How to remove the broken UV filter ?

My camera have fallen into the ground unfortunately. The camera fallen with the lens in front which resulted a broken UV filter. The filter completely stucked on the lens. A terrible situation. I wasn’t sure if the lens front element broke or not at the beginning I thought the lens is broken and I almost threw it off. It happened when I arrived home, it was dark and I pulled something out from the car which pulled the camera off as well. Fortunately I realized that only the filter broken, perhaps the lens is ok behind.

Things to learn

1. In dark need to think about where the camera is.
2. A filter can save your lens. There is a never ending debate about UV filters needed or not. I bought this lens with the UV filter. Otherwise mostly I use polarizer on this lens. The cheap filter can ruin your picture quality. BUT, can save your lens, and if for some reason you want to sell it, it will be cleaner behind. So my vote goes to have a filter on the lens constantly. If you before your best shot ever can easily remove it and put it back if you like to. It is the second time that my plastic lens was saved by a filter, first time the metal B+W polarizer does the job when I fell off the bicycle.
3. Other very good equipment is the lens hood which is even more effective to protect the lens. Now I keep the lens hood on a lens all the time.
4. Straps also helps when you hold the lens.

The method of removing the broken stucked filter

The method I used that I get a pliers, and cut the metal ring of the filter, crosswards. Take care not to cut your lens. At the side of the lens I check where the filter is and try to cut across. I try to hold the lens downwards this way the small glass pieces fallen out of the ring without scratching the front element.

I started the cutting at the place where the ring distorted after go all the way around until all the glass pieces fell off, than I pulled the ring out with the pliers. I haven’t cutted totally the metal ring, but cut so deeply to cut the glass an extent which helps the glass to fell out. Otherwise I think the glass is glued to the ring. Even the thread is usable on a plastic lens after this ‘operation’ !

the Hoya HMC after removal