Struggled with a sticky shutter on a Pentax K1000 for way too long

Everyone says it's a simple fix, but the second curtain brake pad had completely disintegrated and left gunk everywhere. It took me almost four hours just to clean the tracks and source a new pad from an old parts camera. Has anyone else found a better way to deal with that specific gunk issue?

3 comments

3 Comments

grace_stone23d ago

That old brake pad goo is the worst. I use a tiny bit of lighter fluid on a cotton swab to soften it up before scraping.

grace_chen23d agoMost Upvoted

Actually, that sounds like a great way to start a small fire or ruin the rotor surface. Using lighter fluid near brake parts is asking for trouble, even a tiny bit. The residue can compromise the new pad's grip. A proper brake cleaner spray is made for this exact job and evaporates clean. Sorry @grace_stone, but that method seems like a shortcut with real downsides. Just scraping the old stuff off dry is safer and more reliable in the long run.

matthew70323d ago

My buddy's garage reeked for days after trying that.