Just fixed a sticky shutter on a 1978 Pentax K1000 that took me two full days

Honestly, the issue was a tiny, hardened bit of old foam sealant stuck in the mirror box mechanism. I spent hours cleaning and testing before I finally spotted it with a loupe. Anyone know a good solvent for that specific type of degraded foam besides isopropyl?

3 comments

3 Comments

laura9401mo ago

My uncle had a similar problem with his old Nikon FM. He used a drop of lighter fluid on a cotton swab to soften the gunk, then carefully picked it out with tweezers. It worked, but he said the smell lingered in his workroom for a week.

davis.gavin1mo ago

My last lighter fluid project smelled like a gas station for a month.

ryan_nguyen5d ago

Yeah I used to think that was crazy but @laura940's uncle's trick actually makes sense now.