Knurling on M2/M3/MP rewind knob

[mdwsta4]

I've owned three M bodies with a knurled rewind knob; 2 M2's and an MP. The knurling on the MP appears to be sharper or rougher than the older worn M2's and has resulted in tearing through portions of my strap.

Has this happened to any other users? Aside from putting on a winder cover, any other suggestions on how to fix the problem?

Not sure if this makes any difference, but one of the M2's as well as the MP I can spin the rewind knob at anytime. So when a roll is loaded, I can spin the outer part of the knob. On one M2, the knob doesn't move at all. I'm not sure how the knob should be.

I can't find the pic of the last strap where it ate through the stitching, but here's an image of the current wear on my strap after only two outings. This pic also shows the winder cover put on over it.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Strange that the rewind knob causes damage to your strap with the rewinder lever attached.

Also, normally the outer rewind knob doesn't move when using the camera. So it is hard to believe that this damage is caused by the rewind knob.

Erik.

 

[ian_watts]

Both your and Erik's responses appear to be contradictory of each other with one of you stating the knob should not move and the other stating it should. Does anyone know for certain what is normal?

The knob should spin freely (though not loosely) when in the retracted (non-rewinding) position. At least that is my experience of the MP (and, more recently, M-A).

 

[Erik van Straten]

It can spin freely, but when you stop it with your finger, only the inner mechanism moves, not the outer knurled ring. You will see only the two red dots spinning. This is why the lever stays put when mounted.

Erik.

 

[ian_watts]

It can spin freely, but when you stop it with your finger, only the inner mechanism moves, not the outer knurled ring.

Just to clarify my earlier comment, the outer knurled ring doesn't spin at all when you are winding the film on after each photo (just the centre part moves) but it is free to turn in either direction (albeit nicely damped) if you move it with your fingers.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Just to clarify my earlier comment, the outer knurled ring doesn't spin at all when you are winding the film on after each photo (just the centre part moves) but it is free to turn in either direction (albeit nicely damped) if you move it with your fingers.

Exacty, that is why it is improbable that the knurled ring will damage the neckstrap.

Erik.

 

[Huss]

The rewind knob on my M5 has never chafed my strap.

😉

(neither has it on either one of my M3s. The knobs are able to spin freely when in the retracted position)

Maybe the length of your camera strap is exactly 'wrong' so that it is in the perfect position to chafe?

 

[Mike Fish]

Trying to see if we're missing something here...

1) How do you use the "neck strap?" As a neck strap? Or perhaps do you gather the strap and wrap it around your hand to carry - or around your wrist?
2) Do you use the strap with the MP the same way you do/did with the M2s?
3) Is the MP strap the same as the M2 straps?
4) You say "knurling on the MP appears to be sharper or rougher than the older worn M2's." Does it look and/or feel like it is? Can you post a picture of the knurling?

 

[mdwsta4]

Okay, we're on the same page. yes, that's how it moves.

Just to clarify my earlier comment, the outer knurled ring doesn't spin at all when you are winding the film on after each photo (just the centre part moves) but it is free to turn in either direction (albeit nicely damped) if you move it with your fingers.

Hey Sonny, I use the strap the same way I did with the M2's, usually around one shoulder, sometimes in my hand, and sometimes bandolier style. But most of the time slung over one shoulder. The strap is the same as what I used on the M2's.

Trying to see if we're missing something here...

1) How do you use the "neck strap?" As a neck strap? Or perhaps do you gather the strap and wrap it around your hand to carry - or around your wrist?
2) Do you use the strap with the MP the same way you do/did with the M2s?
3) Is the MP strap the same as the M2 straps?
4) You say "knurling on the MP appears to be sharper or rougher than the older worn M2's." Does it look and/or feel like it is? Can you post a picture of the knurling?

Unfortunately, I no longer have the M2's to do a direct comparison, but here are some photos I was able to find from when I did own them showing the knurling on the rewind knob. Was just thinking because of the age of both of those cameras that the knurling had been worn down from use whereas the MP has only had about 200 rolls through it.

 

[rlouzan]

Just ask DAG if a M2 rewind knob fits your MP body.

 

[ottluuk]

Or cover the vulnerable part of the strap with some slippery tape and carry on 🙂

 

[Richard G]

The turning of the knurled rewind knob is as could be distilled from the totality of the thread: it is damped but spins freely when stowed down flush with the inner rewind shaft with the two red dots. Similarly, when advancing, only the post with two red dots turns.

From the front of My M2, near mint and perfectly serviced in 2007, the rewind knob does not quite extend quite to the full width of the top plate. For some time I have had an M6 strap on mine. I wear it over a shoulder, or with the strap wound around my right wrist. There is no wear at all. Rubbing my finger across the lip of the knurled ring it is smooth and not sharp. I haven't used the ever-ready case for the M2 for about ten years. I can't remember what strap I used before the M2 strap. But no wear on that either.

The inside of the ever ready case and the edge of the top does wear a little against the knurled rewind when opening and closing and some cases had a strip of plastic or leather to stop this tearing at the lining of the top part of the ever ready case.

 

[Richard G]

I looked at the MA and the MP on Leica's site. They're the same. The rewind knob is set back a millimetre from the edge of the top cover. If you make some sort of 'bump' on the strap which sits against the top cover you might avoid wear on the strap. I still suspect there might be something you do differently with your strap that leads to this wear. Or there's a burr or two on the edge of your rewind knurled ring.