Can we talk about using the wrong lubricant on shutter blades?

I ruined a perfectly good Pentax K1000 last year because I grabbed the wrong oil from my bench. Cost me $85 for a replacement shutter assembly, not to mention the 4 hours I wasted trying to fix my mistake. I had used a lightweight sewing machine oil on the blades, but it gummed up after a few weeks. Learned the hard way that you need a specific dry lubricant for camera shutters, nothing with any tack to it. Has anyone else had a similar mishap with lubricants?

3 comments

3 Comments

williamhenderson17d ago

Exactly the same thing happened with my old Canon FTb. Sewing machine oil felt right in the moment but turned into sticky glue inside two weeks. Took me three tries and a full strip down to get all that residue out of the blade assembly. What finally worked was a graphite powder lubricant - just a tiny puff on the pivot points, not the blades themselves. Also learned to use a dental pick to apply it, way more control than any dropper or needle.

ward.anna17d ago

Graphite powder saved my shutter too @williamhenderson. Good advice there.

emmamason17d ago

Funny how what seems like a good idea at the time turns into a total mess - I learned that lesson with WD-40 on a stuck lens ring.