Simple Clean Lubricate and Adjust tips
The most frustrating experience after removing the yakstring and brown paper wrapping on an eagerly awaited package is to find a camera that does not work. If you have a long standing and amicable relationship with the dealer you can always return the camera to get a refund or exchange. However if you are unlucky with a dealer who gives you the run around or do not want to go through the waiting process, these tips learned through experience might help turn a potential paper weight or conversation piece into a shooter again.
My standard procedure in assessing an old [new] camera is to do a visual examination first. If it is daylight I check RF calibration at infinity from my front doorstep and focus into a radio tower about a mile away and then remove the lens to evaluate the condition of the curtains making sure it is fresh and not dry or cracked. All the other unusual quirks that come up are noted for further examination.
Bad drawing, sorry!
If the camera has a hinged or removable back I do the TV shutter test at 1/500, 1/250 and 1/125. Through experience the older speeds [e.g. 1/200] can be guesstimated visually. Just remember that the TV sceen or computer monitor has to be a Cathode Ray Tube, it does not work with Plasma, DLP or LCD screens. Do not be alarmed if you "see double" like in this picture. For slower speeds I do an "ear test" using an M3 CLA'ed by Sherry Krauter and a Zorki 4K from the work bench of Oleg as references. Obviously wIth Barnack clones and other bottom loaders the main shutter assembly has to be taken out of the body to do this shutter test which I do only if I have doubts after doing a thorough visual [viewed through the lens mount] and aural test compared to my reference cameras.
Tools I use for servicing my cameras
A full CLA involves dismantling the shutter assembly which can be a daunting and tedious task click here to find out why. Normally a camera technician who services a Leica can CLA an FSU clone however since clones are comparatively worthless I am not aware of any Leica technician in the USA who accepts FSU clones for repair. In fact the only camera technician I know of that services FSU clones is Oleg Khalyavin a highly regarded figure amongst FSU collectors. Aside from him, the only alternative is to DIY. The minor CLA tips I have below avoids disassembly of the shutter and begins with removing the top RF cover. At the most with Barnack clones and other bottom loaders, it goes only as far as removing the body. For any of these tips to work, it is assumed that the curtain rollers have enough lubrication and not corroded.
Removing the top RF cover can be done using basic tools - a set of jeweler's screwdrivers, pliers and a bit of ingenuity. However spanners for removing the inner notched RF window and ring wrenches for unscrewing RF/VF windows and eyepieces make life easier and lessen the chances of marring the finish. I use an old toothbrush, compressed air and a can of lighter fluid for cleaning. For lubrication, I load NYOIL in a syringe to reach tiny moving parts [gear pivots, bearings and etc.] and Castrol GTX synthetic grease for gear sets. Radio Shack precision oiler catalog no. 64-2301 can also be used in place of NYOIL if you are stuck doing a weekend project and cannot wait for mail order delivery. Specialized tools like the spanner and ring wrenches and NYOIL are available from micro-tools. Having a digital camera to document complicated steps comes handy for reference during reassembly. All the pictures you will see below were taken from my CLA sessions.
I will not go through the process of showing how to remove the top cover on a Barnack or clone which is covered in the beam splitter mirror repair section. To my mind the following links are the best resources for dismantling various FSU Leica clone models. Some of the links below show complete disassembly which may not be necessary for a minor CLA. Just make sure that you can tackle the job of removing the top RF cover, so study them carefully before you proceed.
Barnack clones - early Fed or Zorki - Jay Javier or Rick Oleson
Fed 2 - also applicable to the knob wind Fed 3a
Fed 3 - lever wind
Zorki 4/4K - scroll down the page
Here are examples of various FSU Leica clones I worked on showing common heritage.
Second curtain hanging up or sluggish or....
The shutter disk and speed regulator were removed for clarity but is not an essential step.
....if the slit width in the shutter does not vary after engaging the various speeds in the shutter dial, the usual culprit is a detached spring [1] from the lever catch [3]. Attach the spring as shown in the picture.
This is the coupling pin lever [2] on a Zorki 1 Barnack clone. It is fixed through a brass bearing to the top superstructure and controls second curtain action. Through the years this area accumulates dust and grime mixed with lubricant or if the camera has been in careful storage, the grease or oil dried up causing the second curtain [aka closing curtain] to hang up or move slowly.
The Fed 2 is virtually identical sans slow speed escapement and longer RF baselength. Shutter speed disk, speed regulator and slow speed escapement in place.
