Abstract: A spool (10) for a strip (24) of web material such as a photographic film strip of the type having a lead end (26), the spool including a core (12) to which the lead end is attached, a pair of radially extended end flanges (18) at respective opposite ends of the core and a pair of circumferentially and axially extended shoulders (16) between the end flanges and the core for supporting at least a portion of the longitudinally extending edges of the lead end. Each of the shoulders has an axially extended frusto-conical portion adjacent to and extended from the end flange to the core for supporting one of the edges of the lead end; the axial length (1.sub.3) and cone angle (.phi.) of each frusto-conical portion being sufficient for winding the lead end about the frusto-conical portions and for permitting the first convolution of the film strip to bow inwardly toward the core, thereby radially spacing the second convolution from the first convolution and a strip of tape (22) attaching the lead end to the core.