Thanks for reading and helping. It is as if the film is so hard to rewind that the handle thread tension is lower than the film rewind tension. Could it be that the release button is not quite disengaging the takeup reel? The rewind action itself is jittery, not smooth as one might expect. Is this a repair worth undertaking? The camera is otherwise in excellent condition, the shutter is silent and accurate.
The knob is screwed on to the shaft with right hand screws, like most others. The only time I have heard of the handle unscrewing while rewinding is when the operator turns the handle BACKWARDS. Be sure to turn the handle clockwise to rewind. When you flip the little rewind handle up, you might see a little arrow indicating which way to turn it.
