Iskra winding problem

[iliks]

Hello. I've just bought an Iskra, loaded film in it and already have problems. I've made two shots, winding was ok as everything else. However, now I want to make another shot, but the winding wheel is blocked! (note: winding wheel, not shutter release button!)
My Iskra is not modified (no red hole). What should I do to unblock it?

 

[iliks]

It seems I've solved the situation. I released the shutter by lever near the lens. After that, the film started to wind correctly.
This is a solution, but I still don't know the cause... So feel free to post your thoughts on the possible cause of it.

 

[jano]

Errr.. you wind until it stops.. then release the shutter.. then you can wind again, release the shutter, etc etc. You may need to push the shutter down kind of in a double-fasion (pu-push), there are two levels.

Hopefully I'm reading what you wrote correctly...

 

[iliks]

In case something is non-obvious in my original post, here I give complete breakdown of what I did:
1. Load the film.
2. Cock the shutter
3. Wind the film
4. Release (first shot taken)
5. Cock the shutter
6. Wind the film
7. Release (second shot taken)
8. Cock the shutter
7. PROBLEM. Film couldn't be wound - the winding wheel does not rotate.

 

[jano]

When you release the shutter, make sure you press the shutter-release down well, and do it twice. FWIW, I typically wind the film first, then cock the shutter before I take a shot. If the second press on the shutter release doesn't help, then the problem may be that the shutter release ain't releasing the winding mech properly? *shrug* I'm not a repair person

Good luck!

 

[Buze]

One of my Iskra does that sometime, the shutter release doesn't unlock the winder after the shot is taken.
To "unlock" it I need to (read carefully, it's a ninja move 😀)
+ Press the shutter completely with one finger
+ Gently turn the winder a tiny fraction
+ release the shutter and continue winding in one motion

Doesn't happend to all shots. Iskras film advance is notoriously difficult, and almost impossible to fix. Strangely enough, my "user" (cosmeticaly) works perfectly!

 

[iliks]

Buze, jano,
thanks for your advice & participation!

By the way, the original Iskra manual explicitly recommends the following shooting procedure:
1. set the speed & aperture
2. cock the shutter
3. focus
4. advance the film
5. release the shutter

How do you think, should these guidlines be followed strictly? (i.e. if there's some mechanical subtlety requiring exactly this order of actions)

 

[Buze]

No, no subtlety, it's just that with any 6x6 or 6x9 folder it's best to wind at the last moment to make sure the film is very firmly tensed on the frame.
I never do it tho, I focus & shoot last, after I wind the film.

Another "trick" is to unfold the camera slowly, to prevent the air intake of the bellow to "suck" the film of the pressure plate.

Oh also, make sure the two springs that press on the film spool are nicely doing so, these are important in making the film flat...