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Sticky shutter blades on a Canon AE-1 in Spokane last weekend

Had a customer bring in a Canon AE-1 that was totally locked up in Spokane last Saturday. I was about to tear the whole mirror box apart when an old timer I know from the camera club said 'just clean the shutter blades with lighter fluid first, that's always it.' I thought he was nuts but I tried it and sure enough, it freed right up after three swipes. Has anyone else had that one simple fix save them hours of work?
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3 Comments
bennett.vera
Lighter fluid for the win every time, never fails on those old shutters.
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felix_williams71
Yeah I actually read a repair guide online that mentioned lighter fluid for sticky blades, always figured it was one of those old wives tales people swear by. Never tried it myself since I mostly shoot digital now but good to know it actually works on those old AE1s. Always better to try the quick fix first before gutting the whole thing.
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skylerrobinson
Honestly, lighter fluid's just gonna gum things up worse over time.
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