Realized I was using the wrong type of lubricant on shutter mechanisms for years

Honestly, I thought I was doing everything right with my shutter repairs. I used a standard synthetic oil on all the pivot points and called it good. But last month I was working on an old Nikon F2 from the 70s, and a customer brought in a Leica M3 they said was 'gummy.' Tbh, the Leica felt way smoother than my own work. So I decided to check online forums and found a ton of talk about using a lighter, clock-grade oil on precision shutter parts. That specific moment when I took apart an old Canon AE-1 and compared the drag with the light oil versus my usual stuff was a wake-up call. The difference in how freely the blades moved was huge. Now I use a micro syringe and a tiny drop of Nye lubricant, and my repairs feel so much better. Has anyone else had a moment where you realized a basic habit was holding back your work?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_anthony29d ago

Nah man, thicker oil keeps things dampened and quiet... that's a feature.

diana_black29d ago

Totally see the other side of that too. I actually wonder if the brand of camera or lens makes a difference in what kind of oil works best. Like, are the Japanese shutters from the 70s built with a different tolerance than a German one from the same era?

william_torres28d ago

Whoa, hard disagree with the_anthony here. Thicker oil isn't a feature, it's a bug for shutters. Those old blades need to snap open and closed fast, not be bogged down. You want the least friction possible, not a dampened feel. Making things "quiet" can actually mess with the timing of the curtain travel.