Nikor 35mm reels with steel loader thingy--how to use?

[Moopheus]

Okay, now you have to give me a hand. Despite my own previous poor experience with steel reels, inspired by the ongoing steel-reel thread, I'm willing to give them another chance. Since it seems to be a common perception that the Hewes and Nikor reels are the best, at least from an ease-of-use perspective, and because the Hewes are expensive, even used, I went to ebay-san and was able to pick up some Nikor stuff for cheap. Two 35mm reels that came with a steel loader tool. Does anybody know how this is supposed to be used?

 

[2F/2F]

Are you sure it is not a leader retriever?

 

[hpulley]

I have the manual with my Nikor and it does mention a loader but I don't have it and have never used one. I could scan the 'manual', just a folded pamphlet really.

 

[MattKing]

I remember having a Nikor loader on one of our store shelves in the camera store I worked in in the 1970s. I cannot for the life of me remember how it worked.

Do your reels have a clip at the centre, a wire "C". or ...?

 

[photoncatcher]

I've seen the loader, and almost invested in one. On further research it seemed like more trouble than it was worth. I suppose that if you had an open space to load the reels, then it wouldn't be to bad. How ever, I doubt that you could use it in a changing bag. Like they say about getting to Carnagie Hall, Practice. Stainless reels can be a bit dodgy to load, but if you take a scrap roll of film, ( be sure that it is the same as you shoot) and just sit down and practice loading in the light. Then do it with your eyes closed, then in the dark, or in the changing bag. Eventually, you'll get the feel of it. I will admit howeever that after many thousands of rolls of 35, and 120 film, I still manage to run into a problem roll from time to time. I acually had more trouble loading the old Yankee plastic reels.

 

[jacksond]

The idea of the loaders was to ensure that the film was correctly shaped to more easily fit on the reel. I tried one a couple of times but found it easier to load the reel manually.

 

[George Nova Scotia]

I have one of the loaders, never used it. I found it a box of old paper that I picked up for free last summer. It's complete in the box with the instruction sheet. I can scan it in the morning and post the instructions. Like many others I've loaded SS reels for years without it.

 

[Konical]

Good Morning, Moopheus.

The earlier posters are correct: the gizmo is more bother than it's worth. By the way, the Nikor reels are good quality, but the "springy-thingy" in the center is a vastly inferior approach compared to both the puncturing pin on Kinderman reels and the two short lugs on Hewes reels.

Konical

 

[hpulley]

My old Nikor reels have no springy thing.

 

[Rick A]

I have a 35mm reel loader sitting on a shelf, been there for years. It came with a load of DR gear I purchased. It's supposed to arch the film and help keep it in line with the reel for easier loading.

 

[George Nova Scotia]

For the record, pictures.

 

[mikebarger]

Like Rick, I got a couple 120mm loaders in some darkroom stuff I bought. It's one of those, it looked good on paper deals.

Mike

 

[George Collier]

If they are true Nikkor reels, they will have a single wire strand running in the center structure around 3 of 4 sides. Skip the loading contraption. Position the reel so that the open part on the outside of the reel faces like it would if you were to try loading it from the outside, pushing in (but don't do this). Then turn the reel about a quarter turn counter clockwise, so that the open side of the inner structure faces your loading (right for a right-hander) hand. You insert the film end (cut off straight) and turn the reel CCW more till the film bends around the wire frame and locks in. Then you load by turning the reel with the film hand stationary (this is important to smooth loading). After a turn or 2, push and pull the film a bit. If you are off to a good start, the film will move back and forth, if it is bound, then you have a problem. Try it in the light first. I've always thought that these simple reels are the best ever made and still use them today for 35mm. Just be sure the reel is not bent anywhere, it'll make you crazy trying to load a bent reel.

 

[Moopheus]

Thanks, I think have it sorted. The loader I have is only the tube part, no little arms with discs. With a spare bit of film I was able to figure it out. I think you are all right though in thinking does not really add much to the process. The only advantage I can see really is that it helps protect your film from your fingers, but I've never had that much of a problem with that. Already I can see that these reels are much easier to load than the old Omega reels I had before.