A shutter curtain spring sent me to the ER in Minneapolis

Last spring I took on a beat-up Canon FTb for a friend, the curtain was dragging something fierce. I figured a quick re-tension, 20 minutes tops. I got the spring loose and that thing UNCOILED like a snake, caught my thumb and sliced it clean to the bone. Blood on the bench, on the shutter, everywhere. I spent 4 hours in the ER getting 6 stitches and a tetanus shot, cost me $180 after insurance. My whole approach changed after that, I now use a proper spring winder tool and I tape over the curtain opening before I even touch the mechanism. Any other repair folks got a nasty injury story that made you switch up your process? Has anyone else dealt with a spring that got away from them?

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johnson.ryan1mo ago

Camera springs are basically loaded guns, its wild we treat them like loose change.

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