Zorki shutter tension adjustment

[limnidytis]

I recently acquired a Zorki C which generally worked but the shutters were slow and would stop after a few minutes in cold weather. I disassembled the camera and cleaned the mechanisms - there was a lot of old caked grease in the restrictor gear mechanism which I think was most of the problem. Anyway, I want to retension the curtains now, and have read through the various postings here and elsewhere about how to retension the curtains. Maybe I missed the information, but it was not clear to me what position the shutter should be in when I wind up the take up rollers - should the shutter be cocked or released? This would seem to influence the final tension when the shutter is cocked.
Thanks

 

[Penny Lane]

The curtain roller tensions are set or adjusted with the shutter released. About 4 turns on the first curtain (rear roller) and about three turns on the second (front roller) should get you in the ballpark - adjust as needed from there.

Cheers,
Derk

 

[wolves3012]

Spot-on answer from Penny Lane. If the mechanism is clean and properly lubricated you may get away with as little as 2 turns on first and 1 turn on the second roller but chances are it'll be nearer 3-4 and 2-3. If you need more than about 5 and 4 there's a problem somewhere.

 

[limnidytis]

Thanks. So when I wind up the shutter to cock it, more tension is applied, and the initial tension is the least tension applied to the curtains?
I read the Leica IIIf repair book, but it says that the initial tension is applied with the curtains in the "starting position" - but I could not discern precisely what "starting position" meant.

 

[wolves3012]

Thanks. So when I wind up the shutter to cock it, more tension is applied, and the initial tension is the least tension applied to the curtains?
I read the Leica IIIf repair book, but it says that the initial tension is applied with the curtains in the "starting position" - but I could not discern precisely what "starting position" meant.

Set the tension with the shutter uncocked, i.e. at the least-tension position. The number of turns mentioned above applies to this method. I'm not an expert on how Leica does it so I can't comment if it's the same or not.

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

I read the Leica IIIf repair book, but it says that the initial tension is applied with the curtains in the "starting position" - but I could not discern precisely what "starting position" meant.

"starting position" means in unwind position. The first curtain roller is tensioned always a little more than the second roller. You should check the 1/20 sec or 1/30 sec and the top speed 1/500 sec. If the 1/500 sec is closing without "capping" than all other speeds should be ok.

 

[limnidytis]

"starting position" means in unwind position. The first curtain roller is tensioned always a little more than the second roller. You should check the 1/20 sec or 1/30 sec and the top speed 1/500 sec. If the 1/500 sec is closing without "capping" than all other speeds should be ok.

Thanks for the info.