Had a stuck shutter curtain on an old Pentax K1000 that wouldn't budge

Fiona Jenkins · 2026-03-16T06:05:07.720334+00:00

I was about to order a whole new assembly when I tried a tiny drop of lighter fluid on the pivot pin. It freed up after a few gentle wiggles and has been working fine for a week now. Has anyone else had luck with that on old cloth shutters, or is it a bad idea long term?

elliot_allen655mo ago

Lighter fluid on a cloth shutter curtain makes me nervous. That stuff can leave a residue or dry out the silk threads over time. I would have tried a tiny bit of pure isopropyl alcohol first.

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haydengreen5mo ago

My buddy in Portland fixed his dad's old Canonet the same way last year. He used a single drop of Ronsonol on the metal hinge, not the cloth. That camera is still clicking along just fine on its original shutter.

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drew_west5mo ago

Yeah lighter fluid can leave a film, but a tiny drop on the metal pivot like you did is usually fine.

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