tricks for removing lenses from a rusty arri standard mount

[kris limbach]

Hi there,

 

this is my first post in this forum.

 

I got hold of am old old Arriflex 35 iic and the lenses (Arri standard mount) are stuck in the mount. I m guessing that the aluminium mounts in the turret oxidized and/or reacted with the body of the lenses. Any idea how i would be able to remove these lenses from the turret without destroying them?

 

 

Thank you!

[Aapo Lettinen]

the lens's mount barrels are rotating inside the camera mount when one is focusing and normally the lens mount is lubricated somehow to enable smooth rotating of the mount and therefore smooth focusing. this can be done with for example small amount of vaseline on the lens mount before attaching the lens to the camera. probably the vaseline/another stuff they have used has just gotten old and very stiff and acting like a glue between the lens and the camera? you would need something to get the vaseline smooth again I think or something that dissolves it.

 

oxidising is also possible but I believe the old vaseline would be more probable cause

[kris limbach]

thank you for your advice. I m wondering how i get something in between the mount and the lens with no force.. maybe I should try ballistol or something like that? it s stuck really hard so i cant move any of the lenses at all, not even just a tiny bit...

[Mark Dunn]

Penetrating oil (it's called Plus Gas here) may work. It's meant for steel rust. Clean it off afterwards.

[kris limbach]

Thanks for all the suggetions! I could already remove 2 lenses from the mount. I put ballistol, a natural penetrating oil, and left it over a view nights and i could unmount the lenses with not tooo much force.. one lens is still not moving, but looks like i m on the right way. thanks again