How To Remove Cross Threaded Lens Filter?

Cross threaded lens filter stuck on the lens

i cross threaded a lens filter and i can't get this damn thing off. i tried a rubber gripper and pliers and still nothing.

how can i get this off without destroying this lens?

we have a lens with a 55 mm uv-haze filter which is cross-threaded and stuck on the lens. does anyone have a suggestion for removing it without damaging either the filter or the lens?

i seem to have managed to cross a skylight filter on my lumix dcm gf1 14 - 42mm lens...

is there anything i can do?

Rubber gripper, mouse pad, jar lid remover

• put your rubber gripper on a flat surface, the filter against that and twist the lens. if you try to grip the filter by its side you will distort it and make removing it more difficult.
• you can try this. remove the lens from the camera. place the lens, filter down on a piece of hard rubber like a mouse pad or jar lid remover. holding the pad firmly, apply pressure down and rotate lens left (counter-clockwise). lens should come loose or snap into alignment.
• a bit of rubber (jar opener, bike tire, glove) are recommended here:
• when i got home i used a rubber mat for removing stuck jar lids and it worked like a champ.
• i keep one of those adustable rubber belt and handle style jar openers in my camera bag for just such an occasion. also works wonders when i overtighten my monopod to the lens collar. they come in a variety of sizes (tool dept.) or you can get them in the kitchen gadgets aisle at any number of stores. they're inexpensive and very effective.
• leather is surprisingly grippy and works great for getting stuck filters off. though if the combination of rubber and pliers didn't work, it must be really stuck.

Filter wrenches and even pressure

• try warm/cold temperature changes (several times). also there are lens filter wrenches for exactly this problem.
• order a set of filter wrench's on amazon, very cheap. i heard they didn't work but i got them and they did work. because i use step up rings sometimes the filter gets stuck on the adapter ring and the filter wrench's worked.
• a set of filter wrenches from your local camera shop should help.
• assuming its jammed on - if you dont have access to filter wrenches, you might find your local boat mechanic has an oil filter wrench thats small enough to fit, or can be packed to fit.
• its important to apply pressure evenly all round the filter to enable it to come off.
• simply holding and squeezing it jams it tightly in place.
• gentle pressure evenly applied to the ring is the best solution in either case.

Warm/cold temperature changes

• you might try placing the lens filter-side down on a freezer pack for 5-10 minutes. perhaps the filter will contract enough to make removal possible.
• try warm/cold temperature changes (several times).
• +1 on the people suggesting temperature changes. ive never cross threaded one but i have used that method in the past when i got an nd and a clear uv filter stuck together and they wouldnt come apart- im actually pretty sure the reason they got so stuck to begin with is that i put the nd on outside where it was super cold, then brought the camera back into the warmth with it on, lesson learned.
• optionally cool down only the filter with reversed "compressed air to remove dust" (propane) so it shrinks a small bit

Pliers, pipe wrench, force

• assuming you don’t care about preserving the filter since you’ve already tried pliers, stick the pliers.
• grip in one spot, twist (i’d even suggest holding the torque for a few seconds), release, move a little clockwise, repeat.
• it’ll come off
• use jar opener or (better) small pipe wrench and force...
• though if the combination of rubber and pliers didn't work, it must be really stuck.

Removing the filter glass

• if possible remove the glass of the filter.
• bend inside with pliers till it goes loose
• else
• put sticky tape on the glass so it's not flying if crushed
• good idea to remove the glass - but there is much better way to do this. glass usually is held in place by screwed in metal ring on the inner side of filter frame.
• ring usually has two notches on the opposite sides.
• you need to unscrew it.
• there are special tools for that, but thin screwdriver or knife usually works.
• put the tip of screwdriver to the notch and try to rotate the ring ccw.
• some force will be needed.

Slots, knife, punch, and other removal methods

• try sawing two narrow slots in the rim of the filter opposite each other, you should be able to do this without touching the glass.
• now put a table knife (or similar item) across the filter into the slots, you should be able to twist the filter off.
• my uv filter has two slots already cut in by the manufacturer for this very purpose.
• clamp the lens securely. hold a sharp center punch against the rim of the filter and tap with a hammer to make a good dimple.
• continue tapping while shifting direction of punch to thrust in the unscrewing direction.
• be persistent; this technique has raarely failed me.
• that happened to me and it was stuck for a long time. i finally took a very thin knife, slipped it between the lens and the filter and slowly slid the knife around the groove.
• it popped right off.

Cross-threaded or just stuck

• is it __really__ cross-threaded or just stuck?
• cross-threading is possible but difficult, as it requires force to mate the two items in the first place.
• much more likely the filter is just seized to the lens.
• you may be able to get the filter off, but depending on the amount of crossthreadiing, the filter may be worthless for future use.

Popping the filter back across the lens threads

i had a cross threaded b+w filter on my canon 28-70mm lens, which i was really quite reluctant to break. so after trying industrial levels of sheer brute force, a rubber grib and selective refrigeration and failing - i used an approach that i didn't see when trawling the internet for a possible solution.

in my case, the lens was cross threaded leaving a small gap between the filter and the lens.

i decided to try the following approach - i ran a hard tipped felt tip pen ('berol handwriting') round and round between the filter and lens with a reasonable amount of pressure until i managed to pop the filter back across the lens threads and back into line.

i was then able to twist it off as usual.

After the filter is off

• once its off it's possible to re-thread if its not too badly damaged using a new sacrificial filter which can be screwed into the damaged threads carefully, using a small amount of suitable lubricant - not oil - but something like soft pencil lead graphite which can be 'scribbled' into the threads to ease the new filter into place.
• pay attention to the angle the new filter goes in at to try to ensure its parallel.
• once you get it off the lens a simple solution would be to get a step-up ring which suits your camera and glue the damaged filter to it ... like if the camera has a 55mm thread they you would get a 55<57mm step-up.
• the rings are much cheaper than filters :-)

Preventing cross-threading

• generally you don't need to screw tight.
• also consider brass filter or at least material that does not stick together so easily.
• best option for round filter are magnetic ones.
• the easiest way i have found to prevent crossthreading is to place the filter on the front of the lens and rotate it backwards until you hear or feel a "click".
• that tells you it is properly seated.
• then just carefully rotate it on the proper direction and you should be fine.
• extreme care should be taken fitting all filters.

Do not use liquids or other tools

• other than that it's often a question of time.
• don't use any liquids or other tools.
• you'll do more harm than good.
• they will separate eventually.
• it's nerv wreckin.
• sometimess you need a lot of patience, really a lot.
• keep trying and it will pay off