Once upon a time there was someone very stupid ...........

[Donald]

........ and he, in error, over-tightened the adaptor ring for his filter holder onto the UV filter on the front of his lens. And he couldn't get it off. What an idiot!

He was sure he had read a discussion about this a long, long time ago on CiC, but he couldn't find it.

So, he decided to ask all his friends on CiC if they had any suggestions as to how to solve the problem.

[stuck]

........ and he, in error, over-tightened the adaptor ring for his filter holder onto the UV filter on the front of his lens. And he couldn't get it off. What an idiot!

He was sure he had read a discussion about this a long, long time ago on CiC, but he couldn't find it.

So, he decided to ask all his friends on CiC if they had any suggestions as to how to solve the problem.

No idea how to achieve it but if you could warm the UV filter it would expand, while at the same time cooling the filer holder it would contract, which might lead to an slackening of the (now smaller) holder in the (now larger) UV filter?

Ken

[The Blue Boy]

We've all over tightened a filter in our time mate.

Can you get the UV off the lens? If so, put an elastic band around the UV leave it for five minutes, then unscrew from the holder. I use the little red ones postie leaves sprinkled all across Britain.

[patrick9x9]

Donald, I did that too and gave up until I saw this post. However I decided to try what a friend had suggested a while back. Use some of that rubber grip stuff that they sell for assisting in opening jars. It worked. Might give that a try. I remember when i tried before I sliced up my hand on the adapter ring. So be careful and good luck.

[Dave Humphries]

Use some of that rubber grip stuff that they sell for assisting in opening jars.

I actually carry one of those in my camera bag in anticipation of when I do it

[Andrew1]

Go out and buy two new ones. When you get back from the store your originals will have worked their own way loose.

The temperature difference has worked well for me as have the elastic bands to get some grip. The temperature works really well when the two pieces are made of a different material and expand/contract at different rates. Jammed filters usually happens to me when it's below freezing so applying a bit of warmth to the piece with the outer threads works quickly. In reverse works well at home. Warm them up just a bit, leaving them in the sun works, and then run an ice cube around the ring with the inside threads. If one is a polarizer, put the ice in a plastic bag so it doesn't get wet. Good luck.

[The Blue Boy]

I'll just add that the rubber band trick was passed down to me by an old wedding photographer. He wore a cravat, so I had to take him seriously! It does work, promise.

[Geoff F]

I have seen, but I can't remember where, a special tool for this. Roughly like a miniature version of the oil filter removal tool used by mechanics.

Failing that, do what engineers do. Put a warming torch on it and use the biggest pipe wrench you can find.

[rtbaum]

Dang!!!!! Geoff beat me to it!

[herbert]

Here's what you need:

Lens Filter Wrench

If you do not need the filter off soon then you could wait a week while yours come in the post.

Alex

[Colin Southern]

Hi Donald,

Often what makes it worse is the distortion of the ring caused by finger pressure - so one trick is to spread that pressure as evenly as possible by grasping one ring with as many fingers and thumbs as possible, and getting someone else to do the same on the other ring.

[Black Pearl]

As Colin said pressure at any one point causes problems. Lay the filter flat on one hand, put your other hand flat on top and twist. That way you're not putting pressure on the threads. Often only slight downward pressure is enough but grippy gloves also help if it's really stubborn.

This is the trick we've used in the shop for customers and it has a good hit rate.

[Colin Southern]

Thinking about this some more Donald, since it's an adaptor into a filter, you should be able to grasp just the portion of the UV filter that screws into the lens with both fingers and thumbs (whilst someone else holds the adaptor) and rotate it evenly.

Usually I find correct technique wins over brute strength (usually ... there was a CP filter that I had to separate into 2 parts once!)

[Alis]

I agree, nothing works like the even pressure. It usually does not even need that much force. After all the pressing and pushing and cooling and warming, I have always been surprised at how easy it comes off it you just leave it alone for a while (frustration makes it worse!), and go back and gently apply circular force to it with your whole hand without pressing it toward the center.

As Colin mentions, it is usually more distorted than overtightened. It is a misnomer!

[Manfred M]

The best solution I've found are some plastic filter removal wrenches that B&H sells. I keep a pair in my camera bag all of the time.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...rench_Set.html

[xpatUSA]

The best solution I've found are some plastic filter removal wrenches that B&H sells. I keep a pair in my camera bag all of the time.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...rench_Set.html

While you're waiting, and if the blowlamp and Stillsons didn't work, you could run a little (I mean little) surgical spirit into the thread and try the palm technique before it evaporates. I've used this method on watch backs and also rotating bezels that don't. That would be just before I dig out the pin-punch and hammer . . .

Good luck!

[Donald]

Thank you all for your suggestions. Am working my way through them. Still stuck fast, but haven't given up yet.

[thatguyfromvienna]

The suspense is killing me, Donald!
Please tell us finally who that stupid person is!

[enaiman]

If you don't have any of the above things, a plastic cable tie might work as well.
Needs to be long enough to go round the filter ring. If it does slip, you can use it on top of a rubber band.

[rpcrowe]

Donald...
Filter wrenches are like insurance policies... You don't need one until you need it and then you really need it!
I looked on eBay UK and there are two sets available. Which one you get depends on the size filters you use. The set for 6.99 pounds (I don't know how to find the pound symbol on my computer keyboard) covers filter sizes from 48-77mm while the set for 3.99 pounds only covers filter sizes 48-58mm.