Leica LTM Leica I (a) with Lizard skin

[Erik van Straten]

On my No 6535 the vulcanite goes under the lens flange, but its texture under the lens flange is different: fine structured circles, like an grammophone disc.

I have seen later examples on wich the vulcanite under the lens flange has the same structure as it has on other parts of the camera.

Erik.

 

[Dralowid]

That's it, your 6535 sounds the same as those that I had. I took it to be fairly coarse machining.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Well, those circles are very fine. But the idea to have vulcanite under the lens ...

The texture of the vulcanite is on 6.535 different than what you see on later cameras, but it is the same as on the earliest ones. The change is around 12.000.

I like it very much (the early stuff, that is).

Erik.

 

[David Hughes]

"It cleaned up a little better. It's worn, brassed, ugly, and chipped. But is my only hockey stick model. Found at an antique market, I probably paid too much (a few hundred)."

We should get some T Shirts made with that on it; then we could all recognise each other...

Regards, David

 

[Dralowid]

On Sunday night I was woken from my sleep in front of the tv by the mention of the word 'vulcanite'. It was Antiques Roadshow and they were talking about some faux Whitby jet jewellery that was apparently vulcanite...popular when the queen was in mourning for prince Albert.

 

[David Hughes]

Is that why they were described as jewellery for men?

Regards, David

 

[Erik van Straten]

On some Fisons some lens caps fit. But it is rare.

Erik.

 

[Erik van Straten]

On Sunday night I was woken from my sleep in front of the tv by the mention of the word 'vulcanite'. It was Antiques Roadshow and they were talking about some faux Whitby jet jewellery that was apparently vulcanite...popular when the queen was in mourning for prince Albert.

"Vulcanite" as a name for the stuff that is put on Leicas is wrong. The name of that stuff is "gutta percha". I found it rather strange to read that "gutta percha" was also used to make dental prostheses. I knew however that is was used for the isolation of telegraph cables in the deep sea.

Erik.

 

[Dralowid]

Yes I have read this too, handles for pistols etc as well. It seems to be tree resin/latex that could be mistaken for black tar...in old cables. Moulded when warm.

Peter used to recover Leicas with it using a heat gun. I have no idea if he still does.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Strange stuff, as it is very strong and brittle at the same time.

Erik.

 

[David Hughes]

"Yes I have read this too, handles for pistols etc as well... "

Only cheapo ones, the rest use walnut or similar exotic woods...

Regards, David

 

[goamules]

All I've ever heard is it is Vulcanite, made from natural rubber. There is a lot of confusion about early black materials. Some are called Gutta Percha, some Hard Rubber, and others. They are all made differently. Gutta Percha is a synthetic rubber, and quite hard. Gun grips were made from it, they typically chip off large pieces. I think the Leica coverings are more "hardened natural rubber" i.e. vulcanite. As their advertisements say.

See this too: http://www.nemeng.com/leica/032b.shtml

 

[goamules]

On the shims and lens being mounted over the vulcanite, I can confirm my 1930 has this. I pulled out a loupe, and can easily see the vulcanite goes under the lens flange, but there are what looks like a stack of 4-5 paper shims between the flange and vulcanite.

 

[Erik van Straten]

All I've ever heard is it is Vulcanite, made from natural rubber. There is a lot of confusion about early black materials. Some are called Gutta Percha, some Hard Rubber, and others. They are all made differently. Gutta Percha is a synthetic rubber, and quite hard. Gun grips were made from it, they typically chip off large pieces. I think the Leica coverings are more "hardened natural rubber" i.e. vulcanite. As their advertisements say.

See this too: http://www.nemeng.com/leica/032b.shtml

Guttapercha is not synthetic, but a natural product, imported from Indonesia.

Guttapercha is a product obtained from the milksap of gutta-perch trees (genus Palaquium, family Sapotaceae) from Indonesia, consisting of poly-trans-isoprene. It looks somewhat like rubber, but is harder.

It is used, among other things, for electrical insulation, in dentistry (as a nerve canal filling) and in golf balls.

It was used in times when there where no synthetic plastics.

Could be that for Leicas it was mixed up with rubber. Sometimes the cameras have a rubber-like smell.

Above all the covering of the black-and-nickel Leicas III have a brownish color that can become very light brown (coffee with milk color) when the camera is exposed to bright sunlight. In the dark it becomes dark brown-grey again.

Erik.

 

[goamules]

What I meant is Gutta Percha is not hard rubber. But why are we talking about Gutta Percha? Vulcanite is made from vulcanized natural rubber. Leica used vulcanite, natural rubber. Not Gutta Percha.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Yes, but guttapercha isn't synthetic rubber! Guttapercha is a product obtained from the milksap of gutta-perch trees (genus Palaquium, family Sapotaceae) from Indonesia. It was used for the coating of the Leica bodies. In 1925 synthetic rubber didn't exist.

Erik.

 

[David Hughes]

Neoprene was probably the first substitute but wasn't exactly suitable when first made and by the time it was Germany had managed to isolate itself...


Regards, David

 

[Dralowid]

So...presumably there is a date when the covering changes from a natural material to something synthetic???

 

[Erik van Straten]

So...presumably there is a date when the covering changes from a natural material to something synthetic???

I think it was with the coming of the M6. Although I've read somewere that the covering of the M4-2/M4-P looks like guttapercha (the same texture as M5, M4 and so on), but in fact it is something synthetic.

Erik.

 

[goamules]

Yes, but guttapercha isn't synthetic rubber! Guttapercha is a product obtained from the milksap of gutta-perch trees (genus Palaquium, family Sapotaceae) from Indonesia. It was used for the coating of the Leica bodies. In 1925 synthetic rubber didn't exist.

Erik.

Gutta Percha was NOT used to cover Leicas. Hardened natural rubber, aka latex was. Unless you have some documentation, everything I've ever read says the covering called "vulcanite" in the 20s and 30s was rubber/latex, that has been Vulcanized. The link above, by a chemist, says it's hard rubber too. Hard rubber was used for gun grips starting in the late 1800s, because it had some give and didn't chip as easily as gutta percha. For the same reason it was used by Leica. When new, it would have had a somewhat soft, grippy feel. Not like gutta percha, which is hard as plastic.