A drop of lighter fluid freed a stuck shutter that sat for a week in my ultrasonic cleaner.

Iris Mason · 2026-03-10T08:25:03.506296+00:00

The solvent broke down old grease that the cleaner couldn't touch, so what's your go-to for that kind of gunk?

So the ultrasonic cleaner is just for show, huh? Guess it's all about the chemical backup.

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Oh man, lighter fluid is a lifesaver for that! I had the same thing with an old film advance lever, totally frozen. A tiny bit of naptha on the gears after the cleaner did nothing, and it loosened right up. For really baked-on stuff, I’ll sometimes use a drop of acetone if the plastic is safe, but you gotta be careful with that.

6

paigew356mo ago

My old Minolta needed a drop of brake cleaner on the shutter blades after the bath. That stuff cuts through the hard grease.

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