Most of us photographers are constantly worrying over our optical gear. We use blower-brushes, microfiber-rags, and sensor-swabs constantly on our cameras, lenses and filters to keep them in optimum condition. But what about that most basic and simple tool of all? The part that connects our creative gear to the earth itself... The tripod.
After my latest backpacking trip on the wild southern coast of Olympic National Park, I noticed my trusty Gitzo 6x carbon tripod's twist-knobs felt gritty and unsure. For years I've been dragging these legs through heat, cold, snow, sand and salt-water. Sure I've rinsed them off after harsh trips, but maybe it was time to do some serious maintenance...
The internals are not complicated. Just keep the parts organized as you go.
A bit of waterproof grease in the threads. Wipe off any excess after it's distributed to avoid attracting dirt.
A quick search revealed this easy and comprehensive guide by Really Right Stuff. Apparently there are few differences between their own tripods and Gitzos. I love that they recommend Phil Wood's waterproof bicycle grease. I've been using that on my mountain bikes for more years than I'd like to admit.
It took me about half an hour to disassemble and clean all the parts. As soon as they were dry I easily put it all back together being careful to evenly distribute a bit of waterproof grease to the threads of each twist-knob and then wipe off any excess.
Wow! My tripod feels brand new again. If you haven't overhauled your tripod for some time, I highly recommend doing it. For those who don't use Gitzo or Really Right Stuff, look up your brand's maintenance instructions online. It's important to keep all our gear in top shape, and that includes the legs...
-Hudson
My newly rebuilt legs chilling out under the living room fan...