Warning: I cleaned a shutter with a cotton swab and it made things worse

I was fixing an old SLR and the shutter was sticking a bit. I thought a quick clean with a cotton swab and some alcohol would free it up. Instead, a tiny bit of lint from the swab got caught in the mechanism and jammed it completely. I had to take the whole thing apart again to get it out, which added like an hour to the job. Learned my lesson about using the right tools for tiny spaces. What do you guys use for cleaning shutter blades without leaving bits behind?

2 comments

2 Comments

thompson.tyler1mo ago

Ugh, been there! I did the exact same thing with an old rangefinder. Switched to using those pointy foam swabs for electronics, they don't shed at all.

the_spencer1mo ago

Oh man, foam swabs are a game changer. I used to get so mad when a regular q-tip left fuzz all over a lens. Now I keep a bag of those pointy ones just for camera stuff. They're perfect for getting into the tiny corners on an old viewfinder without leaving anything behind. Total lifesaver for cleaning gear.