wlaidlaw Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share #21 Posted March 11, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) On a Leica IIIa syn of 1933, the trick with a thin flexible card works very well, thanks a lot. But even with the scissors of a very small Swiss Army knife you can cut a film clean without having to buy and transport a completely overpriced ABLON. See my original post. If I cut a leader without an ABLON, which I have already bought in any case, I would hear the ghost of my father over my shoulder, castigating me and saying “remember the Reid” I will pre-trim the films before I leave home and wind the leader back into the cassette. You can’t find black and white film, while out and about, in any case nowadays, so you have to buy it mail order. If I pre-trim my leaders, I would then leave my ABLON at home. If I run out of trimmed 135 film, I would just go back to using one of my digital M’s or switch to one of my 6 x 6cm, 4 x 4cm or 8 x 11mm cameras, whatever I have with me. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 11, 2014 Posted March 11, 2014 Hi wlaidlaw, Take a look here After 50+ years of Leica use, I admit defeat and search for an ABLON. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Guest Posted March 11, 2014 Share #22 Posted March 11, 2014 ... 4 x 4cm or 8 x 11mm cameras... Where do you get films for those sold out formats? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc_braconi Posted March 11, 2014 Share #23 Posted March 11, 2014 My Leica accessory book says the ABCOO is for cutting the film inside the camera not for use with the ABLON. The book also shows a small folding knife without a code, which I assume is for trimming the film with the ABLON. Wilson Wilson, first about the case, I made the same remark last night and I think that you have the late model of ABLON with this leather case and I have the early model with cardboard case. second for the ABCOO, try to get the same item has I have it works really well. I have just spotted an ABCOO for sale but I’m not saying where Wilson I already found it ! dont let it fly away Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share #24 Posted March 11, 2014 Where do you get films for those sold out formats? 127 has been a big problem. I am down to my last two rolls of Rollei Crossbird 127. There are a few people selling near expired Efke film on Fleabay for inflated prices. However all is not lost. Mike at Camera Film from Retro Photo Supplies tells me that Maco in Germany is about to re-start 127 production, I assume on the old Efke/Rollei machines now transported from Croatia. They have the film, paper backing, packaging and spools now in stock but just have to work out production logistics, so hopefully ready by June/July. You can also get from Canada, Bluefire Murano colour negative film but I am not a big fan. It is a bit like old Ektacolor. Bluefire Murano color print film. For 8 x 11, Paul O’Sullivan at MS Hobbies Home - mshobbies can supply refilled Minox cassettes in pretty much any film you want, B&W, Colour negative or positive. I have just bought 4 cassettes filled with 400 T-Max for my Minox C and Sub-Miniature Rolleiflex. In addition to an excellent 8 x 11mm processing service, Paul has also built a brilliant 8 x 11mm film scanning machine from a Minox enlarger and a Nikon D800, which enables good enough scans to print to 8” x 11” (A4). Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share #25 Posted March 11, 2014 Wilson, first about the case, I made the same remark last night and I think that you have the late model of ABLON with this leather case and I have the early model with cardboard case.second for the ABCOO, try to get the same item has I have it works really well. I already found it ! don’t let it fly away J-C, Given that the ABCOO is really designed for a different purpose of cutting film inside a camera, does it really work better on the ABLON than the razor sharp scimitar blade on my little Swiss army knife or alternatively a Swann Morton no.3 retractable blade scalpel, both of which I already have? Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 11, 2014 Share #26 Posted March 11, 2014 ...I would hear the ghost of my father over my shoulder, castigating me and saying “remember the Reid” ... Especially if you still hear your father's voice admonishing to your ears after decades, you should have internalized the shape of the template, so that you never bring about a miscut again. I know what I'm talking about, after I had to remove at the beginning of my experience with screw-leicas also fragmented parts of the film with tweezers. But today I cut a film freehandly even in a moving tram. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted March 11, 2014 Share #27 Posted March 11, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) For 127 you can also do this; Ilford do an annual production run of 127 but you have to buy it in bulk and spool yourself. I'm not giving up on my baby Rollei just yet! I'll be ready to place an order as soon as the Maco film is available. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc_braconi Posted March 11, 2014 Share #28 Posted March 11, 2014 J-C, Given that the ABCOO is really designed for a different purpose of cutting film inside a camera, does it really work better on the ABLON than the razor sharp scimitar blade on my little Swiss army knife or alternatively a Swann Morton no.3 retractable blade scalpel, both of which I already have? Wilson YES you will ruin your ABLON with blades Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share #29 Posted March 13, 2014 All present and correct now Wilson Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/223286-after-50-years-of-leica-use-i-admit-defeat-and-search-for-an-ablon/?do=findComment&comment=2548676'>More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted March 13, 2014 Share #30 Posted March 13, 2014 I'm happy with my freehand trimming technique but that's a very nice set to have Wilson. