Stuck on a stuck shutter curtain on a Pentax K1000, I gently used a hairdryer on low heat for 30 seconds to soften the old lube.

Some folks say any heat near the curtain is a huge risk, but it worked perfectly for me, so what's your go-to method for a sluggish cloth focal-plane shutter?

4 comments

4 Comments

derek_ross2mo ago

Honestly, that hairdryer trick is brave. My old Spotmatic had a shutter that would stick in the cold. Ended up just working the advance lever back and forth like a hundred times in a warm room, felt like a total arm workout. The old grease just needed to get moving again. Never had the guts to add heat directly, too scared of warping something.

piper_garcia232mo ago

Oh, I get that fear completely. I used a hair dryer on an old Minolta once, but only on the lowest setting and from a good foot away. You're right to be careful, it's all about gentle warmth, not direct heat. That advance lever workout is the safer bet for sure.

kai_foster2mo ago

Has anyone ever tried the advance lever method and just ended up with a sore arm and a still-broken camera? I did that with an old Canon last winter, felt like I was training for some weird camera Olympics. Piper_garcia23 has the right idea with the distant hair dryer, that seems like the smart middle ground. I'm too clumsy for heat, I'd probably melt a viewfinder.

ben_fisher22d ago

Totally feel you on that. I've been there with an old Ricoh, just working that lever like it owed me money. It's tedious but beats risking a melted viewfinder or something.