I cleaned up the coupling pin lever area [2] on this Fed 3a by flooding it with a moderate amount of lighter fluid, brushed off all the dirt and grime and then sprayed compressed air. In between I fire the shutter a couple of times at various speeds to make sure the lighter fluid goes into the bearing. Once I notice a significant improvement in second curtain action I do a final clean up. The "B" setting is best for judging both curtains action or if you are working on a model with slow speeds, go through 1/60 - 1 second and make sure the second curtain is closing with snap.
Do not remove the slow speed escapement [1], try to get around it during cleaning. If reassembled improperly the slow speeds will be inaccurate. Unless rusty all it needs is a couple burst of compressed air and rarely needs attention if the camera was never abused.
All the above applies to the Zorki 4 and 4K which has a very similar arrangement.
A cleaned up Zorki 3 being lubed. Shutter disk is in place but the speed regulator is detached. You will find a similar sight on an early Fed or Zorki Barnack II clone without the series of levers in front which is the slow speed linkage to the slow speed mechanism at the bottom of the shutter crate. Obviously KMZ did their Leica III and IIIa homework!
While the top is off might as well clean the VF and RF. Use cotton swabs moistened with lens cleaning solution or WIndex and blow away all the dust and grime before reassembly.
On Barnack clones be careful handling the beam splitter mirror or you might be rubbing off the silvering. Click on my beam splitter mirror repair to find out more.
Fire the shutter a couple of times and if the curtains are anappy and travel the focal plane evenly then you are done. However if the first curtain is also sluggish or want smoother film advance winding, read on....
On Barnack clones [Fed and Zorki 1] and other bottom loaders Zorki-C [S], 2C [2S], 5a and 5b, the camera has to be removed from the body [see links above] to gain access to the gear set below the curtain drum. Warning this procedure requires the removal of the lens mount. It would be wise to document the location of the paper shims underneath on a digital camera to assure proper [28.8mm] lens registration during reassembly!
We are dealing with a 3 piece gear set. The shiny gear under the curtain drum, the darker gear which couples to a smaller gear in the back [see 1st Fed 3a picture below] that drives the film sprocket need to be cleaned and lubricated.
Flood this [arrow] area with lighter fluid and fire the shutter a couple of times and then spray compressed air just as in the preceding steps. Once the brass gear teeth show a shiny gleam blow away excess liquid until dry. Put a couple drops of oil on all accessible gear pivots and then lightly grease the gears with Castrol GTX using a small screw driver or cocktail pick. Advance and fire the shutter until grease is spread evenly on all the gears then wipe away excess. At this point the first curtain should show significant improvement in traversing the focal plane.
With the Fed 2 and 3a it becomes more difficult to access the gear set since the shutter crate has to be detached with all the attending complexities in reassembly. So try this first.
Flood the arrow marked area with lighter fluid then lubricate, repeat the same procedure of firing the shutter a few times so that the fluid spreads to the other two gears in front and spray compressed air to clean and dry.
Likewise blow compressed air into the arrow marked area and wipe off excess fluid. If there is little improvement in first curtain action, you can carefully apply a moderate amount of lighter fluid and lubricate through the front. Just make sure the curtain tape does not get immersed in fluid which can lead to detachment from the drum.
This is the gear set from a Zorki 3. The Zorki 3M, 4 and 4K are similar and to gain access the front part of the body needs to be detached without disturbing the coupling pin/curtain drum arrangement. Repeat the same cleaning procedure.
As a last resort try lubricating the rollers at the four points marked with arrows in the two pictures above.
You can also try removing tension from the curtains [1 & 2] to let oil work into the internal springs. This is done by removing the tiny screws and loosening the lock nuts. Note that a clockwise turn on both the lock nut and the roller releases tension and counter clockwise tensions the roller. If you have to gone more than 5 turns on each curtain and the speeds are still off after lubrication, a complete CLA is inevitable. A good camera typically requires 3.5 - 4 turns on each roller for the shutter speeds to be accurate.
Be extremely careful not to contaminate the shutter ribbons with oil or they may become unglued!
Might as well CLA the advance wind gear set or Zorki 5 and 6 lever wind. Pictured below is a cleaned up Fed 3a prior to lubrication. All knob wound FSU share the same arrangement. This a bit awkward to do on Barnack clones and other bottom loaders but if the camera is pulled out of the body, it's the easiest.
Use the same procedure on cleaning and lubrication in the preceding steps. Once the area is clean and dry, use oil for the gear pivots and grease for the gears.
Go back to the TV shutter speed tester and if the high speeds look fine load some film.
GOOD LIGHT and HAPPY SHOOTING!
If these tips do not work and you are uneasy about going all the way with CLA, contact Oleg Khalyavin for your repair needs. His prices are very reasonable even with the round trip shipping fees factored in. You just have to wait a while for another yakstring tied brown paper wrapped package......
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