My go-to fix for sticky shutter blades on old SLRs

I used to clean them with a cotton swab and lighter fluid, but that only helped for a week or two. Last month, I switched to using a tiny drop of synthetic watch oil on the pivot points with a needle applicator. The difference is huge. The shutter on a Nikon FM I worked on has been smooth for over a month now with no return issues. The lighter fluid just dried out too fast. Has anyone else found a better long-term lube for these old metal blades?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_jennifer2mo ago

Be careful putting any oil on focal plane shutter blades, even at the pivot. The risk of migration onto the blades themselves is real and can cause way worse problems like uneven speeds or total sticking. That FM has a cloth shutter too, not metal blades, and oil can soak into that fabric. The lighter fluid trick is meant as a fast drying cleaner, not a lube. For a long term fix on those, the shutter curtain tension often needs a pro adjustment.

brookepark7d ago

Take a close look at that FM shutter curtain under a bright light. The oil will wick into the cloth faster than you think, and then you'll have a curtain that sticks open or gives you weird streaks across your negatives. I've seen three FMs come through with oil on the fabric, and every single one needed a full curtain replacement, which is a nightmare. The lighter fluid trick at least evaporates clean, so you can't do permanent damage with it. Watch oil belongs in watches, not inside a camera where gravity and capillary action will pull it right where you don't want it.

richard_shah2mo ago

What kind of synthetic watch oil did you use? I've had good luck with Moebius 8000 on a few leaf shutters, it's really thin and doesn't gum up. Just a tiny, tiny drop is key.