFI’s nitrate guidance specifically tells members of the public to contact it for safe storage and handling advice, and says untrained people should not handle nitrate film. Give the specialist the information already known about the collection and follow their directions. Do not transport, post or dispose of suspected material based on an unrelated internet example.
Keep viewing ambitions separate from immediate handling
Finding a reel may prompt a wish to digitise a family film or identify a lost feature. Those are later questions. An archive or specialist can first advise how the material should be assessed. A consumer scanner or a projector advertised for an old gauge is not evidence that it is appropriate for every stock or condition of film.
Preserve the context without manipulating the material
Write down where the collection came from and any existing labels or documentation you can consult without handling the suspected reel. That context may assist a qualified assessment. The useful first outcome is an appropriate specialist plan, not a self-made clip. This article does not provide a storage specification or attempt to identify a particular reel from a description.
Questions, answered
Is a home projector a suitable way to test suspected nitrate stock?
No. Follow the BFI’s specialist guidance route.
Does the date of the filmed event identify the stock?
No. The physical material needs an appropriate assessment.