Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/09/20

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To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: 3rd Party -rewinds & adapters
From: Fred Ward <fward@erols.com>
Date: Fri, 20 Sep 1996 09:19:55 -0400
Organization: Gem Book Publishers
References: <v01540b00ae6745cea375@[207.112.2.48]> <3242164E.5203@jetlink.net>

Stephen Gandy wrote:

At least two third party rewind lever adapters have been made for the
knob rewinds of the M1/2/3-----I've seen them second hand.   One if
rather a rather crude, dull gray  aluminum casting, and the other is
finely machined chrome.  I do not know who made them however, but I am
sure they are relatively hard to come by.  There are probably more
versions I do not know about. 

______________________________________________________________________

I originally made what Stephen is describing as the finely machined
chrome version of  Leica Rapid Rewind crank for M cameras. Actually, it
was never chrome.... it was finely machined stainless steel. We did that
in order to remain reliable with the one very thin side that had to slip
between the Leica crank and the body. There is not much tolerance. 

These are long gone.... none exist with me. It was always a lable or
love and not a profit center. They cost me $14 originally in 1960 and I
sold them for $15. When my labor costs went up and I had to raise the
price of a 3-piece stainless steel crank, machined and assembled, to
$30, Leica owners balked, and I quit making them. 

For a while during the startup period that led to the stainless steel
model I made some simple slip-over cranks of brass and aluminum that
were not thin enough to allow the Leica crank to remain seated. They
attached to the top edge of Leica s crank, so sat above the camera body
a little. They were not as elegant a solution as the stainless steel
version was, but I do have a few of those around.

And that, dear friends, is how I got into and out of the Leica accessory
business in the 1960s. 

Fred Ward

In reply to: Message from jredfern@ftn.net (J. Redfern) (3rd Party M Accessories)
Message from Stephen Gandy <cameras@jetlink.net> (Re: 3rd Party -rewinds & adapters)