Rough focusing 9cm 1:4 Elmar

[raydm6]

Walt Kowalski:
Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone. - Gran Torino

But just not on cameras or lenses

 

[Godfrey]

In the past I used it on plain polished steel surfaces after a clean water wash thinking it would keep them from rusting. And it does keep them from rusting. BUT months later when I pull the pieces out the drawer the surfaces have a brownish gunk than is impossible to remove with anything less than Emory cloth. I also used it once on a steel removable bushing (~1/4" diameter) that rotated in a steel cylinder. Found out later that the only way to get the bushing out was by using a propane torch and hammer. I won't even buy the stuff. It was good in WWII time frame but there are way too many better products out their today. As others have said, for stuff like stiff lenses or sticky leaf shutters, lighter fluid is a good short term fix.

Lighter fluid is great for cleaning a lot of camera parts, preparing them for proper finish lubrication and assembly.

WD-40 has its uses, but they're primarily in the maintenance of much much larger scale machinery and specific circumstances for which it is designed. Cameras, clocks, watches, etc need completely different solvents and lubricants.

G