How to use a film retriever

No idea, never used one but I find the easiest device is a piece of about 1/2" wide Post-It. Work out were the end is relative to the opening (turning the spool in the direction of winding the film into the canister), then try and position the end 1/2" and inch or so before the opening, slide in the Post-It (sticky end first) then slowly turn the film end past the opening a little then try and pull the Post-It out - hopefully with the film end. Usually only takes me about 2 or 3 tries.

I don't have the Kalt, but I believe my metal one is similar.

First, make sure there are no children or older ladies around, since you can't avoid profanity when using these.

Then turn the spool inside the cassette as if rewinding. Listen carefully to hear when the end of the leader passes the film gate (sometimes you can hear it, sometimes not. I prefer to do the rest of the process in the dark or at least subdued light.

Insert the retriever with the two metal tabs closed. Then retract the one that is closet to the film. Now you have this metal "V" inside the cassette.

Turn the spool in the opposite direction (as if feeding the film out of the cassette) until it stops. In theory, it's now wedged into the "V". Holding the retriever firmly against the cassette, insert the metal piece that you previously retracted. You now have, again in theory, trapped the film leader between the two metal pieces.

Pull out the retriever with the leader in between the metal pieces. If it doesn't come out with the leader inside, repeat 10 or 15 times wishing you had gotten the camera modified to leave the leader out.

In an emergency one can open the 35mm cassette with ones hands, using the thumbs to force open the felt area. Some of us do this when we loose our church keys.

If you have the Kalt deluxe, it's similar to my Jobo or Ilford retriever. Anyway, for these you (1) pull both sliders back (2) Insert the tip of the tool in the cassette (3) Move the first slider as far as it goes into the cassette (4) Turn the cassette knob ccw slowly until you hear a click (5) Move the second slider all the way in (6) Pull out the entire tool with the leader attached. These work quite well with no cursing needed.

Kelly, don't you love those Kodak film canisters ?

Last time I used Kodak film (TMZ), there was a lot of cursing and the canister eventually looked like this in the end. Every other film brand has pretty easy opening. Usually a small flat-headed screwdriver (I don't use a bottle opener anymore, I broke the last one doing it) is enough to pop on of the covers off if I accidentally let the film go all the way in.

The guy down the street at the Quick-e-photo is always obliging -- it takes him 10 seconds.

Craig - more power to you if you can use post it notes. But Dennis had invested in a durable tool that I'm sure he wants to work with. --- In order to practice with your Kalt, prepare a reloadable magazine (Kodak calls these things magazines, not cassttes) loaded with scrap film and a normally shaped leader. Use a spool that you use a wire cutters on to break part of the spool end away (use diaganal wire cutters) to allow you to see what is going on. Put that in the magazine but leave one end cap off so you can see into the magazine. Now practice with the Kalt until you acquire the skill. Once you have the skill you will be able to pull film from a magazine every time quickly.

I've had trouble using bottle openers on factory crimped Kodak magazines also and I no longer have a tool like the Kalt. So I usually start prying the crimped Kodak end caps off under safetlight with a bottle opener and then turn out the light after the cap begins to yield. With a small dremel grinder I've sharpened the bottle opener.

Sometimes I load my own film and the reusable magazines allow me to pop the end caps off without using tools.

Thank everyone for your help. Never realized that it's such a hard work with a retriever. Practice, practice and practice... On the label of the retriever, it says: "This will easily pull your film out of the cassette, and you're back in business." Well, after a night and a morning, I am still trying...

Michael Richards above has the exact instructions I was going to type.

Another tip - those little lips that pop up to catch the film in the canister can get bent to close to the tongue so that they will not grab catch on the film sprockets. If this happens, you can gently bend the lips back so that they stick out more and will more easily catch the film.

When I first got my leader retriever, I thought it was near impossible to use. When I figured out my above tip, I never had to try more than twice ever again, and even twice is rare...