Can I lubricate a Rolleicord V shutter myself?

dxqcanada · Jan 31, 2025

Andreas Thaler said:
Why is it so complicated that everyone advises against doing it yourself? Who can explain the process?

I guess you have never done this before ... it takes knowledge and experience to service ... the Nat Cam course available on the Learn Camera Repair website.

retina_restoration · Jan 31, 2025

dpurdy said:
Yes that is clearly the consensus, and I am convinced. I have taken the front off both my 2.8F and FX to clean the lenses and that was pretty easy/ zen and the art of camera maintenance. So I thought perhaps if I took the front off the Rolleicord I could find a spot that a drop of 3 in 1 or a bit of lighter fluid would fix it at least temporarily. But apparently that is not an option, there is no spot to lube. However that was the reason for my posting the question.

I've serviced a lot of those Synchro Compeer shutters, and as the photo Dan provided illustrates, it's not a simple task. There are dozens of opportunities to get it wrong if you aren't very familiar with the shutter construction and reassembly procedure. Sure, squirting a bit of naphtha into the mechanism will free it up for a week, or a month, but it's not the same as a proper disassembly and cleaning/lubrication. Leave it to someone who knows how.

OAPOli · Jan 31, 2025

If you would plan to use it, you could try to clean the slow speed escapement (not a in-situ flush). The hardest part is removing the knob on the shutter release lever, which is needed to remove the front panel. But the higher speed likely wouldn't be within spec; that requires a complete teardown.

Romanko · Jan 31, 2025

dpurdy said:
First though I think I am going to warm it up again, so the one second doesn't take 2 seconds, and then just operate it over and over for a half hour or so and see if it sorts itself out.

If the shutter blades get oil on their surfaces as the result of warming up the shutter you run the risk of damaging them. Basically, you have three options: (1) sell the camera; (2) have the camera professionally serviced and keep it; and (3) keep it as a collector item.

Andreas Thaler · Feb 1, 2025

dxqcanada said:
I guess you have never done this before ... it takes knowledge and experience to service ... the Nat Cam course available on the Learn Camera Repair website.

That's right, and that's why I asked the question to find out. Also for all other readers who are interested in the topic but have no further knowledge.

But there are now more detailed information and explanations in the thread.

dxqcanada · Feb 1, 2025

Andreas Thaler said:
That's right, and that's why I asked the question to find out. Also for all other readers who are interested in the topic but have no further knowledge.

But there are now more detailed information and explanations in the thread.

Long time ago I used to just wash out a shutter to get it "working" better. When the National Camera Course material became available I went though the courses. What is really helpful about the course is that it describes what the parts do and how they are supposed to interact. Since then I have taken apart and restored many leaf shutters properly, as Dan illustrated.

Andreas Thaler · Feb 1, 2025

dxqcanada said:
Long time ago I used to just wash out a shutter to get it "working" better. When the National Camera Course material became available I went though the courses. What is really helpful about the course is that it describes what the parts do and how they are supposed to interact. Since then I have taken apart and restored many leaf shutters properly, as Dan illustrated.

If only this were available for the newer electromechanical cameras.

But here the SPT Journals and the C & C Troubleshooting Guides can help if you are lucky enough to find them.

The Camera Craftsman was released from the 1950s until 1980, then there was a successor, which was however significantly downgraded.

Without the brilliant technical articles and repair instructions from Larry Lyells - who apparently wrote them all, in these media and under his own name - we would have been lost.

dxqcanada · Feb 1, 2025

Larry Lyells was a Nat Cam course instructor and contributor to the material. The LCR website does not have all 30 lessons posted yet ... the ones that you would be most interested in cover newer electro cameras but they aren't there yet.

Andreas Thaler · Feb 1, 2025

dxqcanada said:
The LCR website does not have all 30 lessons posted yet ... the ones that you would be most interested in cover newer electro cameras but they aren't there yet.

I know, but I still hope …

Can I lubricate a Rolleicord V shutter myself?

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