FED 1 top cover troubles

[wolves3012]

I've recently aquired a 1939 FED 1 :-)
Nice cosmetically, but has some problems. I can resolve most of them easily enough BUT I need to remove the top cover to get at the rangefinder, which is somewhat faint. My problem is that I can't get the wind-on knob to come off, despite undoing the grub-screws. Anyone have experience of this please and can offer suggestions? How much force can I apply safely, pulling or twisting, to prise it off?

Suggestions as to whether the rangefinder is likely to be dirty or in need of more serious attention would also be welcomed.

[Just Plain Curt]

Sorry Wolves,
Don't have any experience with Fed 1 disassembly. My earliest is an NKVD but luckily so far it's working well. Hopefully either Peter or Dan will see this and be able to point you in the right direction.

[PeterW]

Hi Wolves,

I haven't had an early FED apart, and the earliest Zorki I've had apart is a 4. But here are two sites you can browse through which may help you.

Steve Castello's website deals with a FED 2 disassembly in great detail. I'm not sure how different a FED 2 is from a FED 1, but it may help. The website is
stephenc7.tripod.com/cameras/index.htm
Click on FED 2 shutter curtain replacement.

Then try Jay Javier's site at
jay.fedka.com/
Jay is a great fan of russian cameras.

Both these guys have had more Russian cameras to pieces than most of us have seen, and they're very knowledgeable about them.

Hope these sites help you.

Peter W

[wolves3012]

peterw said:

Hi Wolves,

I haven't had an early FED apart, and the earliest Zorki I've had apart is a 4. But here are two sites you can browse through which may help you.

Steve Castello's website deals with a FED 2 disassembly in great detail. I'm not sure how different a FED 2 is from a FED 1, but it may help. The website is
stephenc7.tripod.com/cameras/index.htm
Click on FED 2 shutter curtain replacement.

Then try Jay Javier's site at
jay.fedka.com/
Jay is a great fan of russian cameras.

Both these guys have had more Russian cameras to pieces than most of us have seen, and they're very knowledgeable about them.

Hope these sites help you.

Peter W

Thanks to both of you. I've looked on those sites already. Jay's site is excellent but he didn't say to UNSCREW it! However, I've sussed it anyway - it unscrews after releasing the grub screw, I thought it just pulled off!

Didn't get too far on the rangefinder though and I'm not sure I'm going to tackle it just yet. It's usable but not very bright at all. Found a few other bugs to sort as well though, so it looks like being a show camera for the time being.

I have a Zorki 1 too and that's been partially dismantled for some CLA treatment. Ran a transparency film through it and was VERY pleased with the outcome. I seem to have got everything just about spot on because I included some wide-open close shots and they all came out pin-sharp! Exposures were all good too on all speeds (bar the couple of frames I messed up accidentally - it helps to put the speed on B for a 10-second exposure at night, rather than 1/25!).

The other recent aquisition is a FED 3a which I got locally and got the history. It's all original and only needed the lens helical cleaning and re-lubing, plus a touch of shutter tensioning work, to get it all 100%. Rangefinder is a fraction out so that's the next job, then I'll run a film through it. All the speeds seem just about spot-on and the overall condition is excellent :-)

Guess I'm in danger of starting a FSU rangefinder collection...