Just realized how much gunk builds up inside a shutter assembly over 5 years

I finally got around to pulling apart a Canon AE-1 that had been sitting on my workbench for months. The owner said the shutter speeds were off and it felt sticky. When I opened up the shutter assembly, I was shocked at how much dried lubricant and dust had caked up on the blades. It was like a thin layer of crust all over the place. I spent about 3 hours carefully cleaning each piece with isopropyl alcohol and a soft brush. After I put it back together and tested it, the difference was night and day. The 1/1000 speed actually sounded crisp again instead of dragging. Has anyone else dealt with old lubricant turning into a sticky mess on older shutters, or is it just this model?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_wren10d ago

Consider testing the foam light seals too because they rot into a goo that coats everything.

tyler_hernandez10d ago

It's like everything old gets gummed up eventually, even us.