Rant: Stop trying to fix sticky leaf shutters with lighter fluid

I just had a Prontor-Press shutter come in that someone doused in Ronsonol. The leaves were gummed up worse than before. Lighter fluid leaves a residue that attracts dust over time and can eat at the lubricants. Has anyone else seen this from a DIY repair gone wrong?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_faith23d ago

Stick to naphtha or isopropyl alcohol for leaf shutters. Lighter fluid has additives that turn into sludge when it mixes with old grease. I've had to strip and relube three shutters this month from people trying that trick. Nail polish remover works if you get the pure acetone kind but test it on a junker first.

kellyjones23d ago

Didnt @the_faith say lighter fluid leaves a film that turns to glue over time?

daniel_martin22d agoRising Star

yeah lighter fluid is a gamble, ive been using zippo fluid for years on old stuff and never had glue problems but i only use it on simple shutters where i can flush it out good afterwards. the real trick is to follow up with a few drops of naphtha to push any leftover residue through the mechanism. for lenses or delicate leaf shutters i stick with 99% isopropyl alcohol from the pharmacy, it evaps fast and leaves nothing behind. if youre patient you can just keep flushing with alcohol and working the blades until they free up, no need for anything harsh. learned that the hard way after gumming up a compur shutter with wd40 once, never again.