Had a real 'oh no' moment with a Canon AE-1's shutter curtain in the shop yesterday

The curtain was sticking halfway, and I realized the old foam light seal had turned to goo and was gumming it up. What's your go-to solvent for cleaning that sticky mess without hurting the curtain material?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_susan1mo ago

I've actually had bad luck with alcohol on foam residue. It can sometimes smear the goo instead of lifting it. My shop uses a tiny bit of lighter fluid on a microfiber cloth, which dissolves the sticky stuff without leaving a stain. You have to be really careful and test a hidden spot first, but it works better for me.

susan1301mo ago

Rubbing alcohol on a q-tip works for me, just go slow. You don't want to soak the curtain material.

wells.karen1mo ago

Read a forum post once where someone swore by naptha for that exact problem, seems similar to what @the_susan said about lighter fluid. You gotta be super gentle though, that curtain material is no joke. A barely-damp cotton swab is the way to go, dab don't rub. Let it sit for a second to break down the goo before you wipe it away.