Leica LTM alternate advance knobs?

[jagarch]

What's up with these advance knobs?



https://www.ebay.com/itm/Leica-III-...528937?hash=item3b0582cde9:g:UwUAAOSwikdaoY6Q

 

[Dan Daniel]

Not sure the real story and history, but certainly look like those large knobs would be helpful if I had gloves on, for example.

 

[B-9]

They definitely look custom,

The knurling looks to be pretty basic and I'm sure it wouldn't be much trouble to turn a handful of these on a small lathe.

Although I would be concerned about the amount of leverage it would afford you against the camera... not exactly the strongest part of a barnack.

 

[jagarch]

Any other examples of these in the wild?

 

[Dralowid]

They are the advance knobs of a Fed Siberia.

Maybe.

 

[jagarch]

They look different to me. The ones in the auctions have diagonal grooves in one direction but the Fed Siberia has hatch marks, two sets of diagonal grooves.

http://ussrphoto.com/Wiki/default.asp?WikiCatID=76&ParentID=1&ContentID=565

 

[Livesteamer]

I'm with B-9. Easy to make on a lathe. You just have to have the right taps. Metric, but possibly an unusual thread. Joe

 

[Dralowid]

Since the Fed Siberia is a 'creation' rather than a factory product I suspect there could be many differences.

 

[peterm1]

Is the Leica a WW2 era model? I could imagine such large knobs being made available for military use in cold climates either by Leica or made by the military. It is just a thought and I have no evidence for it but I do have the large standard reference book on Leica models and accessories by Van Hasbroeck. If I get time I will browse it to see if anything turns up. Alternatively it could be designed for reporters and others who needed to advance frames more quickly than is possible with standard sized knobs.

EDIT: Just checked Van Hasbroeck. On page 77 plate 44c has a photo of a Leica 250 - the one which takes large spools of film. It appears to have something similar though not identical. The rewind knob looks correspondingly larger too.

A photo from the internet with what looks like the knob / camera depicted in Van Hasbroeck.

 

[rbiemer]

I wonder if those are an aftermarket add on? Simply fitted over the existing knobs? Simple to make as B-9 mentions and probably helpful with gloves on.

Rob