I can't get the leader out of my 35mm roll of Ilford XP2!

I accidentally rewound it all the way and now I can't get the leader out! It is unused. Do any of you guys know

how to get it out, there seems to be a sort of sleeve or lip where the film comes out that might be stopping it.

 

Thanks!

Do a search, there's several tricks. I personally bought a leader extractor several years ago for about $5 which

takes all of 30 seconds. I really needed it because two of my cameras automatically rewind the film into the

cartridge. If your XP2 is being professionally processed, you don't need to pull out the leader, BTW.

It is unused!

Sorry, I missed the point that it was unused.

Go to any decent photo store that handles film, and they can either

get it out for you or sell you an extractor. If they sell you an extractor, ask them if they can give or sell you

an expired roll, because it can take a few tries to learn to use it.

One of my friends did this once and she went into Dwayne Reed and they just put a piece of magic tape into the film canister and the leader caught right on and came out.

If you're going to poke anything into the film cannister, make sure you do it in the dark!

You have a film retreaver (film picker) which can help you to get the film leader out of the cassette. AP, Ilford and Jobo have it in their program. I use it already for over 30 years. Quick and easy, without any damage of the film.

Ive done it successfully with double sided scotch tape before.

If you don't own a leader extractor, and are not willing to crack the canister and repack in another; then any one hour photo

place will have an extractor machine on the premises. Almost all 35mm film cans that come into those places are

completely rewound; these simple machines are just a lever-driven shim that slips into the canister and fishes the leader

out. They'll probably do it for free. J.

I don't have to do this often, but I use a piece cut from a clean new file card. Takes less than a minute.

Personally speaking, I'd throw out the roll of film. Once in my life (a long time ago) I had the same problem. After the film end was retrieved I shot the roll, and guess what I got... double exposures!

The length of the roll makes a difference too. Longer rolls tend to be easier to extract. 36 and 24 exp. rolls are no problem. But I bulk load so sometimes I will have shorter rolls. Generally, if there are 15 or more exposures, a leader retriever will work. With 12 it may or may not. The reason I mention that is some films are sold in 12 exposure lengths, although I don't know if XP2 was. Also the way your camera winds the film (emulsion side out or in) around the take-up spool makes a difference sometimes.

[[i personally bought a leader extractor several years ago for about $5 which takes all of 30 seconds.]]

 

Seconded.

 

I have also seen someone demonstrate a leader-retrieving technique that involves licking the emulsion side of another roll of film (which makes it sticky). Took a little longer to get it just right but it worked.

Let me third the film picker idea. There's places on the big auction site you can get them for $2 plus $2 shipping; don't waste your money on the high priced ones. Every one I've seen are all the same. Order a few, demanding combined shipping, and throw one in your camera bag, one in your darkroom, and one stashed away somewhere. It takes about 5 minutes to learn to use it once you have it in hand, and I have *NEVER* exposed film shoving a film picker into the slot to retrieve the leader.

 

In fact, I *NEVER* open a film canister once I discovered those little buggers. I pick the leader out with the lights on, trim the tongue off so it's nicely shaped to go in the reel, and then feed the reel directly from the canister in the dark. I keep a pair of scissors in my pocket to cut the film when I'm at the end. Then you have a perfectly good unbent, unstressed canister with a little bit sticking out to tape the next film load on.

 

MB

Here is a neat trick. Cut of a length of film from a unused roll, lick the bottom, stick it into the casette for about a turn and pull it out. The rewound film comes back out with it.

 

Cheers

Well I took it to a store and they got it out. SOMEHOW I MANAGED TO DO IT AGAIN! I have tried the licking and

putting old film in there trick and it didn't work. I am going to cry! I don't know maybe i should just throw it out.

 

This Pentax K1000 is hard to load!