Zorki 1 (2, S, 2S etc) top cover removal

[santino]

Hi all!

Do you know any special tricks how to unscrew those tiny stupid RF windows? Some examples have loose windows, some are stiff like hell. I don't want to ruin them so any help is much appreciated 🙂 thanks :bang:

 

[wolves3012]

You need a proper spanner, ideally. It looks like a flat bar with a narrow slit along it and a hole at one end. It slips over the bezel and then clamps tight. Failing that there are a couple of other tricks people use. Jay (ZorkiKat) uses a rubber mat to press down on them and some people use needle-nose pliers with heat-shrink tubing over the jaws.

They can be stubborn! As a very LAST resort you could also play a precision butane blowtorch on the top case around the bezel. Keep it moving and don't get it too hot though. That would expand the metal enough to loosen it slightly but be very cautious!

 

[Blank288]

I always (very carefully) use a sheet of rubber (piece of an inner bicycle tyre) and an oversized socket wrench.

 

[santino]

thanks a lot! got to give it a try 🙂

 

[santino]

Since I don't have a proper spanner I tried all stuff you guys suggested, unfortunately nothing worked 🙁

It's stiff and my fingers are already wounded.

 

[Ulrich Witte]

Since I don't have a proper spanner I tried all stuff you guys suggested, unfortunately nothing worked 🙁
It's stiff and my fingers are already wounded.

:-D
Do you mean the front windows or the back windows? The back ones can sit very very tight, I know that and have ruined a couple of it... The hard method is to use a little screwdriver and a small hammer ;-) If that works and you have ruined them I can look if I have some windows left from a broken Zorki that I can send you.

Ulrich

 

[wolves3012]

Since I don't have a proper spanner I tried all stuff you guys suggested, unfortunately nothing worked 🙁

It's stiff and my fingers are already wounded.

Your fingers will not give enough torque, that's for sure. You can use some large-ish pliers, the sort with the kind of egg-shaped hole in the jaws. Get a rubber strip around the window. This will still quite probably mark them and you need to be seriously careful not to pinch your fingers if/when the pliers slip! Drastic measures but if you really do have to strip it...If they start to loosen you should try moving them back and forth a bit and only use pliers for the initial fraction.