I stuffed up my Nikon Fe2. Can you help?

[iphoenix]

The rewind lever handle was loose (had no return spring) but the rewind was working. Then I tried to fix it.

When trying to screw it back I must have cross-threaded it onto the shaft and when pulling the knob up to unlock the back to test, the knob came off and the shaft fell into the body, so I can't now open the back.

Is there some way to open the back without using the rewind knob? Or must I send my beloved Fe2 to an (increasingly rare in Australia) film camera repairer?

 

[largedrink]

I googled it (as you do) and found a link that may help. According to it, you may be able to access the latch if you remove the bottom plate. Also there's another method described.

https://www.photo.net/discuss/thread...stuck.5506366/

 

[Nitroplait]

If you make a "hook" out of some metal (a strong paperclip for example) you can pull up the part which the shaft would otherwise have pulled up to open the door.
Take a look at this thread: https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/nikon-fe2-rewind-fork-problem.5527599/
(the thread is about the opposite problem of yours, but it shows the parts you should be aware of)

Look at post #2: The red arrow shows the part you should pull upward with the "hook".
Further down the same thread, I posted an illustration from the repair manual where you see an exploded view which gives an idea of how things are put together (repair manual images are from an FE but the FE2 share the same construction).

 

[flavio81]

I googled it (as you do) and found a link that may help. According to it, you may be able to access the latch if you remove the bottom plate. Also there's another method described.

https://www.photo.net/discuss/thread...stuck.5506366/

If the latch is accesible from the bottom, this is the best option. Removing the bottom is easy. Only three screws on my FE, the FE2 should be identical.

 

[iphoenix]

Thank you people. I'll give them a try and let you know of my (hopefully) success.

 

[Nitroplait]

Thank you people. I'll give them a try and let you know of my (hopefully) success.

You will be successful 🙂
A third and also easy approach would be to expose the latch by lifting the cover material as illustrated in my linked repair diagram (look out for a flying spring) and lift the latch that way.
Good luck.

 

[Rob-F]

Following up on Nitroplait suggestion, the business end of some dental picks can double as a small, strong hook.

 

[iphoenix]

Thank you Nitroplait and Rob-F.

Your advice was invaluable. I didn't have any dental picks, but I eventually remembered I still had my mom's steel tapestry hooks. A quick and easy "hoik" with one and the problem is now solved.

Thanks again to all.

 

[Nitroplait]

Thank you Nitroplait and Rob-F.

Your advice was invaluable. I didn't have any dental picks, but I eventually remembered I still had my mom's steel tapestry hooks. A quick and easy "hoik" with one and the problem is now solved.

Thanks again to all.

And thanks for following up 🙂