Shutter Cocking lever doesn't come back entirely and shutter blades don't close.

[bkarasek]

I have about a dozen or more Agfa Karats and others where the shutter blades do not close completely after the shutter has been fired. These are Compur, Compur-Rapid, Synchro shutters and you have to cock the shutter by moving the cocking lever, and once the shutter fired, the lever goes back to its initial position and the shutter blades are all closed, light tight. My problem is that the cocking lever hangs up on the return trip to its initial position, stopping short, and consequently the shutter blades do not close completely, sometimes only a pinhole, but still not closed. If you push the lever back to its initial position, then the shutter blades close.

So, is there a remedy, short of taking the shutter completely apart?

 

[shutterfinger]

A shutter in the condition is in dire need of a full CLA. Removing it from the camera, removing the glass, then soaking in your favorite solvent for an hour or two might get it going for a while staving off the inevetable for the short term.

 

[bkarasek]

What would be considered a suitable solvent?

 

[John Koehrer]

Typically lighter fluid. When you have "cleaned" it. you're going too make sure it's thoroughly dried, the blades may be held by surface
tension of any remaining liquid in the shutter housing. Same thing with the aperture blades.
Use an air bulb to blow some of the solvent out.

 

[shutterfinger]

Naphtha, the ingredient in that other undesirable stuff John mentioned, is available in the paint department of hardware and home improvement stores. It has a low flash point so no open flames, sparks or poor ventilation.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/CRC-QD-11-oz-Contact-Cleaner-02130-6/202262505 CRC Quick Dry Electrical Contact Cleaner is my favorite. Available at hardware and auto parts stores also. The can may be red with white lettering.
I bought an Ultrasonic cleaner off ebay. It has a heater built in. I put some 90% Isopropyl Alcohol in it and once it warmed up it cleaned a disassembled shutter as well as the CRC.

 

[paul ron]

Coleman camp stove liquid fuel sold in camping stores like EMS REI Dicks Daves... etc

 

[John Koehrer]

Coleman camp stove liquid fuel sold in camping stores like EMS REI Dicks Daves... etc

AKA Naptha.