Pentax 6x7 55mm: Removing a Dented Filter
Originally posted on Instagram. Notes from the repair bench, kept here as a searchable archive. View the original on Instagram
A common issue is impact damage to the front of a lens filter ring. When the filter is damaged it will be out of round and often will not unscrew from the lens. This post shows how I remove damaged filters.
This Pentax 6x7 55mm lens arrived with a severely dented filter ring and the glass already broken/removed. If the glass had not been removed, the first thing that I would do is carefully crack the glass and remove it so that the filter ring can be twisted and removed.
The first two photos show the damage to the ring. The third photo shows how I simply attach a vise grip to the ring and twist inward (counter clockwise) while pulling outward on the vise grip. On filter rings that are thick brass, it might be necessary to cut a small “v” in the ring to weaken it. In this case, the alloy ring came right off and the lens only needed some small attention with my filter ring straightening tools.
