Kiev-2A - got suddenly stiff!!

[darkkavenger]

Peter, thank you! I love my Kiev-2A, it feels so solid! By theway, I figured out that my "parts" Kiev-4A seems to be working perfectly and that its "problem" was one missing screw on the speed selector. I will try to scavenge one screw somewhere and fix it. 😀 this had to be a bargain !! 😉

 

[rolleistef]

Phsysiognominy, I think you can repair your stuck shutter. I got a Kiev for parts, on which the shutter was stuck as well, and playing with it, I found out that it could be unstuck very easily.
Take the shutter apart (you can keep the flash synch on), and there, here's what you'll see :
the biiiig wheel that drives the upper curtain drum, and on its axis, a kind of mecanism with other wheels.
Now, take this mecanism UP with your finger, and with tht other hand, slowly drive the second curtain down. I'll later post a sketch if you need to, yesterday night I leanrt by heart how it works, now if you take a couple of French courses I can explain you 🙂

 

[physiognomy]

Phsysiognominy

🙂 that is the best spelling variant I have seen!!! I'm not making fun, it just reminds me of a scientific 'journal club' I go to... the first meeting I presented at we spent 15mins laughing over everyone's pronunciation of the word... From then on I referred to my studies as 'botanical'. I work on the relationships between the structure of a plants leaf and it's local environment.... My name is Peter by the way.

I think you can repair your stuck shutter...Take the shutter apart (you can keep the flash synch on), and there, here's what you'll see : the biiiig wheel that drives the upper curtain drum, and on its axis, a kind of mecanism with other wheels. Now, take this mecanism UP with your finger, and with tht other hand, slowly drive the second curtain down. I'll later post a sketch if you need to, yesterday night I leanrt by heart how it works, now if you take a couple of French courses I can explain you 🙂

Thank you for the advice. Looking at the 6th photo on Russ' page (click) I'm assuming you mean the larger cog to the right of the shutter curtains? When I have the camera I will see if this works. I'm a little hesitant to actually touch the shutter, but will do so carefully if it looks necessary. I'm looking forward to trying to fix my kiev because I have never had the courage to do any serious 'surgery' myself. Since there is such a great resource out there I have no reason not to give it a go!

Thanks again!

Peter

ps My French is almost non-existant... Although I have two friends who are fluent. Such a beautiful language!

 

[rolleistef]

Hi,
sorry mispelled your name -it's one of my favourite word btw, with pentacloid and pendulum.
I posted a photo of a kiev shutter in my gallery. You won't actually see that when your shutter is taken apart, as there's normally that big black metal part on it.
There are some figures on the photo.
What you'd need to do (if the prob is the same) is lifting part n°3 and turning the "larger cog" n°2 or the curtain drum n°1.
As the cocking mecanism needs to rotate freely, the speed selector may not be attached at that moment. You can screw it back once it works but not before 🙂
good nite, and good luck
stef

 

[Xmas]

Max

A tight spot in focus can be due to the light shield (paper) behind the rangefinder moving parts coming adrift and fouling the moving parts. This can also cause a light leak.

The cam wheel (which drives the rangefinder mechanism and the 2nd finger wheel can also foul things, for similar symptoms.

To fix some of these you only need remove the top plate.

If the little screw which attaches the 2nd finger wheel is lose you only need to remove the front plate, and tighten the screw. This needs the leather above the self timer to be unstuck carefully and might damage it. The 2nd finger wheel is unlikely to cause a jam like you describe, most are not tight, and produce no problems, they need nail paint/gloss on the screw head to secure.

It is hard taking your toy apart for the first time.

Noel

P.S. Parts cameras sometimes make real good shoot tools... there is parts cameras GAS, it it slower in symptome as you can only justify another one when you fix the all others and you still need a part.
P.P.S. On my Kievs you needed to remove the shutter before removing the heliciod, but you should not need to remove the heliciod.

 

[physiognomy]

... there is parts cameras GAS, it it slower in symptome as you can only justify another one when you fix the all others and you still need a part.

Noel, I think I know what you are talking about, but it seems that you may have understated the symptoms a little... I'm now preparing to buy another parts camera to fix my original 'parts' camera!

Does anyone know whether Oleg is the only source of Kiev/Contax shutter ribbon material? Maybe I should start another thread for this new adventure of mine....

How is your 2a Max? Any news?

Regards,

Peter

 

[w3rk5]

Does anyone know whether Oleg is the only source of Kiev/Contax shutter ribbon material?

Hi Peter. I got some from AlexPhoto at *bay.

 

[physiognomy]

Hi Peter. I got some from AlexPhoto at *bay.

Thanks! I'll take a look... I'm hoping I can find some other option besides waiting 2 or 3 weeks & paying shipping from the Ukraine. Now if I could only justify it with another purchase... I do need a parts Kiev 4 hmmmm...

Thanks again!

Peter

 

[Xmas]

Max
Sorry forgot any debris on the range finder wheels can cause tight spots, you still need top cover off to remove.

Physio...
The most likely shutter jam is the bushes of the two small escapments cogs, a fine paint brush, kids water colour set style- steal from, and Zippo fluid will normally clear. The brush only needs to be damp not a big drip dangling. A drop of PTFE liquid from Tandy/Radio Shack/gun shop on end of cocktail stick probe, will help any remaining FSU glue/wax/grease, if you are cautious.

The shutter animates almost all the cogs when it fires, so any wax can stop it. Life is too short to strip a Kiev shutter..., fine brush + zippo over all the cog bushes and PTFE is lazy way.

Stephane has probably said this in French, but my French is limited to ordering a Pastis or Citron Presse.
Noel

 

[rolleistef]

That's very good Noel, though I would advise you citrons pressés every two or three pastis...
Yes the two brushes of the escapement cogs are very important.
Briefly, when you set the shutter between 1/1250 and 1/125, the shutter curtains travel freely, driven by the spring inside the lower curtain drum. The only thing that changes, is the width of the shutter opening. When you set a slower speed, a couple of the things will happen.
At 1/50th and 1/25th, the big cog will be slowed down by a kind of "gearbox" and an escapement mechanism. Again, what varies between the two speed is the inter-curtain width.

At 1/10th and 1/5th, the same mecanism acts, but an other gear ratio is selected, with a smaller cog connected to the escapement mechanism : the curtains will be traveling slower.

To conclude, at 1/2th and B, the gear ratio is kept, but an extra escapement cog (the black one) is used, making the curtain travel even slower.
But how the B speed works, this I have not found out yet. I may post a video on my blog or on youtube.