Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/05/05

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Subject: Re: [Leica] VULCANITE MAINTENANCE
From: "Steve LeHuray" <icommag@toad.net>
Date: Fri, 05 May 2000 11:37:35 -0400

I am not sure about this but I would think that there is nothing that can be
done to maintain older vulacanite considering that it is now 35+ years old
and probably dried out and brittle. Even knowing that on my two M2's (both
with chipped vulacanite) I took a cleanser and applied it to an old coton
T-shirt and gave the vulacanite a thorough cleaning, the t-shirt came away
very black. Then once a week i applied leather/vinyl preservative (available
at any grocery store or auto parts store many different brands and they are
all the same thing).I did this for a couple of months but then one day the
whole corner of one of the M2's fell off in my hand. Which leads me to think
that once vulanite dries out nothing is going to bring it back. About three
weeks ago I bought a M3 that was recovered with the M6 leatherette and I can
easily live with that, it looks pretty good, and I will eventually have my
M2's recovered with the M6 cover.
Steve
Annapolis


- ----------
>From: Bill Satterfield <cwsat@cyberhighway.net>
>To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>Subject: Re: [Leica] VULCANITE MAINTENANCE
>Date: Fri, May 5, 2000, 9:48 AM
>

> What should I do to maintain the vulcanite on my M5 and  M3?
>
> Jem Kime wrote:
>
>> John,
>> thanks for this info. I'm expecting an ex-Leitz mechanic to apply it so I
>> won't have to worry about that myself. I'm aware of the leatherette
>> available from Fargo, etc. My mechanic only recently sold on his last sheet
>> to someone else. I'm hoping someone on the LUG might have something to help
>> out!
>> cheers,
>> Jem
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From:   John Collier [SMTP:jbcollier@home.com]
>> Sent:   05 May 2000 14:04
>> To:     leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>> Subject:        Re: [Leica] WTB: Vulcanite skin for early Leica
>>
>> Vulcanite is applied through a special process with "gumite"(?) and heat
>> which is only really possible at the manufacturing stage. A Leica repair
>> facility may have access to a NOS shell, expect to pay major $$$$. Small
>> spot repairs are usually done with vinyl repair materials, black silicone
>> or
>> other such stuff. Leatherette replacements and leatherette material to make
>> your own replacements are available. Again try your local Leica repair
>> person for parts or:
>>
>> http://www.micro-tools.com/
>>
>> Kindermann Canada does screw-mount repairs and also carries parts:
>>
>> kindrman@istar.ca or info@kindermann.com
>>
>> Leica USA has a parts email:
>>
>> leicaparts@juno.com
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> John Collier
>>
>> > From: Jem Kime <jem.kime@cwcom.net>
>> >
>> > Having bought a beat up Leica 1, I now need to locate a vulcanite 'skin'
>> to
>> > replace the crazy paving that's on it at the moment.
>> > Can anyone offer any assistance?
>> >
> 

Replies: Reply from "Dan Post" <dpost@triad.rr.com> (Re: [Leica] VULCANITE MAINTENANCE)