I have a friend with several NOS cords in boxes labeled "HONETWELL SHUTTER CORD" and "standard to Graflex solenoid." The coiled cable is about 8 inches long and has two pins at one end and two blades (household) at the other. I assume this fits some Graflex camera and connects to flash units using the household style plug. Is this something he should trash or maybe try and sell? What did they originally fit?

JeffW.

Original (pre '45ish) shutters had no way to synchronize the flash bulb with the front shutter. In 1940 Graflex made a solenioid that attached to the front shutter. Graflex had holes in the solenoid for the contacts and the pins on the wire.

Heiland, a competitor (and predicessor to Honeywell) had shorter fatter posts on their solenoid and a femail socket on their cords.

So to answer your question: It will fit any Heiland, Graflex (the first model) or Graflite (the aluminum model) flash and will connect to any Graflex solenoid.

Is it worth anything? well... if the rubber is still lively and you don't see any shiny oil beads on the surface, it should be workable. Nearly anything will sell on ebay.

Well, maybe he will try and sell them on e**y. They are in the box and like new alnong with a bunch of long male/female hosehold extensions and adapters for other cameras as well.

Thanks for the help.

JeffW.

Jeff, check your private messages.

I needed one of those last fall--I've since had a replacement rigged using the Heiland spcific end wired onto a standard household cord. There must be someone else that could use one--if for no other reason than that the solenoid is handy for tripping the shutter when using the camera handheld.

Rob Dean

Actually, as a result of my info request I have sold all of these cords. They are all one the way to loving homes where they will be used properly.

JeffW.