There's a Piece of...Something...Stuck in my Take-Up Spool?

[RJ Jacoby]

Hey guys. Not sure how to put this, since I've never come across a camera that's exhibited this. I just shot a fresh roll on my Kodak Signet 35, and looking at the camera earlier with the back open, I noticed that inside the slot of the take-up spool, there is a little thin, reflective piece of...beats me. It looks and feels like a very thin sheet of metal, slightly wrinkled, and it is sitting pretty loose in there. I can actually wiggle it in and out of the slot a tiny bit, but not by much.

I don't want to risk tearing it in case it's actually there for some purpose beyond my understanding, hence why I am writing this post.
The Kodak has got a fixed take-up spool so I guess if I did want to remove this whatever-it-is, I'd have to cut it out.

Now, I haven't developed my last roll yet, so I don't know if it actually affected the functionality of the camera at all (I was worried since the edges are pretty sharp to the touch, it might have scratched something while winding the film), and I never took any pics myself showing this specific part of the camera before, nor could I find any online of what it's supposed to look like.

So, I am really just trying to ask here: what am I looking at? Is this supposed to be there, and if so, what for? It's been puzzling me for most of the day.

 

[shutterfinger]

Likely part of or the cover spring as shown on pages 4 and 5 of https://learncamerarepair.com/downloads/pdf/Kodak-Signet80-Shutter-Roth.pdf

 

[gone]

The op has a Signet 35, but it looks like their take up spool is metal and slotted. I can't imagine anything in there that would be an issue, perhaps it's an old piece of film, or a piece of what it was wrapped in, something like that? Time to break out the bright light and magnifying glass. .

 

[shutterfinger]

The op has a Signet 35,

Similar build
A picture will help.

 

[reddesert]

Hey guys. Not sure how to put this, since I've never come across a camera that's exhibited this. I just shot a fresh roll on my Kodak Signet 35, and looking at the camera earlier with the back open, I noticed that inside the slot of the take-up spool, there is a little thin, reflective piece of...beats me. It looks and feels like a very thin sheet of metal, slightly wrinkled, and it is sitting pretty loose in there. I can actually wiggle it in and out of the slot a tiny bit, but not by much.

The Signet 35 takeup spool has an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder with a slot, and puts a reverse bend on the film.. You're probably looking at the end of a film leader that got torn off the last time someone removed a roll of film from the camera. There was such an end in mine when I just looked. Take a pair of tweezers and pull it out.

Even if whatever stays in there, it's unlikely to scratch anything, because it will get covered up by the leader next time you load film and never touch the image area.

 

[RJ Jacoby]

You're probably looking at the end of a film leader that got torn off the last time someone removed a roll of film from the camera.

That's exactly what it was! Thanks so much, you saved me a lot of unnecessary worries. I guess I am still a bit unfamiliar with this type of camera design because I've never had this kind of thing happen to me before. Is it because the spool is single-slotted that pieces of film get stuck in there, or because it bends the film in a certain way? Or could it be something I am doing wrong when loading?

 

[Sirius Glass]

That's exactly what it was! Thanks so much, you saved me a lot of unnecessary worries. I guess I am still a bit unfamiliar with this type of camera design because I've never had this kind of thing happen to me before. Is it because the spool is single-slotted that pieces of film get stuck in there, or because it bends the film in a certain way? Or could it be something I am doing wrong when loading?

Most likely you did nothing wrong; it was the previous owner who messed things up. Enjoy.

 

[reddesert]

That's exactly what it was! Thanks so much, you saved me a lot of unnecessary worries. I guess I am still a bit unfamiliar with this type of camera design because I've never had this kind of thing happen to me before. Is it because the spool is single-slotted that pieces of film get stuck in there, or because it bends the film in a certain way? Or could it be something I am doing wrong when loading?

There's all sorts of different takeup spools, some put a sharper bend in the film, some grab the end more tightly so that it may tear when being removed. Clearly, one wants the takeup spool to grab the film tightly enough to engage. Just watch what happens when you take the film out and if any pieces come off, remove them. Tearing the leader isn't going to affect your pictures, but you don't want extra pieces of film end in the film chamber where they could get into other mechanisms.

 

[Sirius Glass]

You can always use that torn off film to test developer or fixer, so it is all to your gain.