Canonet QL 17-Asa lever stuck

A friend just gave me a very nice Canonet QL 17 G III. Everything works but the asa adjustment lever is stuck at 200. I can not get it to move. Any ideas?

Are you able to push in the ISO lever or does it not move after being pushed in? Some cameras that have shutter priority when limits ISO setting.

I can push it in but it will not move. I think it may because it has not been used in a long time. I don’t want to try to force it but I am running out of fingernails.

it could be worse, 200 ISO film is probably the most common.

Good point John. But for me it is like an itch that I can not scratch. It will drive me crazy until I either fix it or break it. The camera is in really nice condition so I really do not want to screw it up.

The usual solution consists in dropping a small amount of lighter fluid into the lever's slot. The QL17 has extremely compact mechanisms built to very close tolerances, and a minimal amount of solid dust or hardened lubricant is sufficient to block them.

Put a little lighter fluid into the slot and slowly and carefully worked it back and forth and it came free. Thanks. I think that I should have it CLA before I use it. The shutter speed ring and aperture rings are stiff. Anyone have any advice on how to do it or any advice on any repair shops that still do it. Thanks again.

"The shutter speed ring and aperture rings are stiff."

 

Now this is a different problem. It may due to the same causes as the frozen ASA lever (i.e., basically lack of exercise), and thus it may be solvable by more or less the same procedure, however using watchmaker's oil or gun oil rather than lighter fluid. However it may also be due to the rings having been deformed by a drop, in which case a proper repair would be required. This unfortunately would cost two to three times the average price for a fully functional QL17.

What Bonsignore_ezio says sounds like the right answer. and work it slowly in I might start with the naphta and and end with a litlle oil..but proceed very slowly and carefully. I damaged mine by dropping it and indeed the SS dial is now f_d. I use a dent remover tool and it is now somewhat better, but the previous description still applies!