Showerthought: everyone says you need a special tool for stuck lens mounts, but I used a rubber band

Had a Canon FD lens that was totally frozen on an old F-1 body. The usual advice is to buy a lens wrench or use a strap wrench, but I didn't have either. I wrapped a thick rubber band around the lens mount ring for grip, then used a regular pair of smooth-jaw pliers with a cloth over the band. It came off in about 30 seconds without a single scratch. I know it sounds wrong, but the rubber band absorbed the pressure perfectly. Has anyone else found a simple household item that saved a repair?

4 comments

4 Comments

the_wesley2mo ago

That rubber band trick is actually pretty smart. I've used a wide zip tie in a pinch for extra grip on a stripped screw head. You just loop it tight and use it like a handle. Sometimes the simplest stuff works when you're in a bind.

vera_johnson92mo ago

Yeah the zip tie trick is solid for when you need a little extra bite. I've also had luck with a bit of valve grinding compound on the driver tip, it adds grit without making a mess like super glue can. It's wild how many household items can double as tools in a fix. What's the weirdest thing you've used to get a screw out?

jana_jones6d agoOG Member

Ngl, sometimes I wonder if we overthink these stripped screws. Half the time I just grab a torx bit that's slightly too big and hammer it in, works fine without any special tricks lol. The valve grinding compound idea is clever though, I'll give you that. But @the_wesley acting like it's a life or death situation with the zip tie handle, c'mon man it's just a screw. I've used a flathead and a pair of pliers more times than I can count and it's never let me down.

the_wendy2mo agoProlific Poster

A dab of super glue on the driver tip works too.