Working on a 1970s Nikon in a tiny Tokyo shop taught me to never force a stuck lever, but some guys still say a little pressure is fine.

I was fixing a shutter on a Nikon F2 in a cramped Tokyo repair shop last year when the advance lever jammed, and my boss made me sit for an hour with a drop of lighter fluid before it freed up, arguing that patience saves parts while other techs I know swear by a gentle nudge with a plastic tool.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_jessica2mo ago

Totally get where those other techs are coming from. Honestly used to be one of them, thinking a careful push was just part of the job. Watching that lighter fluid slowly work its way in and free up that lever without a scratch changed my whole view. The risk of a hidden crack or a bent part you can't see just isn't worth it. Now I'll always wait for the solvent to do its thing. What was the hardest lesson you had to learn with old cameras?

troysmith2mo ago

My grandpa's Leica taught me that patience is cheaper than parts, @the_jessica.

the_linda2mo ago

Oh man, that's such a good lesson to learn.