Tried two different ways to clean a sticky shutter on an old Canon AE-1

Last week I had this AE-1 with the classic slow shutter. First, I tried the old 'lighter fluid on a q-tip' trick I've used for years. It worked for about a day, then the problem came back. So I bit the bullet, took the whole top plate off, and gave the shutter mechanism a proper clean with proper watchmaker's oil and a tiny brush. That took an extra hour, but the shutter's been firing perfectly for a week now. The quick fix is just that, quick, but it never lasts. Anyone else find that taking the extra time for a full clean saves you a callback later?

2 comments

2 Comments

tara1514d ago

You're totally right about the quick fixes. I had the same thing happen with a Pentax K1000 last month. A drop of isopropyl alcohol got it working for a shoot, but it gummed up again by the weekend. Finally sat down with some proper lubricant and cleaned the whole gear train. It's a pain, but that camera is still smooth now. Half measures just don't cut it with old grease.

wesleyburns14d ago

Yeah, I learned that the hard way with an old Nikon. Tried the quick fix with lighter fluid once and it just made things worse. Had to fully strip and re-grease the advance mechanism to get it right.