Removing Smoke Damage

[jersievers]

I just acquired a Konica Auto S2 from the bay. When on a whim because it was an "As Is" with smoke damage for $10. Really wanted a cheap piece to get started learning to repair these typed of cameras, practice, practice, practice.

Anyway, Surprise, got it today and it is in great shape, it was in its original leather case(which is in great shape) and the damage was limited to the top, and very little to the top of the lens and none on the glass. Not of the plastic parts were warped and the light seals were old, but not damaged from heat. Shutter and manual mechanisms work great with out any stick-age.

So, I need to replace the light seals, got that covered.

Second need to clean off the grime, any suggestions?

1) need to get smoke grime off the metal parts, some painted.
2) neet to get smoke grime off of the sensor read out dial on top, which is plastic...don't want to cloud up the plastic.

Any experience in this would be greatfuly appriciated, thanks.

-Jeremy

 

[btgc]

wahh, I saw this S2 on BAS, and weren't sure to make a shot (because shipping to my country is times bigger than cost itself)! I just needed one as my first S2 is rather donor now.

But how smoke grime responds to ood' gd' lighter fuid ?

 

[FallisPhoto]

I just acquired a Konica Auto S2 from the bay. When on a whim because it was an "As Is" with smoke damage for $10. Really wanted a cheap piece to get started learning to repair these typed of cameras, practice, practice, practice.

Anyway, Surprise, got it today and it is in great shape, it was in its original leather case(which is in great shape) and the damage was limited to the top, and very little to the top of the lens and none on the glass. Not of the plastic parts were warped and the light seals were old, but not damaged from heat. Shutter and manual mechanisms work great with out any stick-age.

So, I need to replace the light seals, got that covered.

Second need to clean off the grime, any suggestions?

1) need to get smoke grime off the metal parts, some painted.
2) neet to get smoke grime off of the sensor read out dial on top, which is plastic...don't want to cloud up the plastic.

Any experience in this would be greatfuly appriciated, thanks.

-Jeremy

You didn't ask about this, but lighter fluid and/or denatured alcohol would be my solvents of choice for cleaning the glass. As for the stuff you did ask about:

1. For cleaning metal, including painted metal, I would mix a good detergent with a small amount of sodium bicarbonate and a little water. Clean it with that prior to polishing the metal with something like Nevr Dull. Soot and smoke deposits are very acidic and can pit metal (the sodium bicarb will neutralize the acids).

2. For cleaning plastic, there is an old watchmaker's trick used for cleaning and brightening a cloudy watch crystal: toothpaste on a finger. Works great as long as you are not cleaning precision optics -- like a photo-taking lens. A piece of plastic covering a sensor readout is not a precision lens, and so this should be safe for it. Also works great for cleaning and brightening viewfinder lenses on box cameras and folders. It can also be used to remove minor scratches and will work on either glass or plastic, but glass takes longer.