Update: I finally tried that ultrasonic cleaner trick for shutter blades | Camera Repairers - Freelance Forum - The Community for Independent Professionals
Update: I finally tried that ultrasonic cleaner trick for shutter blades
Had a Canon AE-1 with sticky blades that wouldn't budge after my normal cleaning, so I ran the whole assembly in my cheap ultrasonic tank for 90 seconds with a 50/50 mix of water and simple green. The gunk that came out was insane, and the blades snap perfectly now. What's the longest you'd leave a part in there before worrying about damage?
I saw this thing online about how those cleaners basically use sound waves to shake stuff loose at a microscopic level, and it made me think about my own cleaning nightmare with a vintage brooch. You'd never guess what came out of the little crevices - it was like a science experiment gone wrong, all this gray sludge. It did get me wondering if that level of deep clean is actually necessary every time or just sometimes. But the satisfying part for real is watching that grime float away, makes you feel like you're doing something ancient and powerful.