Goerz Dagor 19" aperture repair

[Koprivnik Ž.]

Hello! I am looking for help or a point in the right direction - I have an amazing early 19" Goerz Dagor brass barrel lens with two broken aperture blades/lamels. I am looking for someone who would be willing to fix the aperture to working condition, that would probably mean manufacturing and replacing two blades on the aperture. I am located in the EU so it would be easier to find an european service or individual, but also interested in services in the US. The lamels need reproducing so it's labor intensive but I'm willing to pay for it.

Could you recommend someone? It's a rare lens worth fixing up.

[Steven Tribe]

Can you remove the iris blades yourself and reassemble afterwards? It would be much easier to send an original blade across the Atlantic for duplication rather than have postage and customs delay with a barrel lens.

[Koprivnik Ž.]

The whole aperture system is removable from the barrel so yes, an original blade could be removed and sent. Do you know someone who could duplicate it?

[Steven Tribe]

There have been threads about programmed laser cutting of thin brass to make iris leaves so perhaps someone could make a couple for you. I don't know about the insertion of the 2 pins, though.

[Pierre 2]

I am in the process of completing a few replacement blades for an old pneumatic Wollensak shutter (holding a Conley variable soft focus lens). In this particular case, one end of the blade is simply raised by embossing (will be soldering a copper washer instead), while the other end was sort of crimped in the hole (something I will redo with some patience and a small phillips screwdriver where the 4 sides will have been sharpened). Needed to forcefully remove one blade (with great care) in order to duplicate. Not an impossible feat by any mean.

[Koprivnik Ž.]

Thanks everyone. Could any of you point me to a specific service/repair shop or someone who is willing to do it?