Making new shutter curtains

[colyn]

I will be ordering Aki-Asahi's shutter curtain/tape kit to replace a couple of curtains. Leica and Leotax. He lists two types of material.

Silk + Rubber + Silk type and Silk + Rubber type.

Has anybody used either and if so which do you recommend??

He recommends the Silk + Rubber + Silk type..

 

[payasam]

I thought there was a layer of rubber only on one side of the silk. When I bought curtain material from A-A he had only the one kind.

 

[colyn]

I thought there was a layer of rubber only on one side of the silk. When I bought curtain material from A-A he had only the one kind.

I've always used the rubberized silk curtains (cloth weave on one side and rubber on the other) but his looks as though it has cloth on both sides and the rubber between.

 

[wolves3012]

I've re-shuttered a FED 1 and a Zorki 3M with the silk/rubber/silk material. It's excellent and I'd recommend it without hesitation. One advantage of the double-fabric is that it doesn't have much stretch in either direction, so you don't have to worry about cutting it from the weave one-way.

 

[ZorkiKat]

Go for the Silk-rubber-silk.

That's AA's original material. It's only lately that the rubber and silk sided variant that appeared.

The S-R-S material may feel stiff but it's just what the camera needs. I've put one on a IIIF red dial which is supposed to have "light weight" curtains. They work. If they work in this Leica, they should work on just about any camera which use cloth blinds.

 

[martin_t]

Agreed. You'll achieve superb results with screwmount Leicas
using the double-silk, especially on the 25-50 IIIfs. Correct # of
turns on the curtains and your speeds should drop right in with
practically zero fade, if you've done things right.

Aki has had the single silk for a number of years. Got some of
it from him when he was still selling on eBay. I actually prefer
it (so long as you cut it in the right direction) for replacement
of 1st curtains (lath-style) on Russian cameras. If you're sewing
it though on the older style curtains, be careful not to tug the thread much.
It ripples easy.

 

[FallisPhoto]

I will be ordering Aki-Asahi's shutter curtain/tape kit to replace a couple of curtains. Leica and Leotax. He lists two types of material.

Silk + Rubber + Silk type and Silk + Rubber type.

Has anybody used either and if so which do you recommend??

He recommends the Silk + Rubber + Silk type..

The silk + rubber type is the OEM stuff (like what came in most vintage cameras). The silk + rubber + silk type is an improvement -- better than what came in the camera (kind of like Jon Goodman's light seal kits). If it will work in your cameras, get it.

 

[colyn]

The silk + rubber type is the OEM stuff (like what came in most vintage cameras). The silk + rubber + silk type is an improvement -- better than what came in the camera (kind of like Jon Goodman's light seal kits). If it will work in your cameras, get it.

I tried the silk + rubber + silk type material and found it too stiff so I had to go back to the silk + rubber type.

The camera is quieter with the silk + rubber type and I didn't have to over tension the springs..

 

[FallisPhoto]

I tried the silk + rubber + silk type material and found it too stiff so I had to go back to the silk + rubber type.

The camera is quieter with the silk + rubber type and I didn't have to over tension the springs..

Like I said, if it will work in your camera.

 

[colyn]

Like I said, if it will work in your camera.

I have a IIIc that needs new curtains. I may try the silk + rubber + silk type on it. If it doesn't work then I can go back to the silk + rubber type..

I do however like the look and feel of the silk + rubber + silk type material..

 

[FallisPhoto]

I have a IIIc that needs new curtains. I may try the silk + rubber + silk type on it. If it doesn't work then I can go back to the silk + rubber type..

I do however like the look and feel of the silk + rubber + silk type material..

It's less succeptible to pinholing too.