Camera lubricating

[truls]

I sprayed a bit of CRC 5-56 in the bottom of my old Chinon CS as the long shutter speeds took forever. It did not help at once, but the day after the shutter worked flawless on all speeds. I would not know if this is recommended, or should one use a different lubricant? Could CRC 5-56 do harm?

www.crcind.com/csp/web/home.csp

[genazzano]

The only spray lubricant that is verboten is WD-40 or other similar ones with silicones. The CRC 5-56 seems like a thin machine oil but I haven't seen it here. Lubricants used by watch and clock repair people, or locksmiths, use oils that do not tend to harden and don't have the tendency to crawl throughout your shutter, diaphragm and lenses with time. I just did the Compur-Rapid on a Karat 36 where the shutter was pretty gummed up. After several floodings with Zippo fluid, and a drying time of 2 days, it works and I did not lube it. Used a good bicycle grease for the helicals, though.

I would think Stephen would be a wealth of knowledge here.

Ciao!

[Stephen]

Any spray oil should be used with caution, it gets everywhere it should not, as well as where you intended. The CRC sounds OK, but I now tend to use the Nano Oil for cameras. This is available on the net, intended for model railway use, along with pro use for all sorts of fine mechanisms. The Model trade are the easiest source.

It is from a US supplier, who is on the net. Don't stop using the CRC, simply spray out a supply into a container, and use with a fine clean artist brush to apply to the shutter gear trains.

Nano oil is accepted by the clockmaking trade as very good. As said, any light grade watchmaking oil will also suit the shutter gear trains. Wash with petrol or alcohol, dry and then a minute amount of oil is added with a fine artist's brush.

On no account lubricate the leaf shutters blades, they are generally meant to function dry, even the pivots etc. Same applies to iris blades.

Dry lubricant could be used, but the powder can spread and I do not really advise it.

For helical threads and focusing threads, any good car grade lithium grease will do, or a silicon substitute, it is the thickness that is more important.

Stephen.

For film transport gears and pivots, and the pivot mechanisms of focal plane shutters, then general purpose sewing machine oil grade can be used. In the UK "Three in One" oil is acceptable, or Singer Oil. Car multigrade oil will also work fine. Any oil that is too heavy can be "cut" with parrafin to make it a touch thinner. Also a very heavy oil can be combined with a light oil to get a medium thickness.

[Stephen]

www.nano-oil.com/
Is the page from the Makers, I buy in the UK for £12.95 a tube of the light weight type. It is not cheap, but a tiny amount goes a very long way!. (No connection with maker or suppliers).

Amazon and Ebay list supplies as well.

Stephen.

[truls]

Thanks for replies. I will watch if the camera lubricated will work in the long run. The Nano Oil seems like a good investment, and better than CRC 5-56.