wlaidlaw Posted September 4, 2016 Share #1  Posted September 4, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have always wondered what the slot on the ABLON film trimming template is for. I had it out today to trim a few rolls of T-Max 100, ready for the arrival of my Reid and Sigrist, hopefully on Monday. Is it for cutting off film square, when you are loading a cassette from bulk film? My second question is does the Leica "black knob" reloadable cassette fit the Reid and Sigrist. I assume it does since they were made from Leica's drawings for the IIIA camera, which were handed over to the British Control Commission in exchange for a licence to purchase/import materials to restart production, not reparations as is often stated. There were no war reparations after WW2 in the western controlled sectors.  At this point I think it is worth reposting Tom Abrahamsson's very helpful and amusing instructions for loading the Leica cassettes, which sits in my computer folder of Leica books manuals and other useful stuff .  Wilson  Tom Abrahamsson's Leica Cassette Loading technique  To load it you enter your darkroom, and in total darkness, open the can of 100ft long film, disassemble the cassette and unspool an approx. 6 ft length of film, realise that you can't find the scissors or the Exacto knife. Pack everything down, find the scissors, go back in the darkroom, turn off the light, open the film can, listen in amazement at the sound of film, having spent a substantial time under tension, unwinding itself and draping itself on you and on the floor. You patiently find the end and with the scissors cut a V-shaped end on the film, feed it in the spring loaded slot and measure of an appropriate length of film (about the length between your fingertips if you extend your arms fully) and cut it of. By this time you have probably cut your fingers already doing the V-groove. Have no fear, the drops of blood does not affect the processing time! Now you wind up the film on the spool, insert it into the inner cassette shell, pull out a piece of film and insert the inner shell in the outer shell - losing the little end that stuck out through the slot in the inner cassette. After a while you manage to get the film through both the slots, snap the cassette shut and start on the next one.  All of this is done in total darkness, accompanied by words your mother told you not ever to use and chasing implements like the scissors, knifes, center spools that has rolled on the floor- all the same wondering if you got the emulsion side the right way up! It is great entertainment for anybody outside your darkroom door. Once you have got the hang of it - and the scars on your fingertips have healed - it is a good system.  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/264162-what-is-the-slot-on-the-ablon-for/?do=findComment&comment=3106692'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted September 4, 2016 Posted September 4, 2016 Hi wlaidlaw, Take a look here What is the slot on the ABLON for?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
earleygallery Posted September 4, 2016 Share #2 Â Posted September 4, 2016 I'd suggest that you're meant to feed the film through the slot before closing and cutting, to hold it more securely, but it's just a guess! Â Remember these were always meant for bulk film users as all film sold in cartridges used to have longer leaders. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted September 4, 2016 Share #3 Â Posted September 4, 2016 Thanks for that, Wilson (and Tom Abrahamsson). Â FWIW, the Watson 66B bulkloader opens and closes the Leica and Nikon cassettes properly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted September 4, 2016 Author Share #4  Posted September 4, 2016 I'd suggest that you're meant to feed the film through the slot before closing and cutting, to hold it more securely, but it's just a guess!  Remember these were always meant for bulk film users as all film sold in cartridges used to have longer leaders.  James,  That is what I assumed but the angle on the slot is the wrong way. If you try it, it begins to cut the film. That is why I felt it might be a guide to cutting off bulk film square, bearing in mind you have to do it in total darkness without even a safety light. Sadly I suspect all my father's Leica LTM FILCA cassettes and the bulk film loader were thrown away by my mother, when my parents moved house from their very large old house to a small modern bungalow, after my father had a stroke. My uncle managed to rescue some of the stuff including my M4 and my father's IIF at the time but things like the effectively unused and new Bulls-eye Contarex with 55/1.4 that we had given my father for a 60th birthday present, went into the dustbin or more likely, into the capacious pockets of the dustbin men. I have one of the later chrome button cassettes (?IXMOO) buried somewhere up in my attic, probably in the trunk with all the old Leica cardboard boxes.  Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted September 4, 2016 Share #5  Posted September 4, 2016 Not all have the slot: 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!  As you noted, the slot is angled the wrong way to trim the leader that comes out of a loaded cassette. However, when bulk loading with Leica cassettes, you also trim the film to fit into the capture slot on the spool. which is what the other end of the ABLON is for. Using a daylight loader like the Watson it is easy to trim the film to the approximate angle by hand, but the slot does let you trim it without pulling enough out of the loader to fit the full length of the ABLON:  However, if you were loading a bulk roll in a darkroom without a daylight loader, the ABLON "spool end" would be more useful. and then the slot would let you use the guide very close to the bulk roll, without danger of scratching the film in the area of the last frame or so on the roll, which could happen if you use the full ABLON length over the film.    Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!  As you noted, the slot is angled the wrong way to trim the leader that comes out of a loaded cassette. However, when bulk loading with Leica cassettes, you also trim the film to fit into the capture slot on the spool. which is what the other end of the ABLON is for. Using a daylight loader like the Watson it is easy to trim the film to the approximate angle by hand, but the slot does let you trim it without pulling enough out of the loader to fit the full length of the ABLON:  However, if you were loading a bulk roll in a darkroom without a daylight loader, the ABLON "spool end" would be more useful. and then the slot would let you use the guide very close to the bulk roll, without danger of scratching the film in the area of the last frame or so on the roll, which could happen if you use the full ABLON length over the film.    ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/264162-what-is-the-slot-on-the-ablon-for/?do=findComment&comment=3106798'>More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted September 4, 2016 Author Share #6  Posted September 4, 2016 I seem to recall that my father just used to use a pair of scissors and make the "V" by feel.  Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan mcfall Posted September 5, 2016 Share #7  Posted September 5, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) 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!  Some additonal observations. Photo On the left, bright nickel, without slot, square end, hole Second from left, dull nickle, with slot, square end, no hole Third from left, dull nickle, with slot, round end, hole Far right, dull nickle, with slot, square end, no hole and longer than others.  All are marked E. Leitz Wetzlar. The one on the far right, the long one, is not long enough for the 250 reporter, Does anyone know anything about it? Maybe just an early variation?  Reportedly, these also exist in chorme finish, and some are marked E. Leitz New York. And the ANZOO for the 250 camera is occassionaly seen. Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!  Some additonal observations. Photo On the left, bright nickel, without slot, square end, hole Second from left, dull nickle, with slot, square end, no hole Third from left, dull nickle, with slot, round end, hole Far right, dull nickle, with slot, square end, no hole and longer than others.  All are marked E. Leitz Wetzlar. The one on the far right, the long one, is not long enough for the 250 reporter, Does anyone know anything about it? Maybe just an early variation?  Reportedly, these also exist in chorme finish, and some are marked E. Leitz New York. And the ANZOO for the 250 camera is occassionaly seen. ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/264162-what-is-the-slot-on-the-ablon-for/?do=findComment&comment=3107022'>More sharing options...
willeica Posted September 5, 2016 Share #8 Â Posted September 5, 2016 I bought an ABLON last year but, to be honest, I find it easier and quicker to trim the leader with a scissors. Â William Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipus Posted September 5, 2016 Share #9  Posted September 5, 2016 Agree.  I bought an ABLON last year but, to be honest, I find it easier and quicker to trim the leader with a scissors.  William Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted September 5, 2016 Share #10 Â Posted September 5, 2016 The ABLON may be easier if you are working in total darkness, which may have been common when these were introduced. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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