Since Kodak actually serial numbered their lens by year and sequence number, I wanted to get a few Ektars that were made in my birth year, 1948. Kind of neat to be able to take pictures with a lens that is the same age as I am. I already had a 1946 127 F4.7 which is very sharp and contrasty. It looks like it is coated but doesn't have the circled L. I know there was a time when they were coated but not marked with the L. This 1948 has the L and looks the same. The glass on this one is excellent. Looks almost like new.

The question I have is about the rear cell. It will not unscrew. I had a 152 Ektar the same way. What I did was use a hair dryer to heat up the aluminum back side of the shutter to expand that faster than the brass of the rear cell. When I go the 152 apart, I could see this black stuff that seemed to be a thread locker.

Did Kodak assemble these shutter/lens together with a thread locker on the rear element? If so does using the hair dryer again seem the best way to separate them? Of course the shutter need work and I do not want to work on it with the rear cell in place.

Thanks

David

Try finger nail polish remover on the seam of the rear cell to shutter case.
Give it 3 to 5 minutes to work.

Will acetone (fingernail polish remover) play havoc with whatever material binds the lens elements together, or mar their clarity if it works its way between them?

I do not think acetone will affect the balsam of a cemented pair or lens coatings. I never use that much, just enough to moisten the threads. I dab it on with a cotton swab.

OK, thanks, I will try that. So they did use some thread locker for the rear cell?

David

Charles,

Your solution worked like a charm. I did 2 times around with a Q-Tip soaked in acetone. Let it sit about a minute and tried it. Came right off. There was not the black stuff on the inside of this one so my guess here is that the paint on the rear lens cell had attached itself to the aluminum over the years due to pressure. The front lens cell being aluminum itself has no paint so it comes off easily.

David