On Sat, 18 Aug 2001 19:27:27 -0700 (PDT), bigrocketman3@webtv.net (Steve McDonald) wrote:

>
> In regards to the message suggesting that pliers and oil be used on
>stuck lens filters:
>
> Is this supposed to be helpful advice? If you use a pair of pliers
>or any gripping device on a lens filter, damage will likely result to it
>and possibly also to the lens mounts and its alignment. Squeezing
>inward on the filter rim is the very thing that will bind it on tighter
>and keep it from coming off. Try placing a fingertip on the inside of
>the rim and a thumb on the outside. When you squeeze them together,
>neutralizing pressure is exerted on both sides of the filter threads and
>you may be able to easily rotate it off.
>
> If this doesn't work, you may have to take a fine-toothed hacksaw
>blade and carefully cut two 1/16" deep notches, 180º apart, in the
>filter rim. Then you can take a flat-edged table knife, place it in the
>notches and rotate it gently, using it as a lever. Before cutting, put
>a plastic bag over the camera and seal it with tape, just behind the
>filter. This will prevent metal grit from getting into the camera,
>which would be very damaging. The best thing is to notch all your
>filters in this way ahead of time, before they are put on the camera.
>Always hold the lens behind the filter firmly, so the rotating force
>doesn't break the internal lens mounts.
>
> I would never apply any oil anywhere on the camera. It can end up
>getting rubbed on a tape or cassette shell and just a little bit can
>ruin a recording head. If oil gets onto the lens, it can be difficult
>to clean off and if it seeps inside, the lens could be made unusable.
>Small consumer camcorders do not have repairable lenses. The
>manufacturers will only replace the entire lens, at a cost that may be
>close to the value of the whole camera. The only lubrication that
>should be done, needs to be performed by a professional, who will use a
>special applicator to put a few tiny droplets in just the right places.
>
>Steve McDonald

I agree with the above, but add that 99.99% of the time
simply putting a rubber band around the filter rim, then
lightly (and as evenly as possible) gripping the max amount
of the rim with thumb and first finger wrapped around it,
then gently turning it, works... Others suggest placing a
non-slip material in contact with the rim front edge, then
turning, but the rubber-band trick works for me too often
to bother with anything else, though for that .01% of the
time that it doesn't work (with minimal risk to anything),
I go for SD's rim-grip method, described above (seems to
work best with stuck nested stepping rings). The hack-saw
solution is rather extreme, and indicates that someone
did what should never be done: forcing on a filter. I
do sometimes hit the threads with a light grease applied
carefully with a Q-Tip, though.