Warning: that freezer trick for stiff focus rings actually works
Had a Nikon 50mm f1.4 come in with a focus ring so stiff it was basically glued. Tried the usual, lighter fluid, heat gun at low setting, nothing. Out of ideas I put the lens in a ziplock bag and left it in the freezer for 20 minutes. Took it out, worked the ring back and forth slow, and the old grease finally broke loose. Anyone else use cold instead of heat for old helicoid grease, or am I just lucky it didn't crack the element?