Copal 0 shutter problem

[kcc008]

I got started in LF a few months ago, purchasing a Nikkor-W 150/5.6 lens in a copal shutter (the shutter says "Copal, for Wista No 0). I have been using the lens and noticed some odd exposures, but chalked it up to my carelessness calculating exposures.

Today I was looking at the lens and noticed that as I adjust aperture, it never changes from wide open.

There is a part on the rear or the shutter that I suspect may be part of the problem. It is an L shaped metal piece with a rivet in the center allowing it to swing back and forth. When the shutter is open for focusing this piece is held tightly in place, when the shutter is closed the piece swings around freely.

I assume the aperture blades are in the shutter and separate from the shutter blades. Is this correct? Any suggestions as to what might be wrong and if this is something I can fix? I appreciate any help.

Edit:
After playing with the shutter some more I noticed that if I fire the shutter repeatedly the aperture blades slowly slide into place. The L shaped piece does control the aperture and the spring that is supposed to pull the aperture in place is there and functioning. It looks like the blades get stuck in the body of the shutter and even when they are out they move slowly. Any suggestions?

 

[23mjm]

There are a plethora of good lens/shutter repair places all over the USA find one and let them do their magic!!! I have used lenses with shutters for years and they do take a little maintenance from time to time. I use a local guy who has fixed my shutters form time to time. I shouldn't be that big a deal to fix. The aperture uses different blades that the shutter.

 

[John Koehrer]

kcc008,
You are the victim of old lube.
Lubricant will migrate into the the channel where the blade operating ring lives.
If you want to try cleaning it yourself it's not difficult to flush clean it,
First thing you do is remove both front & rear groups. Stop the aperture down and apply a TINY drop of lighter fluid like Ronsonol to the blades. Begin working the shutter and using something like lens tissue that doesn't shed lint just use a corner to absorb the liquid that works it's way out of the blades. Don't apply pressure to the blades. It will take a while of application and removal of the fluid but it does work.

 

[BrianShaw]

From your desciption it is your shutter blades, not the aperture blades, that are sticking. You can try to clean it up yourself but probably won't have much success if you don't disassemble the shutter to some degree or another. My suggestion is that you heed 23mjm's advise and send it out for a complete professional cleaning. It will reward you with a decade of decent performance. The home-brew cleaning may or may not reward you with as much reliability.