# 2 filters jammed together



## Ristobkk (Apr 12, 2013)

My brother went to a seaside holiday and used 2 filters on top of each others. Now these UV and Circular Polarised filters are jammed together but off from lens. Do you have experienced same, any advise how to unscrew without braking them.
Thanks in advance! :-\
Risto


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## Nishi Drew (Apr 12, 2013)

Is the UV filter on the CPL or the other way around? I think if the UV is on the CPL then that'll be really tough to get off because the base just rotates. I currently have a UV filter on my 70-200 I want taken off but it's been stuck there for a while... so what can I say. Best bet is to try and get the threads warmed up enough so the expansion could help make them easier to screw off, but too warm and you might damage them, so just keep on trying~
And what brand filters were they? If they were cheap then I say abandon them or see what you can sell them for, although two filters together shouldn't be done unless you're combining multiple ND filters, at least I would assume the CPL is much nicer and the UV filter won't be needed, aside from the filter of mine stuck on the lens I don't use protective filters, I want my images sharp and a little dust on the glass does no harm


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## FTb-n (Apr 12, 2013)

This will be tough with the rotating polarizer. For stuck filters, try a filter wrench:

http://www.amazon.com/Camera-Filter-62mm-77mm-Filters-Package/dp/B003TOWNT0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365749733&sr=8-1&keywords=lens+filter+wrench

Or a dental dam from Micro-Tools.com:

http://www.micro-tools.com/store/P-2143/5in-x-5in-Dental-Dam-For-Removing-Stuck-Lenses-And-Knobs.aspx

Or both.


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## greger (Apr 12, 2013)

You could try taking them in to the camera store where you bought them. They might have filter tools that can be used to loosen them. I had two rings stuck together once. I used pliers that opened wide enough to grip one filter that I put a lens cloth on and gently squeezed to stop movement and loosened the top one by hand.


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## rs (Apr 12, 2013)

A rubber band stretched around a filter makes it much more grippy. Hopefully there's enough width for a rubber band on the half of the CPL which is tightened onto the UV filter.


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## rpt (Apr 12, 2013)

rs said:


> A rubber band stretched around a filter makes it much more grippy. Hopefully there's enough width for a rubber band on the half of the CPL which is tightened onto the UV filter.


+1000

I was about to suggest the same. One on each filter...


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## Rienzphotoz (Apr 12, 2013)

Ristobkk said:


> My brother went to a seaside holiday and used 2 filters on top of each others. Now these UV and Circular Polarised filters are jammed together but off from lens. Do you have experienced same, any advise how to unscrew without braking them.
> Thanks in advance! :-\
> Risto


A few years ago, I've had the same thing happen to my EF 24-105 f/4 L and I've used these filter wrenches ... works very well and no harm done to the filter threading of the lens or of the filters ... it only costs $5.50 and you get a set of 2 wrenches (one to hold the bottom filter and the other to twist the top filter). My filters were stuck real bad so I also had to warm the filters with a cloth warmed in the microwave and then use the filters wrenches.


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## neuroanatomist (Apr 12, 2013)

I don't stack filters often, but I do sometimes. I have a set of filter wrenches in each camera bag...


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## birtembuk (Apr 12, 2013)

Great info here. Had a beautiful brand new B+W PL filter stuck on the protect filter. Lost half my hair. The next day it just came loose and off so easily ... put it back and  lost the remaining of my hair. I won't leave home without those wrenches anymore.


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## Spooky (Apr 12, 2013)

Often when trying to seperate them, applying too much grip can cause distortion and binding. Try very gently to apply light but even pressure around them and twist them apart. Another tip I came across was to use a sheet of rubber flat on a desk and place the filter / lens down onto it and twist it off instead, you can also use the grippy sole of a shoe! (Not much use for your two filters or a polariser, but more for a stuck UV on lens scenario).

Gentle heating of the UV (female thread) and cooling (ice) of the polariser (male thread) may help... or leave them stuck together and use them both when needing the polariser!


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## TeenTog (Apr 12, 2013)

> use a sheet of rubber flat on a desk and place the filter / lens down onto it and twist it off instead, you can also use the grippy sole of a shoe! (Not much use for your two filters or a polariser, but more for a stuck UV on lens scenario).



I do something similar where I take those rubber cleaning gloves, put them on my hands, and slowly twist the two filters in opposite directions. There's lots of solutions on YouTube as well.


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## mb66energy (Apr 12, 2013)

Some mentioned thermal expansion as a solution before, here my experiences of a similar problem I solved last week. I have separated an M42-EOS adaptor from the lens by the following procedure with a CONVENTIONAL cooking plate

*WARNING: USE THAT PROCEDURE AT YOUR OWN RISK*

1 Heated up A CONVENTIONAL (never with other techniques) cooking plate to roughly 50 degree centigrade and switch it off.
2 Put my combination with the less sensible/smaller part (in your case the UV filter) on the cooking
plate. A sheet of aluminum foil between cooking plate and the filters might help to handle the filters!
3 Waited 30 or 60 seconds - you need the temperature difference, so don't wait too long - until I separated both parts.
4 Perhaps it is necessary to repeat the procedure after waiting long enough to be sure that both parts have room temperature again.

With an INDUCTION, GAS OR RADIATIVE (glass ceramics) cooking plate a cooking pot's base can be heated up to roughly 50 degree centigrade and used instead of a plate itself!

This procedure heats up the aluminum (or brass?) part of the filter selectively and is gentle to the filter glass!

Best - Michael


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## AJ (Apr 12, 2013)

1) Find a second lens (or other cylindrical object) with equal diameter, and some tape.
2) Tape the inner filter to lens #1
3) Plase the second lens against the outer filter and tape it to the outer filter
4) Twist

The nice thing about this method is that it applies twisting forces only, and not compression


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Apr 12, 2013)

I just used my filter wrench a few days ago, I bought a 50mm f/1.8 MK I lens with a UV filter on it for $25, but the filter was stuck due to a tiny ding in the filter thread on the front of the lens. A rubber band would not do it, but I have a heavy duty filter wrench which did the job. I removed it, and used a thread straightening tool, and it was fine after that.


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## Rienzphotoz (Apr 12, 2013)

AJ said:


> 1) Find a second lens (or other cylindrical object) with equal diameter, and some tape.
> 2) Tape the inner filter to lens #1
> 3) Plase the second lens against the outer filter and tape it to the outer filter
> 4) Twist
> ...


Interesting


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## Ristobkk (Apr 13, 2013)

Thank you everybody for good advises, he's going to start with filter wrench!
Risto


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