Windows Explorer has stopped working - file associations - EventID1000

I have recently noticed that the link under default programs
accessing file associations is producing the error message:

Windows Explorer has stopped working - Windows Explorer is restarting

After clearing out the event viewer logs and prompting the
error to occur, event viewer contains the following detail error:

Log Name: Application
Source: Application Error
Date: 9/9/2018 10:40:36 AM
Event ID: 1000
Task Category: (100)
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: Phalanx
Description:
Faulting application name: Explorer.EXE, version: 6.1.7601.23537, time stamp: 0x57c44cc4
Faulting module name: ole32.dll, version: 6.1.7601.24168, time stamp: 0x5b1aa6f9
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x00028bf6
Faulting process id: 0x6bc
Faulting application start time: 0x01d4483e95650318
Faulting application path: C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\system32\ole32.dll
Report Id: 138c38fa-b44f-11e8-abe5-1c6f65ac0f6e

This error is produced only by clicking "Associate a file type or protocol with a program"
and no other link in the default programs control panel area produces this problem.

I have perused all postings in this group of forums related to this problem and have
followed most of the fix recommendations including running in safe mode to reproduce the
problem (which is a non-starter since there is no access to default programs in safe mode),
using msconfig to start the system in slective startup mode disabling all services,
sfc \scannow (no problems found), cleaning the Registry with RegCure, thoroughly cleaning
the system with Advanced System Repair and analyzing the Shell extension list with ShellExView
all to no avail.

I think I have run the gamut of fixes and still cannot correct this problem. Can anyone
offer a solution or at least another approach to determining what's wrong?