My minox B has a few very minor scratches. They are shallow and only visible in light, when you are looking for them. Does anyone know if there is a way to buff them out? Even though they are hardly visible, I know they are there. I am sure u all know what I mean. Any advise would be appreciated! Dave

-- dave (Dcdouble_o_7@hotmail.com), February 10, 2000

Answers

Dave, your 'scratches'are almost invisible, leave it alone :)

Minox surface is anodized aluminium, it is a thin layer of poros aluminium oxide, which renders the surface a matt look. I don't think you can buffle oxide like you buffle metal surface, the risk here is that if you do buffle, you certainly can remove all traces of scrathes, but you may end up with big stretches of shinny patches.

But I know very little about treatment of anodized surfaces, may be other Minoxers have some special methods.

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), February 10, 2000.

No, do NOT try to buffle anodized surfaces!!!! This surface is only about .001 mm thick, and if you buffle hard, you will just remove it, having a very sensitive surface of pure aluminium under it. You could dismount the whole camera, take the housing to a galvano-workshop and order a new anodized surface. But, this is not worth the effort, I think....

-- Oliver (pyper@fks.chem.tu-berlin.de), February 11, 2000.

Aha, Oliver is right

If you buffle anodized surface, you take off the protection layer.

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), February 11, 2000.