Can Opener or Can't Opener?

JoeV

JoeV

Thin Air, Bright Sun
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I seem to have misplaced my old can opener, used for popping off the ends of 35mm film cartridges in a changing bag. So I scrounged around in a kitchen drawer and found one of those folding cork screw/can opener contraptions that's ill-suited for either, and doesn't have enough of a hook on the can opener end to easily work for film.

So I went to a neighborhood store, looking for the classic "church key" can opener, the flat metal kind with rounded end on one side and triangular end on the other. No go. I suppose people don't open oil cans that way any more (oil coming in plastic bottles) and beer has long since shifted to pop-top style opening.

So where does one find the classic can opener? Or, more precisely, what do you use for opening film cartridges? I'd prefer not to slam the end of the cartridge while in the changing bag, especially if doing so somewhere lacking a hard surface.

~Joe
 
This is what you want:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kaiser-35mm...193212?hash=item5b25eb2c3c:g:SXoAAOSwnNBXWLX8

The BEST film openers were made in the 60s by Nikor. They're similar to the one in my link, but are all metal. They show up on eBay frequently, and aren't terribly expensive. If you can't find one, the new one in the link is ok and is still FAR superior to a can opener or bottle opener.

Whenever I try to use can/bottle openers, I slip and cut my hand open. The Nikor opener or the modern equivalent won't do that.
 
The easiest way for me to get a roll on a reel is by not winding the roll completely. Some fancy, auto rewinding cameras have an option to leave the leader out. Or I use the film puller. Never use a bottle opener anymore.
 
I've opened many dozens of canisters by simply using fingernails to enlarge the slot for the film, and then peeling them apart with thumb and fingers. The canister body will peel away from the ends quite easily, all you have to do is then gently pull the ends away from the body to slip the film out spool and all. Mind the edges of the body, as the metal is thin, so cuts are possible. But this is normally for rolls I have developed for other people. As has been mentioned, I generally leave the leader out when I rewind my own films, which is the best solution of all because you eliminate the issue altogether.
Cheers
Brett
 
Depending on the size of the changing bag there is a good chance of scratching the film emulsion with the sharp metal parts after opening the film canister.

To avoid double exposure I always rewind the film completely and pull the film tip out of the canister using a film leader retriever and then cut the film, all in daylight.

Inside the changing bag and to spool the film onto the reels I only pull out a short part of the film, spool onto the reel and repeat until completed. If I want to re-use the canister I cut the film leaving some end or otherwise I just tear the film off.

This way I had never any problems with scratches etc.
 
Sarcophilus Harrisii said:
I've opened many dozens of canisters by simply using fingernails to enlarge the slot for the film, and then peeling them apart with thumb and fingers. The canister body will peel away from the ends quite easily, all you have to do is then gently pull the ends away from the body to slip the film out spool and all. Mind the edges of the body, as the metal is thin, so cuts are possible. [...]
Cheers
Brett
Click to expand...
+1: I do this when I develop others' films

maddoc said:
[...]
To avoid double exposure I always rewind the film completely and pull the film tip out of the canister using a film leader retriever and then cut the film, all in daylight.

Inside the changing bag and to spool the film onto the reels I only pull out a short part of the film, spool onto the reel and repeat until completed. If I want to re-use the canister I cut the film leaving some end or otherwise I just tear the film off.
[...]
Click to expand...

+1: I do this when I develop my films
 
Go to a hardware store that sells paint. They usually carry a tool for opening cans of paint and the other end of the tool opens bottles.

c1fa7efc-ec2d-4442-ae7a-10f57d6e971c_400.jpg
 
Chriscrawfordphoto said:
This is what you want:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kaiser-35mm...193212?hash=item5b25eb2c3c:g:SXoAAOSwnNBXWLX8

The BEST film openers were made in the 60s by Nikor. They're similar to the one in my link, but are all metal. They show up on eBay frequently, and aren't terribly expensive. If you can't find one, the new one in the link is ok and is still FAR superior to a can opener or bottle opener.

Whenever I try to use can/bottle openers, I slip and cut my hand open. The Nikor opener or the modern equivalent won't do that.
Click to expand...

Chris, I followed that link, the opener was $20 and the postage to Australia was an additional $73!!! Total cost AUD$127 :eek:

I'm glad I have a traditional church key style for opening my beer..
 
Pablito said:
No, that's useless. We bought 3 of them for my university darkroom course. Squeeze all you want, the plastic handles don't have the necessary leverage.

This is the solution:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/100728-REG/Dot_Line_DL_6060_DLC_Film_Cassette_Opener.html
Click to expand...

Thank you, everyone, for the advice. This one from B & H looks interesting. I wonder if I can also open beer bottles with it? ;)

I have one of those painting store openers, not enough leverage or sharp enough edges to easily open film cartridges.

This seems like a funny problem to have, but I'm always trying to improve my process.

~Joe
 
I have never used a film/bottle opener to open a film cartridge, I just peel them apart like an orange :)
 
JoeV said:
Or, more precisely, what do you use for opening film cartridges? I'd prefer not to slam the end of the cartridge while in the changing bag, especially if doing so somewhere lacking a hard surface.

~Joe
Click to expand...

I use the side of a pair of scissors.
I just yank off the top or bottom-end of the film-canister, it's not that difficult :)
After that, I "empty" out the film from the canister, doesn't really matter if you scratch it, as the leader part of the film protects the actual exposed frames.

Normally though, I try not to spool the film all the way back into the canister, because I can then trim the leader (cut off the corners) and start the reel in daylight (first few inches of the film are black anyway)

If you need to get your film out from the canister, you can lick the end of a film-stub you have lying around, then stick it into the canister slot and feed it in 1-2 inches, wait for 10 seconds and yank hard, somehow this gets the leader out again in a jiffy. (No idea about the risk of yanking out the film, so you risk ruining the exposed parts though, but when I've done that, the film-stub always seems to come off as soon as the original leader pops out of the canister). pretty amazing trick :)
 
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