Chrome Finish on M

M

Martin Horne

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Hello All,

I'd like to ask a question about marks on chrome finishes. I'm looking at M2/3/4 chrome bodies and most have marks on the top plate (usually from meters and the usual scratches and tripod marks on the bases plate and where the straps attach.
Simple question - can they be removed/refinished to restore the camera chrome to 'as new' finish?

If 'yes' what are the common methods?

Cheers

Martin
 
I'd think that they'd need electrolytic removal of the old chrome and subsequent re-plating to get in their original state. What I most often read is that people merely remove the chrome and paint them black instead..
 
I would have a word with Peter at CRR. Replateing is a rather specialized task and somewhat more difficult than stripping it. Another alternative might be to replace the top and bottom plate but this would affect the serial number. New plates can be found regularly on the net.

On the other hand, unless it is to be a shelf queen, you are only going to end up marking the new ones so why not just use and enjoy as a tool?

Kim
 
Mine is covered in scratches. In fact, I added to them. I scratched out all the black from in the "Leica/Leitz/Germany" etc (leaving only the M2 + Serial in black as it wasnt flakey). I was considering having it repainted or the top and bottom replaced, but then I realised the money would be better spent on a second body or some nice lenses.
 
Martin Horne said:
Hello All,

I'd like to ask a question about marks on chrome finishes. I'm looking at M2/3/4 chrome bodies and most have marks on the top plate (usually from meters and the usual scratches and tripod marks on the bases plate and where the straps attach.
Simple question - can they be removed/refinished to restore the camera chrome to 'as new' finish?

If 'yes' what are the common methods?

Cheers

Martin
Click to expand...

Never done it to a Leica ... but have had chromed pieces of my bikes.
If you strip the chrome, one of the bike chroming places (there are several
here close to San Francisco, for instance) could re-chrome them, but
chances are they come out much shinier than the original chrome.
More like a mirror .... Would be fun to see the outcome, though.

Roland.
 
Hello Martin,
The finish is satin chrome which is not the same as plain polished chrome. I looked at doing this to one of my project but found it was not as straight forward as polished. As I understand the surface needs to be etched with a slurry to produce the satisfactory end result. I know of a firm that will black chrome to a high standard, but this is in the U.K. The art of painting is to etch prime the brass after all the original chrome nickel and copper flash have been removed, else it will not stick!

Food for thought,

Cheers normclarke.
 
ferider said:
Never done it to a Leica ... but have had chromed pieces of my bikes.
If you strip the chrome, one of the bike chroming places (there are several
here close to San Francisco, for instance) could re-chrome them, but
chances are they come out much shinier than the original chrome.
More like a mirror .... Would be fun to see the outcome, though.

Roland.
Click to expand...

they must be sandblasted to archive that satin chrome finish.
 
When I was shopping for an M2 I saw one where someone had tried to polish out some meter marks. This had produced a large bright patch of polished chrome on the top plate. It looked really strange.
 
normclarke said:
Hello Martin,
The finish is satin chrome which is not the same as plain polished chrome. I looked at doing this to one of my project but found it was not as straight forward as polished. As I understand the surface needs to be etched with a slurry to produce the satisfactory end result. I know of a firm that will black chrome to a high standard, but this is in the U.K. The art of painting is to etch prime the brass after all the original chrome nickel and copper flash have been removed, else it will not stick!

Food for thought,

Cheers normclarke.
Click to expand...

Why wouldn't it stick? Who says it won't? Paint will stick to Nickel.
 
I know specialized metal finishing factory in france that can do it. But first they need to strip the chrome and the nickel off. Then do put a new nickel layer and another chrome layer. But your chrome may differ significantly from the Leitz one that is really hard to reproduce. I think I read on Tom A. site that it wanted to chrome on brass his rapidwinder but when he ask the cost for it, that was really unthinkable as it was really expensive.
 
Martin Horne said:
Hello All,

I'd like to ask a question about marks on chrome finishes. I'm looking at M2/3/4 chrome bodies and most have marks on the top plate (usually from meters and the usual scratches and tripod marks on the bases plate and where the straps attach.
Simple question - can they be removed/refinished to restore the camera chrome to 'as new' finish?

If 'yes' what are the common methods?

Cheers

Martin
Click to expand...

Hmmm...well, if the scratches bother you, then you might consider a titanium finish. I love my Nikon F3 Titatnium because it resists scratches, etc. so well and there are never any fingerprints.

But, then again, a rangefinder with scratches adds character! 😀

Your choice, though,....good luck!
 
Quote. Paint will stick to nickel.

If it is properly primed. It is difficult to prime nickel as it is harder than brass that is why most of the refinishers resort to the bare brass.

normclarke
 
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