Micro Nikkor 2.8/55 - Broken aperture

[jpgrahn]

I bought a lens that I knew was defective.
No problem with this.
I was hoping I could fix it.
But it turns out that one of the aperture blades is broken.
The "peg", for lack of a better term, has come off the blade.
Any suggestions to where I can find a replacement?
The lens is still usable fully open. Or I could just make a lens with a fixed smaller aperture. A plate with a hole the size of f/4 or f/5.6.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/d4ztosz37gq6ey2/Nikkor55_ApertureBlade.jpg?dl=0

[longzoom]

If you do not lost this pin, it is no problem to fix the blade. Put it back, and from opposite site, using very small hammer, by 2-3 knocks, on the surface of  home iron, made it tight inside its place. Do not use a lot of efforts,   because there is a big risk to ripped the very fragile blade, and make it completely unusable. If you lost the pin, try to find small screw of the same diameter, make the same operation to fix it instead of the pin. There is the main reason I've never suggested to touch the old aperture unit. Good luck!  LZ

[richardHaw]

good luck! 

[richardHaw]

bythe way, that thing is still in production so you may want to ask Nikon if they can spare you one of these 

[Bjørn Rørslett]

I could order a replacement from Nikon. However, factory spare parts are expensive.

[jpgrahn]

If you do not lost this pin, it is no problem to fix the blade. Put it back, and from opposite site, using very small hammer, by 2-3 knocks, on the surface of  home iron, made it tight inside its place. Do not use a lot of efforts,   because there is a big risk to ripped the very fragile blade, and make it completely unusable. If you lost the pin, try to find small screw of the same diameter, make the same operation to fix it instead of the pin. There is the main reason I've never suggested to touch the old aperture unit. Good luck!  LZ

If I was a watch maker this might be simple to do. But I am not.
Right now I am not even sure I still have the pin. I will look for it.

Probably the best bet is to set the aperture to a fixed value and just be happy.

[jpgrahn]

I could order a replacement from Nikon. However, factory spare parts are expensive.

Thanks! That is a possibility.
Do you have any idea how expensive?
The lens is in good shape otherwise. Hard to put a limit but I guess it would be worth at least 200SEK. I paid 300 SEK for the broken lens itself.
A used lens in good working condition would probably run around 800-1000 SEK.

If this was a part for a car it would probably not be possible to order just one blade. One would have to buy the whole assembly.
I don't know how things work with lenses.

[Erik Lund]

It would be a complete set of blades, they have one part number.
This lens is notorious for 'oil on the blades' so very likely they are in stock

[longzoom]

If I was a watch maker this might be simple to do. But I am not.
Right now I am not even sure I still have the pin. I will look for it.

Probably the best bet is to set the aperture to a fixed value and just be happy.

So bring the pin, if you found it, the broken blade, as well as good one, to nearest watch maker's store. If no original pin, they know what to do. It is 5-10 min operation, so, you should try this possibility before you pay 50% of the lens price, for the new aperture unit, which you do not need at all. LZ

[jpgrahn]

Good idea!
Will try to find the pin.
Thanks.