Red shutter curtain material source.

[m4malious]

HI,
Yes, I appreciate this has been asked before, but I'm looking for up to date information....
Has anyone got a source for red shutter curtain material (that is current and available)?
or
Is there anyone on this list who has some and is prepared to spare a bit?
Thx
M

 

[Rob-F]

What would be the point?

 

[Particular]

What would be the point?

Perhaps to replace the original red curtain?

This eBay seller: nobbysparrow sells high quality black material. Perhaps he knows of a red curtain source.

 

[Rob-F]

Perhaps to replace the original red curtain?

But, everyone will know it isn't original. All the original red curtains I've seen are falling apart by now.

 

[Particular]

But, everyone will know it isn't original. All the original red curtains I've seen are falling apart by now.

Sure, but it is common practice to restore something with materials that match the original material. If it exists, why not use it?

 

[Rob-F]

OK, for the sake of having a collectible. But not for functionality.

 

[m4malious]

Thanks CNNY - good suggestion, but, nobbysparrow confirmed he doesn't have any. Hoping someone else may know of a source.

 

[Bill Clark]

Couple ideas to help:

(Maybe dead end but worth a try!)

Would any of the repair folks have material such as Youxin or DAG or Sherry?

Or maybe send email here:

http://aki-asahi.com/store/html/curtains/shutter-curtain.php

I see in the description "silk+rubber and nylon+rubber" perhaps they could find red.

 

[sevo]

I forget the history - was Leitz forced to use red curtain material because they were unable to obtain the black stuff due to wartime shortages ?

( And by extrapolation, if they had a choice between red or black material, would they have stuck with the black ? )

The red curtains are supposed to have been from a test batch of shutter cloth purchased abroad in 1937 (perhaps from Graflex or Kodak) in the search for a material less vulnerable to cloth shutter burn. Apparently, it had some significant disadvantage known to Leica, as it was only used in production years later, after the supply of the regular black cloth had ended some months into the war.

 

[m4malious]

Thanks Bill Clark - yes Aki-Asahi used to carry red...but no longer do....so, am still searching for a source, even if only enough for 1 camera.

 

[Rob-F]

The red curtains are supposed to have been from a test batch of shutter cloth purchased abroad in 1937 (perhaps from Graflex or Kodak) in the search for a material less vulnerable to cloth shutter burn. Apparently, it had some significant disadvantage known to Leica, as it was only used in production years later, after the supply of the regular black cloth had ended some months into the war.

Another version of this is that during the war, the silk cloth that Leitz normally bought from the USA could not be obtained, because the USA refused to supply nazi Germany. This version also says that the red cloth was a parachute cloth. This information, of course, is worth what you are paying for it! 🙂

 

[m4malious]

....Folks - the history lessons, points-of-view on restoration approach, etc, are superfluous. The question asked for a current supplier - not a lecture on the background.

 

[Rob-F]

....Folks - the history lessons, points-of-view on restoration approach, etc, are superfluous. The question asked for a current supplier - not a lecture on the background.

Uh, Oh, we've been busted by the relevance police.

 

[David Hughes]

No way, that was a secondary question and ought to be answered. Ignoring it would be rude and we are here to spread the knowledge, enlightenment etc...

Regards, David

 

[m4malious]

The history has all been documented already in other threads in this forum. Simply repeating what's already documented elsewhere is just a waste of disk space.

 

[NeeZee]

Simply repeating what's already documented elsewhere is the concept of the internet. Where have you been the last two decades? 😉