TIL a lot of folks are using the wrong grease on old film advance gears

Shane Fisher · 2026-04-02T09:05:07.990941+00:00

I keep seeing people use standard white lithium grease on the advance gears of 35mm SLRs like the Canon AE-1. That stuff is too thick and gums up after a year. You need a light synthetic grease, like Molykote EM-30L. I fixed three cameras last month that just needed a full clean and re-grease because the old stuff turned to glue. It's a small thing, but it makes the advance feel smooth and stops future problems. What's your go-to grease for clockwork parts?

the_sage6mo ago

My buddy Pat used sewing machine oil on his Pentax and it totally gummed up the slow speed escapement. He had to get it cleaned out and use the right grease anyway.

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patriciah516mo ago

Honestly, I just use a tiny bit of sewing machine oil.

3

alex3076mo ago

Feel your pain, I've had that sticky gear mess happen too. Sewing machine oil is a good quick fix but it can run off the gears. A proper light grease lasts way longer and saves the headache.

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