Sluggish shutter on Edixa Reflex

[Muggins]

Apologies to those who've already seen this on the Classic Camera Repair Forum...

I've just been given an early Edixa Reflex - no slow speeds, no automatic diaphragm, no self-returning mirror - which with a little cleaning will look very nice. However the shutter is sluggish on 1/50th and on 1/25 and B it doesn't travel fully across the opening.

I suspect that it will be a big job to get into it - I took the film gate off last night, and will need to dismantle the tapes and so on to get in further - but I was wondering whether anyone else had atempted this?

The internet suggests that few still work, so I might have to grin and bear it - pity, it came with lots of accessories. Exercising it does improve the shutter temporarily, but if I leave it overnight it goes back to its old ways. At the moment I think I will try to put a tiny bit of Ronsonol on each moving part I can get to, and see if that improves matters. If not... shelf queen, or Oxfam camera sale!

Adrian

 

[ZeissFan]

The fact that it loosens when you add some lighter fluid tends to suggest that it's a lubrication issue.

Adding the lighter fluid softens the grease, but when it evaporates, the grease either re-hardens or is simply dry again.

I don't know this camera, but it might be something as simple as the ends of the spindle. Or it might be more complex.

I offer this suggestion, because it's similar to what I've encountered with lens helicals and other greased parts of older cameras.

 

[Muggins]

Righty-ho, an update.

As suggested above, I've removed the film gate. I lifted the shutter curtains and/or tapes, depending on which bit I was fiddling with, with a cocktail stick and cleaned the bottom of the metal trim on the curtains with Ronsonol on a cotton bud. I also cleaned where they ran. I then dabbed the rollers that the curtains & tapes run on with a cotton bud (Q-Tip, for those across the pond) just barely moist with Ronsonol, and worked the shutter.

Result - 12 hours later, I still have a functional bulb setting, and the shutter speeds up as the indicated speeds go up. The curtain closes at all speeds. Hopefully that will keep happening, and I haven't just moved gunge elsewhere...

Adrian

 

[FallisPhoto]

Righty-ho, an update.

As suggested above, I've removed the film gate. I lifted the shutter curtains and/or tapes, depending on which bit I was fiddling with, with a cocktail stick and cleaned the bottom of the metal trim on the curtains with Ronsonol on a cotton bud. I also cleaned where they ran. I then dabbed the rollers that the curtains & tapes run on with a cotton bud (Q-Tip, for those across the pond) just barely moist with Ronsonol, and worked the shutter.

Result - 12 hours later, I still have a functional bulb setting, and the shutter speeds up as the indicated speeds go up. The curtain closes at all speeds. Hopefully that will keep happening, and I haven't just moved gunge elsewhere...

Adrian

You did pretty much what you are supposed to, except (if I were doing it that way) I'd use a LOT of lighter fluid and sop it up afterward -- to get entirely rid of the crud -- and I'd use a needle oiler with a tiny amount of Rem Oil or Nye watch oil to replace the old lube. At any rate, barring anything freakish (can't really count on a lack of weirdness with old cameras) it should keep working for a long while.