Pentax 6x7 film winder stuck - help

I’m new to this camera and am only on my 2nd roll. After I loaded a new roll I took 2 shots, then the winder kind of stuttered then it was stuck after I fired the 3rd. What can I do to trouble shoot this problem? I’ve taken the film out and tried putting it back in but it’s still stuck. It will not take the film as if it needs to be fired but it won’t fire. It’s not locked either. I ordered a new battery to try that method out but any other advice helps. Thanks.

There are factory service manuals for the 67 and 67II available at https://learncamerarepair.com/productlist.php?category=2&secondary=10
I would inspect the take up for debris jamming the spool, blow it out with caned air and remove the bottom plate and inspect the advance and rewind.

There was a tiny piece of cardboard behind the spook but I removed it after I took the film out. What would the next thing to do be?

Sounds like a trip to https://pentaxs.com/ is in order. Probably cost $250 for a full working over.

Derryt27 said:

I’m new to this camera and am only on my 2nd roll. After I loaded a new roll I took 2 shots, then the winder kind of stuttered then it was stuck after I fired the 3rd. What can I do to trouble shoot this problem? I’ve taken the film out and tried putting it back in but it’s still stuck. It will not take the film as if it needs to be fired but it won’t fire. It’s not locked either. I ordered a new battery to try that method out but any other advice helps. Thanks.

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If there is a battery question, my bodies misbehave with the alkaline equivalents but all functions return with the silver oxides (same with my GS-1 gear). Is the mirror hanging up, too? Just the mechanical wind mechanism? There is a release button (very small) on the front of the body that can unbind some things, too.

Derryt27 said:

I’m new to this camera and am only on my 2nd roll. After I loaded a new roll I took 2 shots, then the winder kind of stuttered then it was stuck after I fired the 3rd. What can I do to trouble shoot this problem? I’ve taken the film out and tried putting it back in but it’s still stuck. It will not take the film as if it needs to be fired but it won’t fire. It’s not locked either. I ordered a new battery to try that method out but any other advice helps. Thanks.

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Long time ago (more than 10 years) my Pentax-67-ii had a problem just like yours. I eventually figured out what the problem was and finally DIY to get it fixed. In the process of figuring it out I learned how the film advance mechanism worked to prevent the user from cranking and advancing the film again before the shutter was fired, film exposed and ready for the user to crank again. Basically there is a tiny lever in a position that keeps the crank to be turned. When the shutter is fired and the mirror lowered that lever is supposed to be pushed and moved away to allow the crank to be cranked again. I believe your Pentax 67 or 6X7 has a similar mechanism. That lever is probably stuck in there which needs a little tweak to reset so the crank can be turned again.

If you are handy and have a few good small screw drivers just try to remove the top of the camera so that the top of the winder mechanism is exposed and accessible. Take a good look at the mechanism and try to crank it with a slight force. Then you should be able to see that small tiny lever getting in the way there. Just use a pencil tip to nudge it and it will reset and allow the crank to turn again. If you can get to this point then use a cotton Q-tip soaked with some Isopropryl alcohol to clean the lever and hopefully it will not get stuck again. Nothing is broken. Just needs to be cleaned or lubed a little. Don't force anything to break it. I only needed to remove the top of the camera and no more disassembling of anything else. Take your time to research how to remove the top of the camera (the crank arm needs to be taken off too). The film advance mechanism is actually very well built. Unless someone forced it it should last forever.