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Yikes, cheap lubricant almost killed my shutter assembly
I was working on a Nikon FE last week and used some random 3-in-1 oil on the shutter mechanism because I was in a hurry. After 2 days the oil had gummed up and the shutter started sticking at 1/1000. I had to completely disassemble it again and clean everything with lighter fluid. Switched to a proper camera oil from Micro-Tools and it's been smooth as butter. Anyone else have a bad experience using the wrong lube?
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martinez.anna28d ago
Read somewhere that clock oil works good for camera stuff too, but I've never tried it. That 3-in-1 stuff is definitely a mistake, I've seen repair guides say it turns into glue over time. Your fix with lighter fluid was smart, that's what I use to clean old grease off before putting proper lubricant on.
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daniel55228d ago
...and that's exactly the kind of lesson that sticks with you, right? I've noticed it's the same pattern with a lot of things, not just cameras. People grab the cheapest or most convenient option and then wonder why it fails. @martinez.anna mentioned clock oil, and in my experience, that can be okay for some things but it's still a gamble. The real trick is that proper lubricant for a specific job is usually made for that job, not a "one size fits all" fix. I've seen guys try to use WD-40 on everything from sticky locks to squeaky hinges, and it just makes a mess later. Your fix with lighter fluid was solid, that's the tried and true way to clean up a mistake like that.
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