Tried cleaning a sticky shutter with a drop of lighter fluid... it worked but then the curtains turned brittle

Had an old Nikon FM with a shutter that was dragging around 1/500th. I saw an old forum tip about using a tiny bit of Ronsonol on the pivot points. Used a single drop on a needle, applied it, and the shutter snapped back to perfect timing for about a month. Then, the curtain material started to crack along the edges... it basically dried out the old rubberized coating. Learned that even if a solvent fixes the gum now, it can wreck the material later. Anyone have a better, safer fix for old cloth shutter drag that actually lasts?

2 comments

2 Comments

betty_scott1823h ago

Ever think a tiny bit of solvent was a harmless fix? I used to, until I saw a friend's camera curtains crumble just like yours. What do you do for a long term fix instead?

ray_webb620h ago

What kind of camera was your friend using? Solvent damage seems to hit older rubberized parts the worst. A proper fix usually means finding replacement parts from a donor body or a specialist repair shop. It's a pain, but it's the only way to make it last.