Oops! tips on fishing film out of a canister

Bobfrance

Bobfrance

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Hi Gang,

I decided to change film mid-roll in my new (to me) Contax T, and not being used to the camera I managed to wind it all the way in - Doh!

Does anyone have any tips for retrieving the end without having to buy the special tool?
I'd only taken 2 shots on the film so I'm determined to ressurect it.

Bob.
 
I'd take it apart in the darkroom with a churchkey and put the film in a reloadable cartridge. They're only about 85 cents.
 
I was unlucky enough to do exactly the same thing once and managed to retrieve it with a pointy pair of tweezers. 😛
 
You can make your own retriever tool out of old ends of film. You can check out the plans here.

The method described at the bottom using two pieces of film, one 'sharkskin' one normal, is likely to be the most dependable.
 
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I should also maybe add that I've used the two-strips-of-scrap-film method in the past (trying to copy the method that the Ilford Film Retrieval tool uses) without bothering to cut the film into any sort of pattern and it worked fine, although it did take several attempts.
 
Yeah, I use the Ilford retriever too and heartily recommend it. It's a hell of a lot more efficient than pissing around with off-cuts of film. It's just handy to know that you can get away with using bits of scrap film in emergencies if you really need to.
 
Thaks for the input guys.

I've had a go with the film fishing technique, but have pulled nothing out except my own hair. I'll take a break and have another go in a bit.

I suspect I may end up buying the Ilford gadget.
 
I've done this two times and both times it's been my bloody Hexar! 😛 When the Hexar auto rewinds ... at the end of the film it stops for a second or two with an inch or so of the leader still sticking out of the canister ... provided you open the back of the camera quickly at exactly the right moment it all stops and you have success. Hesitate just a little with opening the back of the camera and it continues to rewind the film into the canister! :bang: 😛
 
I used the link Mr Phillip just posted a few days ago to get some Kodak film out of an antique cannister and it worked the first time I tried it, amazingly.

I own one of these:

BK0910_kalt.jpg


and have not ONCE gotten it to work. If anyone wants to post a tutorial on how to properly use it, I'd love to see it.
 
luketrash said:
I used the link Mr Phillip just posted a few days ago to get some Kodak film out of an antique cannister and it worked the first time I tried it, amazingly.

I own one of these:

BK0910_kalt.jpg


and have not ONCE gotten it to work. If anyone wants to post a tutorial on how to properly use it, I'd love to see it.
Click to expand...

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I use outdated film for testing purposes and my retrievers work about 10% of the time -- no matter how carefully I follow instructions...Here's the official instructions:
 

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I have the stainless steel type of film retriever that looks exactly like the one luketrash illustrates. I follow the instructions as shown in Bob Cole's message above. I'm only about 75% successful on the 1st try, but I don't think it's ever failed me. As long as the leader hasn't been chewed up or somehow mangled, I always get it out by the 2nd or 3rd try.

You just have to listen carefully for the "click", backroll, push back the part of the retriever that is sticking out, and then pull the whole thing out (with the leader attached).

Paid about $4 for my first one which I somehow lost, and immediately replaced it with another which I store in a clear film container. Like anything else, a bit of practice on a spent roll helped me get a feel for the "click". If you must, pry off one side of the practice film canister so that you can see how the retriever works.

good luck!
rt
 
The first time it happened to me, I took it to Walgreens and asked if they would pull it out for me. They did. 🙂

I later bought a ProMaster film puller-outer thing. I wrote a mini-review of it here a couple years ago.
 
I have a film retreiver, but when its not around I take one peice of scrap film, put it under the tap, and wipe off any excess water. I insert the film into the canister, wind the film once very slowly, and pull it out. Works a charm. Sometimes takes a couple trys.
 
I did like Denise when the same thing happened to me and I had nothing at hand. I went to the supermarket photo lab and they got the leader out for me. All done in just a couple of seconds! 🙂
 
bob cole said:
----------------------------------------------------
I use outdated film for testing purposes and my retrievers work about 10% of the time -- no matter how carefully I follow instructions...Here's the official instructions:
Click to expand...

I own this same, humble device myself. I bought it long ago, and promptly lost the instructions. I've noticed that my retrieval rate goes way up when I remember to use the device on the end of the opening slit where the leader has NOT been trimmed. The width of the device is such that it should make contact with the leader even if the device is used in the middle of the slit. However, when it is positioned all the way at the end where the leader is, the surfaces make better contact, and thus is more likely to retrieve the film.

I would agree with other posters-- practice on a roll of film you don't care about. I highly recommend Seattle Film Works for this purpose. It's like riding a bicycle. Once you get the hang of it, you'll want a new bicycle.
 
mr_phillip said:
Yeah, I use the Ilford retriever too and heartily recommend it. It's a hell of a lot more efficient than pissing around with off-cuts of film. It's just handy to know that you can get away with using bits of scrap film in emergencies if you really need to.
Click to expand...

Can someone post a photo of the Ilford film retriever? I'm curious about how it differs from the ubiquitous type I've been using.
 
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