[Leica] Leicaflex SL problem

[wildlightphoto at earthlink.net (Doug Herr)]

Richard Coutant wrote:

>>>
My Leicaflex SL refuses to rewind a roll of film.  I'm trying to get the 
bottom plate off to get a look at the mechanism.  I have the screws out and 
the battery cover off but the bottom plate refuses to budge.  Is there a 
trick to this?  
Or - does anybody have a suggestion how to get the release button to work so 
the camera will rewind?
<<<

IDK about tricks to make it rewind, but in addition to the screws the bottom 
plate is held by the tripod socket.  Looking into the tripod socket you 
should (if you're lucky) see a square socket.  This is the inside of a cap 
nut that joins the bottom plate to the tripod socket.  The cap nut unscrews 
in the WRONG direction.  It's as though you were a squirrel inside a jar and 
you had to get the lid off.  If you were outside the jar you'd turn it in 
the usual direction; from the inside you'd have to turn it the other way.

If you're not lucky some doofus before you used the wrong tool and made a 
mess of the square socket.  It might be possible to drill a couple of tiny 
holes to get a decent grip on the cap not, but be careful because the meter 
cell is on the other side of the cap nut.

Doug Herr
Birdman of Sacramento
http://www.wildlightphoto.com