Bamboo splints?

[FishyFish]

I need to replace the light seals on a 35mm SLY and I've heard several people say that bamboo splints are great for clearing out the cruddy old seals.

Can anyone suggest somewhere that sells them, and whatsize I require, please?

I've done the usual search but it seams that there's a brand called Bamboo that sells medicat bandages and splints whcih means that's mostly what gets returned.

Thanks.

 

[Karl.t1965]

Try Bamboo cooking skewers, when broken they will leave nice bristles to pick up the crud

 

[Nod]

The chopsticks you get at places like Wagamama can be split down to whatever size you need (with a little care!). Once almost all the old seals are scraped out, a broken end will, as Karl says, make a handy stiff bristled brush.

 

[Peter B]

You can get way more than you'll ever need at bigger Tesco stores, and I think it was £1 or £1.50 for this pack of 100. (I've obviously cropped out the length for the photo.}

 

[FishyFish]

Thanks. I'll try the local supermarkets (an ASDA, Sainsbury's, and Morrisons) - I guess one of them might have them. If not I can venture further afield to Tesco at some point.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Try Bamboo cooking skewers, when broken they will leave nice bristles to pick up the crud

You can spread the end out with controlled hits with a small hammer.

 

[MDJ]

The bamboo skewers are perfect for this job. Just trim one down to a chisel point to fit the groove surrounding the door seal.

Rather than just attempting to scrape out the dried seals I dampen the old seal with lighter fluid first. Tear a strip of tissue about an inch wide and twist this into a thin rope which is then pushed down into the groove on top of the old seal material. Drizzle the lighter fluid on top of the tissue rope and tamp it down into the groove. Leave for a minute or so and then apply more fluid and tamp down again. Wait a little while and the old seal material should be soft enough to scrape out with the skewer very easily. Finish cleaning the groove with cotton buds moistened with the fluid. This approach reduces the mess by just squirting fluid into the grooves directly. May also be a good idea to tape a bit of paper across the film gate to protect the shutter curtains.

 

[FishyFish]

Picked up a pack of 100 today, so that should keep me going for a while (or keep me well fed on shish-kebabs).