My old boss said to never use a metal tool on a shutter curtain, and he was totally right

When I first started fixing cameras, my boss at the shop in Tacoma told me this rule. He said even a tiny scratch from a metal pick could ruin the curtain's timing. I thought he was just being too careful. Then, about six months ago, I was working on a Pentax K1000 and got impatient. I used a small metal hook to try and free a sticky curtain. It left a mark you could barely see. I put it all back together, and the shutter speeds were all over the place. The curtain tension was off because of that one little scratch. I had to find a whole new curtain assembly, which cost the client $85 and me a lot of time. Now I only use plastic or wood tools for that job, no matter what. Has anyone else learned a tool rule the hard way?

2 comments

2 Comments

finley_wells661mo ago

Learned that one with a Canon F1 years ago.

gonzalez.grant1mo agoMost Upvoted

Yeah, that old F1 taught me to always check the rewind lever first.