Watched an old timer in Toronto fix a sticky shutter with just a toothpick yesterday

I was dropping off a lens at this shop on Queen West and this guy maybe 70 years old comes in with a beat up Hasselblad. The shutter was hanging up at slow speeds. He pulls out a whittled down toothpick and a tiny drop of lighter fluid. 10 minutes later it was working again. Made me think about how much I rely on ultrasonic cleaners and specialty tools now. Has anyone else picked up weird old school tricks like that from the older guys?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_margaret5d ago

That specific trick with lighter fluid is actually something older machinists used on stuck clock movements. The fluid evaporates clean and leaves no residue, which is the whole point. I had a retired camera tech tell me once that modern lubricants attract dust and grit over time, but a quick burn with a tiny bit of naphtha clears it without gunking up the blades. He also swore by using a piece of dental floss to clean shutter leaf gaps, says it's gentler than any brass brush on the market.

alice3365d ago

Guess I had a similar moment when a guy at the local camera swap showed me how to fix a stuck focus ring with just a drop of sewing machine oil. He said the fancy stuff dries out too fast and gums things up over time. I still use those old tricks more than I'll admit, especially on gear that doesn't need a full strip-down. Lighter fluid and dental floss sound wild but honestly they work perfectly on those small parts.

rose_cooper5d ago

@the_margaret is dead right about naphtha not leaving residue behind. That lighter fluid trick is honestly one of the most sensible things I've picked up from the old timers. They knew that most modern spray lubes just attract crap over time and make things worse. A toothpick and some good old fashioned naphtha beats ultrasonic cleaning on delicate shutters any day of the week. I've started keeping a whittled toothpick and a tiny bottle of fluid in my bag for quick fixes. It's amazing how much these simple methods still work better than all the fancy gear we rely on now.