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 13, 2014 Share #31 Posted March 13, 2014 All present and correct now Wilson Thanks for showing, but that should never in your hand luggage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share #32 Posted March 13, 2014 Thanks for showing, but that should never in your hand luggage. I don’t think the ABLON/ABCOO will leave home at all. I will just pre-trim any rolls of film I am taking with me. I was trying to find 127 film in back street photo shops in India last month but all I was offered was colour negative 135. Even so it was years out of date (expired 2006 or around that time). The days of being able to buy film at any tourist location or failing that at the nearest pharmacy, are long gone. In India, everyone seemed to have a mobile with a digital camera on it, even the bullock cart drivers and monks, which was an interesting anachronism. The sad thing is that the street photographers with their home made wooden plate cameras and development/printing donkey carts, seem to have totally disappeared in the nine years since I was last there. In areas popular with local visitors, the street photographers all had cheap DSLR’s and a Canon or Epson battery portable photo-printer instead. Doesn’t seem quite the same. It was an occasion to have your photo taken on a home made camera and then have a cup or two of chai and a samosa, while it was processed. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M9reno Posted March 13, 2014 Share #33 Posted March 13, 2014 YESyou will ruin your ABLON with blades I use a scalpel blade with my ABLON routinely, but have not noticed any damage. It is quicker and makes a cleaner cut than scissors. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc_braconi Posted March 13, 2014 Share #34 Posted March 13, 2014 All present and correct now Wilson Congratulations ! So how do you find it working ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share #35 Posted March 13, 2014 Congratulations ! So how do you find it working ? I have not tried it yet as all three of my LTM’s have freshly loaded film in them. The cutting edge still looks very sharp and unworn, which I imagined I was going to have to sharpen (1200 grade wet and dry paper wrapped round a 1.5mm drill bit shaft). I would guess it will work just fine when I come to use it. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc_braconi Posted March 13, 2014 Share #36 Posted March 13, 2014 I have not tried it yet as all three of my LTM’s have freshly loaded film in them. The cutting edge still looks very sharp and unworn, which I imagined I was going to have to sharpen (1200 grade wet and dry paper wrapped round a 1.5mm drill bit shaft). I would guess it will work just fine when I come to use it. Wilson try it before ... Just to be sure that you know how to use them I post a pict with the detail of the end of the blade to see the special shape and also how to use it using the same angle as is on the blade. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/223286-after-50-years-of-leica-use-i-admit-defeat-and-search-for-an-ablon/?do=findComment&comment=2549020'>More sharing options...
Keith (M) Posted March 15, 2014 Share #37 Posted March 15, 2014 Interesting thread. With my first venture into the world of Barnack with the purchase of a IIIg from Red Dot, research on the web led me to a pdf file for a template. Cut out & stuck onto stiff card, this plus a 40+ year-old pair of curved nail scissors (German manufacture, of course) has served me well. Cost? Not a lot... Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/223286-after-50-years-of-leica-use-i-admit-defeat-and-search-for-an-ablon/?do=findComment&comment=2550409'>More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted March 15, 2014 Author Share #38 Posted March 15, 2014 Interesting thread. With my first venture into the world of Barnack with the purchase of a IIIg from Red Dot, research on the web led me to a pdf file for a template. Cut out & stuck onto stiff card, this plus a 40+ year-old pair of curved nail scissors (German manufacture, of course) has served me well. Cost? Not a lot... Keith, Over the years, I have read a number of sad stories of films tearing at small nicks in the trimmed leader, which is why I have preferred using the card loading method wherever possible (it isn’t on my model C). There was an instance of a film tearing at the last Wetzlar Challenge, I think in a IIIG. In that cutting with scissors cannot be a continuous process, where you commence the next stroke, could the location of a nick. I understand the idea of the ABCOO with the later type all curved ABLON (see mine in comparison to the earlier square ended one of J-C), is that you can make the cut in one continuous stroke and thereby avoid any nicks. Also like J-C (albeit to nothing like the same extent), I like old Leitz bits and pieces. When my parents moved to a much smaller house in 1971 and my father was very ill, my mother sadly threw lots of red boxes of assorted Leica bits from my father’s darkroom, in the rubbish bin. I think if you don’t want to get an ABLON/ABCOO, you could make a template from hard plastic and then use either a scalpel or a craft knife, to achieve exactly the same thing. I feel this would be preferable to using scissors. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith (M) Posted March 16, 2014 Share #39 Posted March 16, 2014 Wilson, I think if I ever saw an ABLON for sale (at a reasonable price) I would probably be tempted. However, up until now the pictured example of Solingen's finest scissors have served me well, with the curved blades meaning I can cut the curve continuously and not create a nick/discontinuity thus avoiding the risk of a tear. Compact too! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted March 16, 2014 Share #40 Posted March 16, 2014 Wilson, I think if I ever saw an ABLON for sale (at a reasonable price) I would probably be tempted. However, up until now the pictured example of Solingen's finest scissors have served me well, with the curved blades meaning I can cut the curve continuously and not create a nick/discontinuity thus avoiding the risk of a tear. Compact too! … and trim your tootsies while waiting for photographic opportunities to present themselves. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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