Argh! Nikon F & F-36 + Cat Urine

[healyzh]

I finally got the Nikon F with a F-36 winder that I should have gotten about 3-4 years ago (had I gotten it then, this wouldn't have been an issue).

The battery pack for the F-36 seems to be in good shape, except one battery leaked. The box even seems in good shape. This is the good part of this tale.

The F-36 box has one of the upper ends that has been soaked in Cat Urine. Needless to say the box is out in the shed now. The F-36 itself is in fairly good shape with only one minor spot of corrosion from the Cat Urine.

Now for the Nikon F. The area of the back near the frame counter is badly corroded, and I think there is some minor corrosion on the finder below the film speed dial.

Does anyone happen to know how to clean up the corroded metal??

 

[BillBingham2]

Never used it on camera parts, but CLR? Mostly used in bathrooms, but might work. I used it on some mounting brackets for a CRV radiator.

Navel Jelly perhaps, not sure if it's still sold anywhere. A good soaking of the part in oil and some elbow grease with 00000 steel wool (not really excited about this option).

Cat urine is nasty stuff. It found it's way into a hard drive in an office some years back. It's still in a double ziplock awaiting a day where I free time. It has a great NAS enclosure around it that makes it worse.

I do know dog urine will melt aluminum in an air conditioner condenser.....

I think I've just led a piss poor life.

Part of me says get a parts-only (read trashed camera) and try to recreate the problem (if the cat is still alive) and run some tests.

This is going to be an interesting thread to watch.

Good luck.

B2 (;->

 

[colyn]

You may be able to clean up the corrosion but the plating will be gone leaving a large ugly spot..

 

[Robert Lai]

New old stock Nikon F top plates and prism covers occasionally show up on ebay.

 

[news shooter]

Try Daves Camera Repair in Chelsea Michigan.
Has lots of parts!

 

[BillBingham2]

I've looked into replating with nickel for other things and it doesn't look that hard. It was done with a 12 volt car battery in the video I watch.

Like with everything in life, nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it.......

B2 (;->

 

[rick oleson]

"Like with everything in life, nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it......."

This reminds me very much of my past 8 months' adventure in Mercedes repair.

I think I would go the replacement route, wherever practical - Nikon F's can be found at fairly reasonable cost to donate top plates & other parts. It's a shame that it won't still be all the original pieces, but I think a better result overall than trying to clean up and replate/repaint the originals.