KoNickon
Nick Merritt
Looks like a previous owner's North Carolina driver's license number. Presumably unique to the owner, so more easily traceable. I've seen Social Security numbers on equipment also.
When you're done, give me your address so I can send you my S2 piecesexcited to see how it turns out!
You have S2 pieces already stripped? I have a IIc, two M3s, the black dial S2, and two meters underway.
Seriously can’t believe so many owners were ok with defacing their cameras for supposed security…
The M3 pictured above had a name engraved, or what i presume to be someone’s name. The camera is in poor condition cosmetically with disintegrated vulcanite, a little ding on the top plate (since removed) along with the engraving (now also history) but mechanically and optically it is superb. It still had the Leitz ‘£’ seal, and none of the screws had any marks, it had never been opened.
largedrink
Down Under
How did you remove the "little ding"?
It was a little bend on the top plate near the rewind knob. I'll post some pics. Drill press and some carefully placed wood pieces cut to the right size flattened it back out.
This was more evident when viewed by eye, but you can see the little bend in the top plate, looks like a shadow.
farlymac
PF McFarland
Some of them didn't have a choice if they were in the military. That was the prescribed method of showing ownership in case one of your mates took a fancy to boosting others property. Luckily they started that program after I got out of the Navy, though I did have to register the serial numbers of my gear when I brought it on board.
PF
Hmm, have never heard that before. If only there were UV markers back in the day...
Nitroplait
Well-known
If it doesn't bother the owner to engrave their name or an id number however crudely, why should others care?
It is not like it takes away anything from the functionality of the item - it is purely cosmetic.
If anything, the next owner should be happy that they got the camera cheaper because it didn't look like unused jewellery.
If vanity dictates the object should be pretty - just look elsewhere.
It is not like it takes away anything from the functionality of the item - it is purely cosmetic.
If anything, the next owner should be happy that they got the camera cheaper because it didn't look like unused jewellery.
If vanity dictates the object should be pretty - just look elsewhere.
Many people appreciate the design aesthetic and manufacturing precision and detail that went into these products and it is not vain to express sadness over that effort being intentionally defaced, especially when the engraving is entirely due to the desire to protect its inherent value. But the effort to protect ironically results in devaluation... One can rue the defacing in a similar way to the defacing of an iconic painting.
farlymac
PF McFarland
Where I used to work we used an industrial size sonic bath and lime Kool-aid. Will take it down to bare metal quite easily.
PF
Duofold RF
Well-known
Acid can remove chrome, but not the underneath nickel coating, need chemicals to remove the nickel, some of the plating shop or gun smith shop sell these chemical kit in powder or liquid form
Duofold RF
Well-known
My S2 along with some other brass parts
The bare metal need to be treated before the painting job, otherwise, paint will not stick on the metal very well.
All the vintage painted cameras were directly on brass, that's what I'll be doing here. Paint will stick to nickel as well, but people prefer 'brassing' as opposed to 'nickeling.'
farlymac
PF McFarland
We mainly used the Kool-aid to remove any corrosion before sending parts for replating, but if you left them in the sonic bath long enough it would take them all the way down to the brass. Then it cost us more than double to get that batch re-nickel plated before the chrome. Needless to say, they would only let you get by with that once. If there was a next time there would be consequences.
PF
jbielikowski
Jan Bielikowski
wasn't the bottom plate of the S2 a PITA to work with? I have a plating shop nearby but I need to give them "clean" parts to work with.
it was a challenge, yes. have to remove the latch and then protect the leather...the bottom is attached to the back using rivets, and there is no way to remove the rivets and just work on the bottom plate alone.
steveyork
Well-known
Look forward to seeing the finished product. I always heard de-chroming the back was the tricky part.
jbielikowski
Jan Bielikowski
that's what worries me as I'm looking at my S3, there is no way I can use electrolysis on it... also the ISO dial looks fragile.