Leica LTM Need IIIC Shutter Curtains

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
G

geo362

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Feb 28, 2006
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Is there a good source of shutter curtain material for
Leica screwmount cameras, something that the more experienced
techs consider not just adequate but, perhaps, superior ?

Also, does anyone know the thickness of the curtains Leica used (.15mm
or .2mm) ?

Thanks,

Geo
 
Agree with John about Aki-Asahi. They work perfectly, so thickness is not a problem -- sorry, "issue".
 
The red\black curtains from microtools would work well in your Leica. Very thin and light- and would probably make your Leica operate lighter and quieter. But be very careful about installing them. They go in only one correct way, orientation based on the fabric's weave pattern. The cloth stretches when pulled in the 'wrong way'.
 
Thanks to everyone for your thoughts on this. I did purchase some of
Aki's material and did a Zorki-1 with it. I found it to be just a little on the
heavy side, though it's certainly of high quality and easy to work with.

Micro-tool's prices are high but if the quality is there then it's worth it.
I'll watch for the correct orientation to avoid stretching and thanks, Jay,
for telling me about this beforehand. It's no fun having to reglue.

Best,
Geo
 
I would stay with DAG since he sells original curtains with the tapes already attached. If you go with the other suggested places you may get tape material which is too thick.
 
It may sound like I'm bragging, but I'm just stating the truth and setting the record straight...Nobody has thinner or lighter shutter cloth than I do. Mine is .0065" thick. That is the exact same thickness as the original Minolta, the Olympus OM, and the Leica thin cloth, and nobody else has it. Asahi's = .008, Micro-Tools = .0085. If you need any, please e:mail me at Jon_Goodman@yahoo.com

For anyone who thinks the difference between .008 and .0065 isn't much....it is over 20% lighter...or heavier, depending on your perspective.

Jon
 
I would stay away from the material that Micro-Tools sells. I purchased a 6' x 42" piece and it turned out to be full of holes. Micro-Tools response was that there is no return on consumable materials. I ordered 2 meters of material from Aki-Asahi, the double silk type 0.007"), and I have been extremely pleased with it. I also have some 0.006" thick material that I have found to be very nice to use. But for Canon, Nicca, Honor, Leotax, Nikon and Leica rangefinder cameras I only use the double silk material (it is identical to the original material used in these cameras). Mostly I use the thinner material in the Minolta screwmount cameras or in the Foth/Fothflex cameras. The thinner material is total synthetic and I would suspect it has a life expectancy of 25+ years. The natural silk/rubber types when exposed to UV and ozone will break down eventually. Speed of decay is a function of the amount of ozone in the atmosphere where the camera is kept. I have repaired Minolta 35 Leica copies from Tucson Arizona that the curtains where in excellent shape and I have seen ones from Los Angeles where the rubber had hardened to the point of brittleness due to ozone.


karl
 
I do not know whether Micro Tools sell good things or bad ones, but I do know that their response to an e-mail enquiry was exceptionally rude. Possibly they do not care for those who would bring them little profit. That they run several web sites, all of which lead to the same mother lode, might also mean something.
 
Geo

Zorki shutters tend to be thicker and heavier- their mechanisms were made to bear that load. I've always made my shutter cloth for my Zorki repairs. I've also used this for a wartime Leica IIIc. Really older FED used really thick shutter cloth. Using a thinner cloth in them often makes them operate lighter. The microtools red/black shutter cloth was sent to me to try out. It was really opaque and other wise good if installed in the right orientation.

Later Leica need lighter and thinner cloth. Jon Goodman's a good source of shutter cloth.

Jay



geo362 said:
Thanks to everyone for your thoughts on this. I did purchase some of
Aki's material and did a Zorki-1 with it. I found it to be just a little on the
heavy side, though it's certainly of high quality and easy to work with.

Micro-tool's prices are high but if the quality is there then it's worth it.
I'll watch for the correct orientation to avoid stretching and thanks, Jay,
for telling me about this beforehand. It's no fun having to reglue.

Best,
Geo
Click to expand...
 
Jay does make very nice cloth...about 3 or 4 years ago, I used some of his in a FED NKVD I repaired and also a Zenit 3M. At that time, I was also experimenting with making cloth, and Jay and I traded samples of what we were making. Another fellow (now living in Japan) sent me a sample of some cloth he had found, and it turned out to be very nice and very uniform material (originally it was made in Singapore). Unfortunately it was no longer being produced, and the current inventory was all there was left. Fortunately, I was able to buy almost an entire roll of it. The ribbons I have are silk and about .0044" thick. For the last 2.5 years, I have been using the same pressure-sensitive adhesive that I use on the light seal foam I sell to attach the curtains and ribbons, and I've been extremely satisfied with it. If anybody would like to see the material, please send a self-addressed stamped envelope to me at:

Jon Goodman
9153 Loma Vista
Dallas, TX 75243

Please put a note in there about shutter cloth, so I will know it has nothing to do with light seal material. I'll send you enough to re-seal a Leica or clone type camera.
Jon
 
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