Can I file nibs off the top film axle in my camera?

This may be really naive, but I've always wondered about this

(I already read the post on how to change film quickly).

 

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I shoot a lot in the snow with my Pentax 67 (I usually pop out the battery compartment, with battery, and keep it in my palm inside my

glove until ready, the remote cord being awfully fragile) and I cuss

a blue streak every time I have to change film with gloves on.

For me, the most annoying part of the task is that you have to seat

the top of the film spool--the one on the left--onto the two little

nibs in that top axle thingy (as you can see, I'm not real well-versed

on the technical terms!).

 

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My question is, why? Why are they there? It's not like the right side,

where the winding lever needs to turn the takeup spool; doesn't the

left spool just spin freely? Neither of my two Fuji 6x9s has these

nibs at the top left side, leading me to think they're dispensable.

Or am I mistaken and I'll regret it for the rest of my life if I file them off?

 

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Please advise....

Hi. I might be way off base here, but given my experience with the P67's film advance I wouldn't advise removing those "nib thingys" (or whatever they're called!). My somewhat limited experience tells me that maintaining proper tension between the left and right spools is critical for accurate framing. In removing those "nibs", I would assume that this tension would be lost. You might also check out earlier postings on the problems people have had (including myself) with the P67's film advance, which at least in my case was due to sloppy loading technique resulting in loss of tension.

 

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regards,

 

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chet

Absolutely DO NOT file off the 'nibs'. They are there to lock the spool to the film winding mechanism. Remove them and your film will not advance and yes, you will regret doing it (not to mention paying to have it fixed).

Very sound advice; now the nibs make sense (I knew there had to be a reason for their presence!). I'll keep fumbling in the cold (I still wouldn't trade the Pentax for another system, but film loading in adverse conditions isn't something you think about when considering whether you can do without interchangeable film backs).

 

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Thanks for the help, guys....