Help! step-up ring hell

[Andy Tejral]

I was just playing with my wide angle adapters and managed to get one adapter ring stuck to another. I have a metal 43-52 stuck to a plastic 52-kenko adapter. It didn't seem like it was that tight but ...

Here at home, I have no tools whatsover--well, a Leatherman which can't open far enough to be useful.

First I tried hot water--no movement. Then I tried the freezer--I did manage to slice the skin off of my thumb.

Anybody got a clue what the best way to deal with this (on a Sunday) is?

Thanks,

[Andy Tejral]

Never mind. I heated it up again and kept trying it as it cooled. It just spun off like there wasn't a problem.

[Bill Davis]

Andy,

Next time try finding a couple of thin rubber bands.

They don't need to be tight around the filter rings, but even draped carefully and loosely, they'll allow your fingers to put significantly more torque in your hand twisting efforts.

Glad your thermal processed worked. But be careful. Heat and metal and glass can be a poor combination.

Take care.

[Bruce Foreman]

Keep a pair of those pads used to remove stuck jar lids handy. Most are rubber or waffled rubber with patterns that grip good. Use one on the palm of each hand and press firmly against both sides of the stuck rings. Most of the time they will come apart with little trouble.

[Andy Tejral]

I OWN two of 'em (a Speed Racer and a Pinky and the Brain) but I could only find one--(the Speed Racer one). I contemplated using a mouse pad but its a bit big for this use.

I'm thinking that any kind of oil would be a bad thing. Aside from getting on a lens, I think it would encourage MORE tightening and make it even harder to get apart.