I finally got a look inside that old Kodak Retina IIc from the estate sale

Last Thursday, a lady brought in this camera she found in her dad's attic. It was gummed up solid, wouldn't advance the film. I spent a good two hours just getting the top plate off without stripping the tiny screws. The real kicker was the slow speed escapement... the grease had turned into this hard, waxy gunk. I had to soak the whole gear train in lighter fluid for a day to loosen it up. Cleaning each tiny tooth with a toothpick took forever. But when I got it all back together and heard that smooth, quiet shutter click at 1/15th... man, that felt good. Anyone have a better solvent for that old Kodak grease? I'm worried the lighter fluid might dry out the leather over time.

3 comments

3 Comments

margaretc425d ago

Wait, did the shutter sound perfect after?

luna2615d ago

Sounded like a dream honestly. Made me want to go shoot film again lol.

thea_bell5d ago

Funny how a specific sound can pull you right back. That perfect mechanical click from a film camera feels so different from the quiet digital ones now. It's like the difference between a solid door closing and a soft tap on a screen.