Brassed Chrome

[anitasanger]

Hey guys, any hardcore users ever brass their chrome Leica's? Or at least have pics of any brassed Leica's? Let's see em! I recall only having seen one, Winogrand's m4 i think. It looked really nice.

 

[B.J.Scharp]

One of my M3's:

Brassed enough for you? 🙂

 

[anitasanger]

Oh wow that's beautiful! Dare I ask how many rolls you've put through it?

 

[dyao]

Took this photo at a local (overpriced) camera shop

notice the M2 with the weird triangle behind the M4 - as far as I could tell, that was the brass showing through. wondering how it got to be that way.

 

[Pablito]

Took this photo at a local (overpriced) camera shop

notice the M2 with the weird triangle behind the M4 - as far as I could tell, that was the brass showing through. wondering how it got to be that way.

It is an M3

 

[Pablito]

Hey guys, any hardcore users ever brass their chrome Leica's? Or at least have pics of any brassed Leica's? Let's see em! I recall only having seen one, Winogrand's m4 i think. It looked really nice.

You can get the same result with some fine sandpaper.

 

[Vickko]

hmmm. I like brassed black. Brassed chrome just doesn't hold any appeal for me.

 

[Keith]

I sometimes wonder with cameras like B J Scharp's example posted above, if they're affected by different acidity levels in various people's physical makeup. (persperation)

To remove chrome in the area of that camera to the level that has occured there has to be more than just an abrasive effect happening IMO.

 

[35mmdelux]

You can get the same result with some fine sandpaper.

Hopefully the grit removed with the sandpaper doesn't work its way into the inner workings of the camera.

 

[ItsReallyDarren]

Theres a guy called Vladimir around San Francisco who shoots with brassed M2's. He's removed the chrome as well as the strap lugs. Does not use email, does not use a computer, just a darkroom. He also likes to make fun of the photographer (Brad) who took this photo for using digital.

http://www.citysnaps.net/blog/2009/09/20/saturday-shooting/

from Brad's website, (hope you don't mind Brad)

The viewfinder might look like it came from an M3, that is correct. He has at least one M2 with an M3 viewfinder.

 

[zerobuttons]

I sometimes wonder with cameras like B J Scharp's example posted above, if they're affected by different acidity levels in various people's physical makeup. (persperation)
.....

You are probably on to something there. It is a well-known phenomenon among brass wind players that some cannot play a new instrument more than a week before the acid in their finger prints is beginning to wear away the glossy lacquer from the brass, while others can have shiny instruments for decades.

 

[JPSuisse]

Hey, I really like the picture of that completely brassed M!

That's great.... thanks for sharing!!!!

JP

 

[anitasanger]

awesome pic guys! Keep them coming. I believe the acidity thing. I've seen people with leather couches and the place where their hand rests first turns very dark, then later begins to crack. I really, really dig the concept of genuine from-use brassing. I'm just wondering if I can legitimately brass chrome after 10 or so years of shooting. I guess it's a maybe, maybe not kind of thing,

 

[drewbarb]

Somewhere I once saw a nice shot of photographer Abbas with a seriously brassed chrome M camera; it was the first time I ever saw a brassed camera that I thought looked really cool. I've always liked the looks of any Leica that has been worn from use, but the worn chrome cameras are especially cool in my book. Anyone can wear down a black paint M- but a chrome camera really has to spend a lot of time in the hands to wear down to brass. THAT's cool.

 

[Tipton]

awesome pic guys! Keep them coming. I believe the acidity thing. I've seen people with leather couches and the place where their hand rests first turns very dark, then later begins to crack. I really, really dig the concept of genuine from-use brassing. I'm just wondering if I can legitimately brass chrome after 10 or so years of shooting. I guess it's a maybe, maybe not kind of thing,

I think it's more of a how much you use kind of thing. 10 years of daily, or close to daily use, yeah, you'll brass it for sure.