A trick for cleaning the shutter blades on a Nikon FM2 without taking the whole thing apart

I keep seeing folks pull the entire shutter assembly just to get at a bit of dust, but you can often fix it with a simple blower and a tiny bit of isopropyl on a cotton swab. I learned this after a job in Austin where a customer's camera had this exact issue. Just gently hold the blades open with a toothpick and carefully wipe each one, it saves about an hour of work. Has anyone else found a good solvent that doesn't leave residue on those thin metal blades?

4 comments

4 Comments

michael_green442mo ago

Tough break for @annajenkins. Sometimes a quick fix just doesn't stick. Better safe than sorry with those blades.

reese_hayes712mo agoTop Commenter

That's a great way to ruin a shutter. Isopropyl can strip lubricants and a toothpick can bend a blade. The proper fix is to remove the assembly and clean it right.

price.ben13d ago

Wait isopropyl really strips lubricants? I thought it was safe for most camera parts. Good to know that's another way to mess things up.

annajenkins2mo ago

Totally agree with this. I tried the quick fix on an old camera once and ended up making it worse... had to get the whole thing serviced anyway. Sometimes the right way is the only way.