This is not much of an adventure. I've had my M6 for about 2 months and have been very careful to keep it unmarked. I've shot about 20 rolls of film ( I use it a lot, just carefully). Today I dropped it off the seat of my Jeep onto rough pavement and chipped about 3/4 of an inch of the base plate. I used a sharpening stone to smooth out the roughness but now I have a silver streak along the edge of the base plate. Do I just brag about how my Leica has stood up to punishment or can I replate or repaint the silver streak? It's kind of like getting the first ding in a new car. In some ways it's liberating.

-- jeff schraeder (jeff@engineperformance.com), June 25, 2001

Answers

Battle scar. Wear it proudly.

Actually, considering the fall, count yourself lucky. If you have a Leica Passport, they'll repair it free. Otherwise, chalk it up to experience. If you use the camera to its fullest, it will see some dings. Better than a pristine but unproductive camera.

-- Ken Shipman (kennyshipman@aol.com), June 25, 2001.

I use Marhyde automotive trim black for touching up a lot of black camera equipment.(available at car paint stores) It's a satin finish and adheres well to just about anything. I spray some out into a cup and use a small brush. The black on the M6 is more of an anodized finish of some sort and not paint, but the Marhyde should work OK. You can always use what's left over on your car. Please don't touch it up with a black Sharpie marker-I hate when people do that!

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), June 25, 2001.

Hello all. Allow me to tack on a question. I'm interested in this thread because I also have a black chrome camera and am wondering what durable paint I can use to cover scratches and brightmarks that I will eventually inflict on the camera.

There's been a suggestion for automotive paint however I saw a website selling black touch up paint for alumimium parts and guns which is pitched as restorative suppplies for cameras. I wonder if anyone else has used this stuff before and if it works as claimed. I won't name the site as I am not endorsing a product I've not used. Thanks for reading.

The blurb on the website reads: >Aluminum Black Metal-Touch Up >The room temperature chemical used by gunsmiths and industry to blacken ALUMINUM parts. Restores scratches and marred areas quickly. Fast Acting liquid is easy to apply with no dimensional change. Color will vary from deep grey to black depending on alloy.

-- Fred Sun (redsky3@yahoo.com), June 26, 2001.

Andrew,

How do you feel about people who use a red Sharpie to fill in the space where that missing red dot should go on a chrome Summicron?

-- Mike Dixon (mike@mikedixonphotography.com), June 26, 2001.

Jeff you can always get another baseplate, but I agree with Ken, you should fell lucky and be proud.

-- r watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), June 26, 2001.

Jeff: IMO, I'm with Ken - wear the battle scar. Remember, your M is just a tool... However, if you feel yoou must touch it up, Kodak makes a black camera body touch-up lacquer, that dries fast and is very durable, and almost perfectly matches the satin black finish on the Leica. You can dab it on easily with a q-tip.

Fred: I have used the "Aluminum Black" product. My advice is not to bother. It only works on aluminum, and even then does not do nearly as good a job as Andrew's black Sharpie! (It turns everything gray, and you can rub it off with a coarse cloth.)

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), June 26, 2001.

Ferrari Red acrylic urethane is the red dot of choice.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), June 26, 2001.

Go to the site below and let the image load, (it is slow, but worth it). When ever you think about a scratch or ding, just look at this image. Jim Marshall truly uses his cameras as tools and after 30 plus years, he had to buy a new M6. You can't take the pictures while worrying about the external cosmetics, so wear the "battle scar" well and keep on shooting.

BTW... the image also makes a good computer wallpaper. Whenever my computer opens, it reminds me that I should be out shooting... not surfing.

http://members.tripod.co.uk/JemK/Pic-A-Week/marshall.htm

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), June 26, 2001.

I used to get a kick out of a few pros who shot with Nikon F's back when I worked in a camera store in the late 1970's. There was almost no black left on those old F's hanging on their necks. The hot set up seemed to be to have 2 or 3 cameras hanging from your neck at the same time, constantly banging into one another. It was also standard procedure to have some sort of a camera bag with no dividers or padding as well. I quess someone had to set the standard for KEH's "Ugly" grading. The funny thing is that yes there is something cool about having a rough camera that is beat up from all the hard work YOU put it through. I have no interest buying someone else's beat the hell camera however.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), June 26, 2001.

OK I know what to do....brag about how hard I use my Leica! I did put up that beat up M as my screen saver. I do love to shoot. I laugh at the people who put on white gloves to handle their collectable Leicas. Before I got the Leica I used a Canon Ai that now looks more brass than black. I was just momentarily taken aback by that one ugly scratch. As I add more, and I will, it will begin to look a lot more like the rest of my cameras.

-- jeff schraeder (jeff@engineperformance.com), June 26, 2001.

i would touch it up not for cosmetic reasons, but to keep it from rusting. the exposed metal may rust over a period of time or when exposed to salt sea water spray, etc.

i bought a touch up pen from

but i don't know how well it works since i've not tried it yet.

-- Tristan (tristan@tristantom.com), July 02, 2001.