Is there a way to buff out those "bright marks"?

[sdotkling]

You'd think there'd be a way. Since so many of us have old Leicas with those meter-caused bright marks, surely someone has come up with a way to remove them. After all, the original texture is the result of some kind of polishing technique, and there must be a way to replicate it and remove the bright marks. Anyone know?

 

[Rob-F]

I don't think so. The bright marks are already the result of rubbing. Buffing I'm sure will make them brighter.

 

[CameraQuest]

You'd think there'd be a way. Since so many of us have old Leicas with those meter-caused bright marks, surely someone has come up with a way to remove them. After all, the original texture is the result of some kind of polishing technique, and there must be a way to replicate it and remove the bright marks. Anyone know?

only in your dreams.

Stephen

 

[Harry Lime]

You'd think there'd be a way. Since so many of us have old Leicas with those meter-caused bright marks, surely someone has come up with a way to remove them. After all, the original texture is the result of some kind of polishing technique, and there must be a way to replicate it and remove the bright marks. Anyone know?

The original finish is not the result of a polishing process. It's a satin chrome anodizing.
Using electrolysis in an acid bath the brass parts are first plated with nickel and then with satin chrome.

If you polish the satin chrome you're just going to make it bright and shinny.

The only way to fix this is to strip the parts back down to the bare brass via reverse electrolysis and reapply the nickel and satin chrome. But good luck finding someone who can perfectly match that old satin chrome. Even modern chrome Leicas don't look like the old ones.

I'd just leave it alone. The scratches add character.

 

[astro8]

It's not really 'satin' chrome. It's chrome plating over sand (garnet) blasted brass which gives the satin look....but as already mentioned, the only real way is to have it stripped and redone.

 

[Harry Lime]

It's not really 'satin' chrome. It's chrome plating over sand (garnet) blasted brass which gives the satin look....but as already mentioned, the only real way is to have it stripped and redone.

Hmmm. I had my M4 stripped down to the bare brass for a black paint refinish and it is perfectly smooth. Should I feel or see a certain amount of texture on the bare surface?
Do they blast the nickel layer perhaps?

 

[Pablito]

Anyway, the more "bright marks" the better the pictures!

 

[peterm1]

I once knew a guy who was a dentist. He told me he had a 'sand' blaster that fired microscopically small glass beads out of a nozzle - used apparently to roughen up the surface of a tooth prior to gluing a crown on (or some such) He claimed he tried using it to go over these kinds of bright spots on his equipment with some success. I never saw the results myself though so cannot vouch for it - and where on earth would you find the equipment anyway. Any Leica carrying dentists out there?

 

[truefriendship]

Given the typical dentists' income, I'd expect most of them have at least one M camera!

 

[Bill58]

Several people make a flat "plug" that goes inside the slot of the shoe. It would cover up the bright marks. I've seen them, but don't know they are called or specifically where you'd get one. Maybe someone else knows and can chime in here.

 

[sdotkling]

Thanks all. As far as dentists and Leicas, I thought that in the olde days there was hardly a dentist WITHOUT one!