cameraleather.com Leica M series Vulcanite Removal

LEICA M SERIES Vulcanite Removal

In this section we look at the liquid stripper method of removing vulcanite from Leica M cameras. This section will also be of interest to owners of thread mount Leicas, although in our experience the coverings on these earlier cameras are much easier to remove. Those who have read our earlier text will notice we now prefer the liquid stripper method The stripper contains chemicals that should be handled properly, but it's a widely used consumer product found in every hardware store, and in our application, is used in minuscule quantities. By following the precautions on the can, the user will be much safer than when using the "dry" method and a sharp metal chisel. The camera will be better off, too.

Anyone contemplating a "do it yourself" job should not be too fearful, although there are some things to keep in mind. First, set aside a full hour or more to do the job. Rushing will not give you the best results, and poses more risk to your camera and to yourself. This brings us to the most important point: Pay more attention to your own safety than your camera's. For some Leica owners, this is a difficult concept to understand. Wear approved eye protection. Proceed at your own risk, be very careful with tools and always make sure the sharp end of any tool points away from any part of your body. Do your work on a clean, well illuminated surface.

Above: Here are the tools we're using. Our camera rests on a simple wood board, with a strip of wood screwed along the bottom edge. (Here we are using a piece of picture frame about 2 cm deep.) We also have a small hobby paint brush with natural bristles. Nylon bristles are also acceptable. This type of brush can be bought cheaply, usually in packs of 3 or more, at hardware or craft stores. Next to the brush is a bamboo chopstick, purchased at the supermarket. We've taken a hobby knife and sharpened the tip of the chopstick into a chisel shape. No sharp metal tools are needed or recommended for this job. The can at left is "ZAR" paint and varnish remover, also from the hardware store. This is a paste type stripper containing methylene chloride. There are many brands of stripper that will probably work as well as the "ZAR" product, but we use it because it works fast and has no odor. It's important to use a stripper with methylene chloride, and that is a paste, not a liquid. A paste stripper will say so on the can, and will be labeled as suitable for use on vertical surfaces.

Before starting, we'll see how much of the old vulcanite comes off the easy way. The back door is one place where you can often get all the vulcanite to fall off by prying under an edge or along a break using the bamboo chisel. On the body, pry at the edges of any areas that have already broken away. You can tap the vulcanite with a metal knife handle to try and crack it, or listen for a hollow sound that indicates an area where the vulcanite is not cemented down. You would be surprised how much material you can remove before resorting to the liquid stripper.

Left: We've poured a little of the stripper into the top of the can and are applying it thickly over the front vulcanite with our brush. To make handling easier, for now we do just one side of the camera, front and back. It isn't necessary to apply the stripper right up to the edges of the vulcanite. We leave a "dry" margin of about 2 mm all around, including the screws on the front. Applying stripper to the screws will remove the black paint. To be safe, it's a good idea to keep the liquid off all metal parts.

The stripper is like a gelatin, and it may be difficult to pour out a small amount. It may be easier to pour it into a larger container, but the container must be made of metal (not aluminum) or glass.

We take a toothpick and mark each screw with a tiny amount of white toothpaste. It seems silly, but it prevents us from getting any of the liquid stripper on the screw, during the application, and when cleaning up.

Film door and camera back: It's important not to apply the stripper to the black painted frame on the back or the metal edge where the body covering terminates. This edge may look like black metal, but it's really just textured paint.

On this camera the back door vulcanite has already fallen off, but if we had to use the stripper, we would apply it in the same manner shown, by leaving a 2 mm "dry" margin next to the painted surface.

After about 10 minutes the stripper will have soaked in. Now we apply a second coat of stripper all around, using a small circular motion, as if using an old shaving brush. This helps get the liquid into all the recesses on the vulcanite. Now the camera will sit for about 45 minutes.

Left: When the covering has blistered randomly, it's ready to be removed. Note: the cover will seem to be blistered only in parts, but the entire cover is now soft enough for easy removal. You will get better results if the can of stripper is fresh. Stripper in a can that has been opened for awhile will be less effective than fresh stripper.

(I didn't say this would be pretty!)

Now we've taken our board and placed it on the work surface at an angle, allowing us to work from behind the camera, and to scrape down using the chopstick. There are a number of ways to set the board at a comfortable angle. We have another strip of wood nailed to our work bench, which functions as a "stop" on the front, and then some wooden triangles placed under the board from the back.

Always place the camera so the top plate is up, and then use the bamboo chisel so it points to the base plate. The bamboo won't harm the base plate.

Once we have all the vulcanite off one side of the camera, we repeat the above procedure on the other side.

Left: When the vulcanite is gone, we're left with the residue of cement used to adhere it. This can be cleaned up with another coat of the stripper, applied in the same way as before, with our brush coming to within a couple of millimeters of the edges, screws, and painted parts on the back.

At this point you may have to deal with one of the many glues and other unspeakable resins injected under the vulcanite by a repair tech in an attempt to keep it glued down. The stripper will usually dissolve it, but you may have to apply it more than once.

We use lots of pieces of paper towel to clean up the residue. We clean up the broad areas first, and then work out to the edges.

To clean up the edges and the hard to reach parts, we're using the chopstick and some crumpled bits of paper towel.

It isn't necessary to remove every bit of residue. The camera shown here is cleaner than it has to be for the new cover to adhere well. Above all the surface should be smooth, with no raised bits that might appear as a bump once the camera is recovered.

All M bodies have these round impressions on the back. These were filled, apparently to bring the surface up to the surrounding metal. Usually a white filler was used, although our camera has a grey material, not unlike the "bondo" used in auto body repair. Some Leica owners think the white filler is some type of corrosion, and scrape it out. Your new cover will look better if you leave it alone!

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