I disagree with your method of loading the film reel. You are handling the film too much, which can damage its emulsion. Try this method: 1) Unroll the film/paper in the same way as you do at the beginning of your process. 2) When you feel the film revealing itself from the roll, go about two inches farther, then tear the paper off and get it out of the way. 3) Now, with a couple of inches of film "exposed" from beneath the paper, start its end into the reel. 4) "Walk" the film around the reel, separating the paper from the film, as you "spool" the film on to the reel. 5) When you come to the end of the film/paper, don't tear the tape off. Just take a pair of scissors and cut the film just before the tape (Or, even on the tape.) from the film strip. With this method, the film remains protected by the paper backing as you handle it while loading it on to the reel. By using scissors to cut the paper backing from the film, there is no risk of damaging the film during the hand removal of the tape, or accidentally "jerking" the film out of the tracks of the film reel, when the tape releases from the film.
Hi, thanks for watching my channel! Loading film is one of those things where if you ask 5 photographers how to do it, you'll get 7 different answers. I've found that you can handle film all you want - as long as you don't touch the emulsion side of the film and you develop it right away, you won't introduce fingerprints into your images. I was also taught not to cut 120 film, since you're introducing some potential new problems (most saliently, the film tends to slip off track if your cut isn't 90 degrees or close), but like you say, it does avoid the issues that come with trying to peel the tape. Some people actually just leave the tape on, though I would worry about it coming off during development and wreaking havoc.
