Film ripping out of canister

[megido]

I've just finished a roll and at the last frame the film ripped out of the canister while advancing. Is this a fault with the camera (nikkormat ftn) or that particular roll? It certainly hasn't happened before.

 

[mdarnton]

Normally it would be a problem with your own thumb. 🙂

Is this a factory roll, or one you rolled at home? If at home, do you bring the tape around so that it sticks to both the front and back of the film for at least an inch or so, as factory loads do, and what tape do you use--something tough like masking tape, not scotch tape?

I have not once had a factory load come off the spool, but if it did, I would blame the load before I'd blame the camera.

 

[Ronald M]

Trying to get the 37 th frame can be an issue.

Catch the film when loading, and be sure top and bottom sprocket holes are engaged, advance 1/3 frame, close back, advance 1 2/3 frames to #1. Take photo, take slack from in rewind, advance to #2 making sure rewind turns so you know film is advancing, repeat with #3. Go to 36 and stop.

I have used masking tape for 50 years without a problem, but better tape is around now..

.0001% chance roll was short or it was 24 and you thought it was 36. Never force.

 

[Dwig]

...
I have used masking tape for 50 years without a problem, but better tape is around now..
...

There have been better tapes for a very long time.

Real masking tape is horrid stuff for any use other than paint masking. 3M #200 "binding tape" is much better; its adhesive doesn't harden and it can usually be removed cleanly after years have passed.

Back in the day (a half century ago) I was heavy in to bulk loading and my tape of choice, chosen after a few disasters, was "freezer tape" purchased at a grocery store. This stuff looks much like masking tape but has a waterproof adhesive and, like binding tape and unlike masking tape, doesn't harden over time.

@OP: if you are bulk loading then no matter what tape you use it is critical that the tape is adhered to both sides of the film. You start by butting the end of the film to the core of the spool and then tape down one side of the film, around the spool, and then up the other side of the film. Using a waterproof tape will eliminate the need to carefully remove all traces of the tape before processing (the cause of one of my early disasters...).

The other thing that can happen is that excessively brutal winding force can cause the sprocket teeth to tear the film when you hit the end of the roll. The shredding will weaken the film and it will either tear apart during the wind or later when you attempt to rewind. I ran camera stores for over 23 decades and saw customers with this issue many many hundreds of times.

 

[megido]

I should have mentioned this was a factory roll of Tri-x. I never force, just advance until I feel resistance which for me is normally around frame 37. To be honest, I didn't even feel the film let go from the canister. It was only while rewinding that I felt a lack of resistance! Did I get a bad roll?

 

[megido]

Well, I opened the can to find the the remainder of the film intact to the tape. The last 4 sprockets were ripped but the break itself was an almost perfect diagonal cut. Strange no?