Any ABLON Advice?

[william_kornrich]

Does anyone have any ABLON advice? Is is worthwhile to pay the "big bucks" for

one? What alternatives are there? Thanks

[mukul_dube]

An eBay seller had copies of the ABLON. Name LAKESUWA. The alternatives are a sharp, pointed knife or a small pair of scissors.

[jerry_kirkwood]

I thought an ablon was a shellfish like a huge clam.

[thinkofcole]

markhama@comcast.net in Marietta, Ga., had some copies a while back for $25 usd...

[thinkofcole]

Lakesuwa, in Marietta, Ga., has the Ablon copies right now for $15usd...Maybe he & mark hama are the same person...

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/COPY-of-Leica-ABLON-Metal-Film-Trimming-Template-Guide_W0QQitemZ110117533810QQihZ001QQcategoryZ30030QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

[dan flanders]

I've had an ABLON for fifty odd years and doubt if I have used it more than eight or ten times. A small pair of Fiskars scissors will do as well once you know just how much leader to trim. Just cut BETWEEN the perforations, NOT THROUGH them! If you use an ABLON, unless your knife is razor sharp it will leave snags behind that can possibly interfere with proper operation of the shutter, and working against the template will keep dulling the knife. Use the template to scribe a line and use the scissors to do the trimming.

[dan flanders]

Have you ever watched the Golf Channel on TV? If you bought all the gadgets that are touted to improve your game I doubt if you could improve your handicap more than a smidgen. The same applies for all the impedimenta surrounding the photo mystique, you eventually find that you never needed it in the firs place and you could have bought more balls or film with the money saved by doing without it!

[cardy_chung]

I have one but in the end I found the best way is to set the shutter on "T" and use my fingers, though the front (i.e. the lens mount), to gentlly push and guide the film into position. So you don't really need it.

 

I have not used it for a long time and loading film into my screw-mount is no problem at all.

 

Cheers.

[dennis_cheng1]

ABLON does make film loading much, much easier. I don't own any ABLON copies so I can't comment on them.

[len_smith]

I use the ABLON copy with a very sharp knife. Bought on the auction site. Works every time.

 

Best $15 present for your LTM body? You bet.

[paul_neuthaler]

You don't need it: check out Leica F&Q and Steve Gandy's website re: screwmount Leica loading. If you still want one, I'll sell you mine (never used) for $15 including postage. pdn42@optonline.net

[anthony_brookes5]

Jerry - You mean an Abalone. Polysales were selling screwmount film leader template (ablon) for $10. I don't know if they are still going. I use mine regularly. Works just as well as the real thing.

[mizore]

You don't need to buy the real thing unless you're into collecting genuine Leica gear. The

copies work fine with a box cutter (change blades when needed). I find the template gives

me a smoother cut than I got with trimming with scissors. I cut all my 35 mm film when it

enters the house (unless it's going in the freezer).

[christopher_a._junker1]

The ABLON came in both chrome plated brass and aluminum. No functional diffrence. I still use mine out of habit, an X-acto knife with a #11 blade works well as will any very sharp knife. I usually do several rolls ahead when I know I"ll be shooting LTM. It is almost essential if you are using bulk film as both ends of the ABLON are used to trim for film casettes. I've never had a flim loading or chip problem using ABLON. Paul N's price is fair, if you find it makes loading your LTM easier, your money is well spent.

[Aoresteen]

I use Mark Hama's copy and it is well made and works like a charm with my IIIf. Get one.

[hans_berkhout]

using the Ablon template makes it easier to trim the film end properly to fot into the film spool of the re usable Leica metal film cassettes. You don't need it to trim the leader end, this can be done in day light as described above.

[john_dorfman]

I have ABLON--which I was lucky enough to get for five bucks at a camera show--and have used it for a long time with good results. I use a Swiss Army knife to trim the film, and while it does dull the blade eventually, it takes quite a while before that gets in the way of smooth trimming.

[amorteguy]

<p>I bought one for my Leica when I first got into using this great rangefinder. But, idiot that I am, didn't realize that these trimmers are only needed for the older versions, not the M3s that I have.<br>

So, mine is going to list on eBay starting today if anyone wants to get one.<br>

Search this: Leica ABLON Film Trimmer (Item number: 270388200990)</p>