Darkslide Locking Hooks

[Vlad Soare]

Hello,

Can those two little hooks which lock the dark slides in place be removed from plastic film holders? In one of my holders I was able to simply unscrew them. But in all other holders they rotate freely.
I find it very annoying when I can't pull the dark slide because I forgot to unlock it.
Before attempting to cut the hooks off, is there an easy way to remove them? I'd rather not do anything irreversible if I could help it.
The holders in question are plastic Fidelities.

Thank you.

[Joanna Carter]

If I were you, I would get used to using those hooks, they can be really useful in stopping the darkslides from slipping out in transit.

[Noah A]

I use the Fidelity Elite holders and the locks seem to rotate but not unscrew. I'm not sure how you would remove them.

But I agree with Joanna, they're very useful in preventing accidental film exposure. It's pretty easy to partially pull out a slide when, say, removing a holder from a bag.

[BetterSense]

I've been debating this with myself also. I hate those hooks because they are fiddly, and I never deliberately engage them so I have thought about cutting them off with my dremel. If I was concerned about the darkslides working their way out, I would never rely on the hooks anyway, and would use a rubber band. You can't cut them back on, though, so I haven't done it so far.

[bobwysiwyg]

I find it very annoying when I can't pull the dark slide because I forgot to unlock it.


I'm with the others who recommend not removing them. Just learn/relearn to address them just like other good habits that have to be formed shooting LF.

[Preston]

I am also in the 'use the hooks' camp. I have accidentally attempted to lift the darkslide, and without that little hook, I would have wasted a sheet of film. I also use a wide rubber band as a 'keeper'.

--P

[jp]

Perhaps a dab of loctite thread locker would hold them where needed, or some hot glue. Hot glue or some threadlocker on the surface can be broken off later unlike superglue.

[Leigh]

I'm with the "use the hooks" crowd.

Manufacturers don't spend time, money, and effort installing features that are not needed.

Learn to use them.

- Leigh

[Matus Kalisky]

I am not crazy about the hooks, but I just keep using them. The problem is that on my Fidelity Elite holders these hooks can rotate nearly freely 360 degrees without "catching" on the dark slides and on the older holders they are very hard to unlock once in place. Both is a bit of PITA.

I am wondering whether a better solution could be implemented (like spring loaded hooks that would engage in a small "dip" in a dark slide so that they would keep safely in place, but still be easy to lock/unlock)

[Scott Walker]

I agree with not removing them, I have a few 8x10 holders with them removed by a previous owner. On my most recent trip out with the camera I made an exposure and when I pulled the film holder out my glove slipped and I ended up pulling the back dark slide up about an inch exposing the bottom inch of a sheet I had exposed at the last spot I was at. :eek:

[Vlad Soare]

Perhaps a dab of loctite thread locker would hold them where needed, or some hot glue. Hot glue or some threadlocker on the surface can be broken off later unlike superglue.
Say, that's a great idea! I like it. I think I'll try it.
Thanks.

[Daniel Stone]

Rubber bands. 1/4" wide ones work fine for me, and they keep darkslides from coming undone in my bag....

personally, I found the little "hooks" on my 8x10 wooden holders to keep snagging in the holder sleeves. Annoyed ME to no end. I just unscrewed them, and replaced them with rubber bands running length-wise. Cheap, effective, and damn quick in the field. No snags either

I've not messed up a sheet so far, however, with the "hooks", I managed to screw up around 3 sheets. great, unreplaceable shots IMO...

just my $.02

-Dan

[DanK]

IME, Fidelity Deluxe holders unscrew...and the Elites don't....

I personally wouldn't remove them...

Maybe trade the elites for deluxes...

Dan

[eddie]

i hated them at 1st. now i use them. after pulling one holder from the bag and have it catch the 2nd holder's darlslide and pull it out an inch i decided to use the locks. i am also much more careful taking out the holders from the bag.

just cut them off with a pair if wire cutters.

[Randy]

Years ago I removed them from my 4X5 holders. I then ruined some film when pulling holders out of the bag and inadvertently pulling a darkslide up slightly.
I like Daniels idea for rubber bands.

[Mike Anderson]

Rubber bands. 1/4" wide ones work fine for me, and they keep darkslides from coming undone in my bag....


I've an inclination to get rid of the hooks and use rubber bands too. The hooks are hardly failsafe and kind of fiddly for my dexterity.

The question is how easy is it to remove them without leaving a sharp bit or creating a light leak.

...Mike

[Daniel Stone]

I've an inclination to get rid of the hooks and use rubber bands too. The hooks are hardly failsafe and kind of fiddly for my dexterity.

The question is how easy is it to remove them without leaving a sharp bit or creating a light leak.

...Mike


Mike:

on my holders(most are kodak wooden ones, the other are agfa/ansco's), I just unscrewed them. I haven't had any problems with light leaks so far at all. If you're paranoid about it(I'm not, but I did the following: ), you might want to just fill the holes with wooden toothpicks(pointy end clipped off).

insert the toothpick with some glue in the hole, and twist to spread the glue evenly. Snip the toothpick off(approx 1/8" deep on my holders), and wipe off excess glue. After the glue is fully dry, take a black sharpie and paint over the whitish toothpick end to blend the color to the black holder's paint.

worked for me :)

-Dan

[eddie]

The question is how easy is it to remove them without leaving a sharp bit or creating a light leak.

...Mike

use wire cutters and a file if you need. if yo cut them straight across down low you should be fine.

[Cor]

Get Astra Fidelity film holders, these self-lock, and the lock is released when you insert the film (little white button), see: http://tw.page.bid.yahoo.com/tw/auction/d47768998?u=yocam168, and click on the small photo..

Best,

Cor

[BetterSense]

Wow, that's really clever. I wish all film holders worked like that.