Pneumatic shutters and cold weather

[Jerevan]

I have a Conley Rapid Ortohographic in a Conley Safety shutter. I was out working, second time around with this lens, in near-freezing conditions outside. After all the work to set up, when I was about to make the photograph, I noticed that all the shutter did was open and close in a very sluggish fashion. It wasn't possible to get it to just cock and stay closed.

Needless to say, with no other backup lens, I had to call it a day and pack things up again. When I checked the shutter later that night at home, it worked. When tripping the shutter and pressing the bulb, it opened and closed every time.

Is the shutter bad, or is this the usual behaviour with a pneumatic shutter and low temperatures? Should I put it up for CLA?

The annoying part is that I like what the lens gives me, but I can't use something that's is going to give up anytime it's a little cold.

 

[glbeas]

Classic symptom of congealing lubricant from the cold. A good cleaning and lubrication with a cold tolerant lubricant will solve that problem.

 

[Ole]

In really cold weather, remove all lubricant altogether, just like your army does in -40 temperatures.

It's not only pneumatic shutters that go sluggish with cold, it's every possible mechanical thing with lubricant in it. Even electronic shutters have mechanically actuated moving shutter blades...

 

[Jerevan]

In really cold weather, remove all lubricant altogether, just like your army does in -40 temperatures.

Hmmm... okay. I think this is the prime case for using a hat and a barrel lens wide open, right?