Neatly removing the emblem from a rigid Retina

Mark A. Overton, Oct 28, 2017 Return to main page

The shutter assembly in a non-folding Retina (and perhaps Retinette) is secured by four screws on the front in the usual manner. But the upper right screw is hidden under the Kodak emblem that is glued onto the shutter standard. To access that screw, you must remove the emblem. But the emblem is made of thin aluminum, so if you jab a pin or knife under it, you will damage the emblem. This article shows you an easy way to remove it with no damage.

First, you will need to obtain a wooden or bamboo skewer used to hold pieces of food together (forming a shish kebab) to be grilled.

This emblem is on a Retina automatic III.

First, you must apply drops of acetone to the edges of the emblem often enough to keep it damp. The acetone will wick under the emblem, dissolving the glue. You will need to apply a drop every 10 seconds or so.

To apply a drop of acetone, I dip the shank of a screwdriver in the acetone, and then barely touch the tip of the screwdriver to an edge of the emblem. Touch as gently as possible to avoid scratching the standard or emblem.

After several minutes, use the wooden skewer to push the emblem sideways. If it won’t move, continue applying acetone. A stubborn case might require 10-15 minutes of acetone application, so be patient.