TIL that my repair bench mentor was right about cleaning the lens barrel FIRST

Viola Gibson · 2026-09-24T19:10:03.002459+00:00

So I've been fixing cameras out of my garage in Sacramento for about 4 years now, mostly older film bodies and the occasional digital point and shoot. A couple months back an old repair guy named Hank who used to work at a shop downtown watched me tear down a sticky Canonet QL17. I went straight for the shutter and aperture blades, like I always do. He kinda laughed and said, "you're cleaning the wrong end, kid." I didn't get it at the time. He explained that most of the gunk and haze I was fighting actually came from oil and dust migrating off the lens barrel and inner elements, and if I cleaned from the front back instead of back to front I'd save myself hours. I tried it on the next 3 cameras and honestly the shutter stayed clean way longer. Now I start every teardown at the front element and work my way in. Curious if anyone else here flips their cleaning order depending on the camera, or do you just go by feel each time?

Vivisector

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TIL that my repair bench mentor was right about cleaning the lens barrel FIRST | Camera Repairers - Vivisector