Found a 1980s repair manual that changed how I clean lenses

Was going through a box of old stuff from a retired repair guy in Chicago last month. Found a Nikon F3 service manual from 1982 with handwritten notes in the margins. One note said to use a tiny dab of isopropyl alcohol on a Q-tip for oily aperture blades instead of the usual lighter fluid. I tried it on a stubborn Pentax lens that had that slow sticky aperture issue. Cleaned right up in about 10 minutes with no residue. Has anyone else come across old repair manuals with tricks that beat the modern methods?

3 comments

3 Comments

chen.adam13d ago

Get where you're coming from with the streaks. I had the same worry when I first tried it, so I only damp the Q-tip and then roll it on a paper towel first to get most of the liquid off. That way it's barely wet when it touches the blades. The old repair guy's notes actually said "barely moist" in all caps with an underline, so he probably had the same issue with too much.

jessica_robinson2313d ago

I gotta push back a little on the isopropyl thing. I've had it leave weird streaks on glass elements if you use even a tiny bit too much, especially on older coatings. Lighter fluid evaporates way faster and doesn't risk seeping into the barrel. I'd stick with the naphtha for aperture blades and save the alcohol for just the glass.

ryan36913d ago

Totally agree with you @jessica_robinson23, it's the same reason I use lighter fluid on sticky zippers and old paint can lids it just gets in and out without leaving residue. Naphtha really is the magic bullet for anything moving.