Ektar 127mm Lens/Shutter Issue

So my Graflex Speed Graphic has been sitting for a while, and I decided to take it out for a on location shoot. It was colder outside that morning, but not so cold I would think to be an issue. Anyway I have 11 film holders with me to shoot around 20 or so sheets of film. I got off a few shots, and then noticed the issue with the lens during use. The shutter cocking lever would not cock the shutter by moving it down and setting it for use. It refused to move, not allow me to cock the thing. I had to jimmy around with the aperture open closer control, and this at times would allow me to finally cock the lever. I was then able to get my next shot off. I had to repeat this process for each following shot. Otherwise the darn thing wouldn't move the lever and cock. When I got the camera home in a warmer house, it was still stuck, so I did the procedure again and it cocked. After that I tried again and had no issues. Is this a cold weather issue or is there an actual problem with my lever? I wonder if I should get a CLA on it to keep using it or just don't use it in cold weather?

Have the shutter overhauled. It’s already at the stage where your likely to force it and break it.

That shutter needs servicing!

So to be clear, it is not a lens issue, it's a shutter issue. It's in need of a CLA.

What happened to you is sorta supposed to happen when we don't use these old cameras regularly, or at least exercise their shutters. It's a Graflex, they're just about indestructible. Give the shutter a few squirts of lighter fluid, work the heck out of the shutter lever, you'll probably see it start to work properly.

At the most, you may have to unscrew an element (the rear is normally very easy to remove) and swab the shutter blades w/ a q-tip soaked in lighter fluid. You don't need much, and it evaporates quickly. I've had to do this sort of thing so many times it could be done w/ my eyes closed.

momus said:

Give the shutter a few squirts of lighter fluid, work the heck out of the shutter lever, you'll probably see it start to work properly.

Click to expand...

With emphasis on "probably". :-(

paulbarden said:

With emphasis on "probably". :-(

Click to expand...

and with the dictionary definition of "probably" as "possibly".

It's likely not the shutter blades but the escapement and actuating levers that are gummed up. I don't know why it's not as common in shutter repair as it is in clock repair, but clock and watch repair shops often charge considerably more to overhaul an item that attempts to fix using "home remedies" have been applied. Lighter fluid is relatively benign but, for example, WD-40 will ruin cleaning solutions.

You might get lucky, though. Which shutter? As @momus said, those used on Graflex/Graphics tend to be really robust.

Rick A said:

So to be clear, it is not a lens issue, it's a shutter issue. It's in need of a CLA.

Click to expand...

Yep - thread title updated.

You did not state weather its a Graphex or Supermatic shutter. There is no mechanical connection in either shutter between the aperture and shutter cocking/speed/release mechanisms. There are levers in the cocking/release operations that move to the outer edge of the shutter case that are likely sticking and moving the aperture lever bumps the sticking lever and causes it to go back into position.
Neither shutter is particularly hard to service except the Flash Suppermatic can be.
Use 90% Isopripyl Alcohol as your cleaning solvent.

Sorry guys. I haven't checked in the last couple days. Its a Graphex Synchro Compur Shutter. Its been a couple years since last time I used the camera. I just wondered if maybe the cooler temp is what bunged it up. Im going to enquire about a CLA, since its the lens I use most on that camera. Now if I could just learn to load the film holders better, without the sheets coming out, when putting the dark slide back in.

Unless you were in the Arctic or Antarctic, cold weather only points out that the shutter is in need of servicing. Sure, it might work in warm weather but it really needs routine servicing.

Synchro Compur shutters really like to be clean and properly lubricated. Short-cuts sometimes work and often don’t. When clean and lubed they are a joy to use… smooth as a Swiss watch.

Re: loading holders… practice with a couple of wasted film sheets in daylight with your eyes open and observing. Then practice in the daylight with your eyes closed and no peeking. Then…

That Synchro Compur is very difficult to service if you are not experienced in shutter repair. The lens shutter combo is not listed in the table of lens shutters but its likely a CN-1307-000 on pdf page 90 of https://learncamerarepair.com/downloads/pdf/Compur-Factory-Shutter-Repair-Manual.pdf
This shutter underwent in production changes and may vary internally from the manual.

As to loading film holdes ensure you are getting the film under the guides. Pulling the darkslide out half to three quarters out of the holder will cause the film to hit the darkslide if its not under the guides. Runnig the back side of a fingernail along the guides once the film is inserted will reveal if the film is under the guides or not.

I was recommended to contact "Lens Medic YYC" in Calgary to do the CLA. Horst here in Vancouver apparently is not doing much work anymore. Not sure what Lens Medic charges for their work. Anyone use them before?

My 'thing' with shutters, the only thing I do myself before I send it to a pro: sometimes some gunk gets on the shutter blades themselves, and the thing hangs up on THAT. If you put a little dab of 90%+ alcohol on half a Q-tip, rub that on the shutter blades VERY GENTLY, and wipe off VERY GENTLY with the dry half of the Q-tip, sometimes that frees up the blade travel enough to be useable. You need an evaporating solvent-- if it stays on the blades at all, it makes it worse (no oils!). Be careful out there.