Film retrieval from 35mm cassette.

[Cluster]

I like to reuse my 35mm film cassettes by leaving a 10-20mm piece of film hanging out of the cassette when a film is cut off for developing.
This tag can be attached to new film, loaded from a bulk loader.
Too often, the film is fully retracted into the cassette by the camera, always with the motor rewind type. Even though the film leader is generally flat (not folded to engage the takeup spool), I can't always get the film header out of the cassette.
At the moment, I use the Kaiser film retriever. The tongues are made of a material much the same as the film itself. I have problems using it. Maybe it's me, maybe it's a difficult thing to use properly.
Does anyone have advice on how to get the header out of the can?

 

[Asha]

Another piece of film moistened and inserted into the canister will stick itself to the header.

Some playing around with the spool will be required to line the two pieces up but generally it’s quite an effective way to retrieve film that has retracted into the cartridge.

 

[Kiwi Paul]

Another piece of film moistened and inserted into the canister will stick itself to the header.

Some playing around with the spool will be required to line the two pieces up but generally it’s quite an effective way to retrieve film that has retracted into the cartridge.

That's the method I use too and find it easy and affective.

 

[MrDrizz]

There is always this

AP 35mm Film Retriever

The AP 35mm Film Retriever is for extracting 35mm film leader from cartridges into which the film has been wound. It has a plastic casing with one fixed and one sliding tongue. Easy to use.

silverprint.co.uk

 

[Cluster]

I don't have much luck with film retrievers and the damp film method isn't working for me either.
Another solution might be to buy a bunch of reusable cassettes, although the fixing of the film to the spool and persuading the film to get into the felt light trap needs a little more patience than I usually have for these things.

 

[simon ess]

I use a film retriever but you do have to follow the process exactly and hear it click in before retraction.

 

[MartynK]

I haven't shot 35mm for donkey's years but I've just found my old Nikon FM in a box of 'stuff' and I'm going to put a roll through it to see if everything's working.

The method I used in the past with standard cassettes was to pop an end off with a bottle opener.

 

[Harlequin565]

I use a film retriever but you do have to follow the process exactly and hear it click in before retraction.

This is what I do as I also reuse old film cans for bulk loading. The ones I have the most difficulty with are the ones where the leader didn't have the "curve" cut in. This is almost always from a previously bulk rolled film where I didn't need to cut the leader in.

 

[shapeshifter]

You need to use reusable cartridges. It takes 60 seconds to get the leader out.

Cartridge in hand > put under bedsheets > end of cartridge off > spool 9/10th out > slide leader into slot > spool back in> fasten end cap on. Job done.