Bessaflex - Film rewind button stuck

[thmk]

Hello,
the film rewind button on my Bessaflex suddenly got stuck. I read somewhere to wiggle the takeup spool but nothing moved. Now I cannot forward the film anymore (lever is stuck) and the self-timer is loose.

Do you have any hint on how to release the film rewind button again?

 

[monopix]

Sounds like the problem has gone beyond just the rewind button. If the advance lever is stuck then the lock is still set. That normally gets released after the shutter completes its cycle. So the shutter may not have fully closed and hasn't released the lock.

The wind lock is under the base plate on Bessa rangefinders so I assume is the same on the Bessaflex. If you remove the base plate you may be able to manually release the wind lock and recock the camera. Sometimes that's all that's necessary to get things working again.

 

[thmk]

I could remove the base plate and release the rewind button. The shutter seems to be completely cocked. But the self-timer lever is loose (maybe the self-timer is cocked) and pressing the shutter button does nothing. So there seems to be something more locked further inside the camera. But to find the problem and fix it is way beyond my technical abilities I assume. So I will probably need to look for a mechanic in my area.

 

[monopix]

Yes, the self timer is probably cocked. The self timer lever just pushes the self timer mechanism around but isn't really attached to it so will probably be loose if the the timer is set. Does it look like the attached picture under the base plate? This is a CT-1 which is the chassis the Bessaflex is based on. If it's the same, move the small lever as I'm doing in the picture. That will release the wind lock then you can try cocking the camera again.

 

[thmk]

Many thanks for the hints. There was a similar lever but it did not fire the self-timer. I do not know how it happened, but in the end the mirror was somehow locked and when trying to remove the lens (Zeiss Jena Tessar 2.8/50) a corner of the mirror broke. Looking at current Bessaflex offers and the costs for a repair this is now probably a nearly new paperweight :-(

 

[monopix]

Bummer. I can probably fix it for you if you want to send it to the UK or, I might be interested in buying it. Send me a message if you want to discuss.