Pentax K1000 tearing sprocket holes

rpavich · Jan 24, 2018

I have a non-photography friend who's dad gave him a couple of Pentax K1000's. One is in fairly poor shape and the other was surprisingly nice; the seals looked good and not crumbly, everything seemed to work, and so I had him shoot a roll of B&W to see if everything is ok.
Well, the shots came out great, the meter is working perfectly, the frames are evenly spaced, no light leaks but there is just one problem; it's tearing the sprocket holes out intermittently, making 3 of them into one long oval hole. The pattern isn't regular, sometimes there is a few frames between them, sometimes 6 or 8 frames between them but every sprocket hole seems to have had a lot of pressure on them even if they aren't torn. You can feel it when you run your fingers over the negatives.
Other than sending out to get a CLA....any good ideas on what's happening and what to do about it?

Theo Sulphate · Jan 24, 2018

It shouldn't tear the sprocket holes while advancing unless film isn't coming out of the cassette easily - unlikely.

My guess is that they're being torn on rewind. When the rewind button is pressed in, that should disengage the sprocket shaft so that film can be rewound without resistance back into the cassette. If the button pops back out, then the shaft will re-engage and tear the sprocket holes during rewind. A workaround, not a fix, is to ensure the button is held pressed in during rewinding.

rpavich · Jan 24, 2018

Theo Sulphate said:
It shouldn't tear the sprocket holes while advancing unless film isn't coming out of the cassette easily - unlikely.

My guess is that they're being torn on rewind. When the rewind button is pressed in, that should disengage the sprocket shaft so that film can be rewound without resistance back into the cassette. If the button pops back out, then the shaft will re-engage and tear the sprocket holes during rewind. A workaround, not a fix, is to ensure the button is held pressed in during rewinding.

Ahhh....I never thought of that. I'll mention it to him. It's a cheap and easy way to get around it if that's the case. That would explain why, even when they are tearing that the frame spacing is perfect.
thanks

Theo Sulphate · Jan 24, 2018

One more thing: be sure there are no torn pieces of film still inside the camera.

rpavich · Jan 24, 2018

Theo Sulphate said:
One more thing: be sure there are no torn pieces of film still inside the camera.

Ahhh, will do.

shutterfinger · Jan 24, 2018

Film becomes loose inside the cassette so do one of the following to eliminate it from the possible cause;
Hold the leader while turning the center spindle counter clockwise until tight or load the film, advance to frame 1 on the counter then turn the rewind crank in the rewind direction until tight without pushing the rewind button.
Also when rewinding at the end of the roll ensure the rewind button is fully depressed. Most cameras are an either or with the button but some will seem to work with the button in half way.

John Koehrer · Jan 24, 2018

Both the suggestions above are real good. A camera like that suggests that when he rewinds, if he slightly moves the advance
when he rewinds the film it will let the RW button pop out, push the advance lever to the body so it can't happen accidentally.

rpavich · Jan 24, 2018

John Koehrer said:
Both the suggestions above are real good. A camera like that suggests that when he rewinds, if he slightly moves the advance
when he rewinds the film it will let the RW button pop out, push the advance lever to the body so it can't happen accidentally.

I'm sure holding in the button will fix it. I told him to shoot another roll and rewind it while holding in the button...then we'll see how that goes.

Nazariago · Jan 8, 2023

There could be a few different issues that could cause the sprocket holes on your film to be torn. Here are a few possible causes and things to check:

Film advance mechanism: The film advance mechanism in your Pentax K1000 could be malfunctioning or out of alignment, causing excess pressure to be placed on the sprocket holes as the film is wound. This could be due to a mechanical issue with the camera or a problem with the film itself.
Film type: Some types of film may be more prone to tearing in the sprocket holes due to their physical characteristics or the way they are manufactured. If you are using a film that is particularly thin or fragile, it may be more prone to tearing.
Film transport: If the film is not being transported smoothly through the camera, it could cause the sprocket holes to tear. This could be due to a problem with the film spool or the camera's film transport mechanism.

To troubleshoot the issue, you could try using a different type of film to see if the problem persists. If it does, it is likely a problem with the camera itself and you may need to have it serviced or repaired. If the problem goes away when you switch to a different film, it is likely a problem with the film itself.

If you are unable to identify the cause of the problem, or if you are unable to fix it on your own, you may want to consider sending the camera to a professional for a cleaning, lubrication, and adjustment (CLA) service. A technician will be able to diagnose the issue and recommend any necessary repairs.

koraks · Jan 8, 2023

Welcome to Photrio, @Nazariago!
We haven't seen @rpavich for over two years, but even if they won't read it, I'm sure your well-written and thoughtful advice will be of use to other people in the future.

Thanks for joining and we're looking forward to your future contributions!

Pentax K1000 tearing sprocket holes

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