I just got an M4-2 today. The black chrome is perfect, not a mark, scratch or dent in any way. And, while the camera needs a CLA, the outer covering is vulcanite not vinyl. I'm suprised, since I thought all of the M4-2's were covered in vinyl. This one is from the 3rd production #1505xxx serial range.

Anyway, the vulcanite is starting to crack off, and that bugs me, as the camera otherwise looks like it came off the shelf of dealer. Right now I have carefully replaced all the pieces that came off in shipping (aak!) but I know its only a matter of time before the covering really starts to look shabby.

I'm ok with letting it be recovered in some non-vulcanite material, as for me, its really a user. I want it to look good, but it doesn't have to be "original" in other words. I'd rather have a good job of recovering in some other material, rather than a crummy looking original.

Can someone suggest a shop to CLA and recover in one visit? (hopefully somewhat less than Leitz in NJ would charge as well)

Thanks!

-- Charles (cbarcellona@telocity.com), February 19, 2002

Answers

Leica USA charges about $100 for replacing the vulcanite with a M6 type covering. I would phone them to get an estimate of current charges for this type of work.

-- Muhammad Chishty (applemac97@aol.com), February 19, 2002.

cool, thats resonable IF they do a good job of it

-- Charles (cbarcellona@telocity.com), February 19, 2002.

strip off all the crap vulcan (using a razor, solvent and love), and go to your local shoe repair place, and have the guy glue on some leather of your choice.

looks totally cool, but it really effects the resale, unless you recover it as stock when ready to sell.

and, don't ever send your beloved camera to the leica factory butchers in new jersey ! nothing but terrible experiences with them!

ciao

erik

-- erik (erikcarlhanson@hotmail.com), February 19, 2002.

John Van Stelton at the Focal Point in Denver has done some nice vulcanite repairing for me.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), February 19, 2002.

Hmm my first try at reply didn't work for some reason...

Has anyone used Sherry for CLA and recover?

She quoted me 165 plus about 40 for parts, and another 85 for recover

I've heard good things about her work. Comments?

-- Charles (cbarcellona@telocity.com), February 19, 2002.

Excelent Charles, I once sent a M4-P and they did a great job; Iīm planing sending a M3 DS, but still donīt know what to do with it, I shall post it!

-- r watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), February 19, 2002.

Good idea: replace crumbling vulcanite with the more user-friendly M6's leatherette material (just had that done on my M5).

Good idea: Have the above done by Leica or an authorized repairer, and a CLA to go along (expensive, but worth the money, as the camera will serve you well for a long while).

Bad idea: scratch the vulcanite off with fingernails and have a shoe-guy patch it with a piece of shoe-leather.

Moral of the story: it's a Leica, not a Yashica, don't go cheap on it.

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), February 20, 2002.

Hi Charles,

How much vulcanite is coming off. Little bitty pieces? Big chunks? (I know I'm starting to sound like Alex Pornoy's mother.) But anyway, if it is little piece that disingetrate into fine power before reaching the ground, you can do what I did with my M2. Roofing patching tar--which is really plastic. Get a small can of the stuff. Use a toothpick to get it in and while it is setting you can use the toothpick to shape it. It takes years to dry, so when it is relatively set dab a little bond on it with a Q-tip.

Prevention is the best cure (to coin a phrase). The ways of preserving vulcanite are endless. I like the handcream United gives you in Business Class--used very sparingly with a Q-tip. It isn't greasy and has a pleasant but not overwhelming after smell which goes away soon after. Leather stuff is good too. Neats Foot Oil is nice (again used in moderation) as is plain old Vasaline (used moderately).

I think the salt in our hands, along with other factors, tend to dry out the vulcanite too much and make it brittle. I may be wrong. But I do think treating vulcanite sort of the way you treat old leather is a good idea.

-- Alex Shishin (shishin@pp.iij4-u.or.jp), February 20, 2002.

Roofing tar? Wow I had no idea!

I had thought of using some asphalt patch, and thought the sand texture would be nice

Seriously, I've talked to Sherry, and I'm just gonna let her do it.

What sort of worries me is the right side from lugs to back came off in one piece before I got the camera, and (whoever) used what appears to be elmers glue to put it back on. That caused some minor metal corrosion on the outer shell under the vulcanite, which was visable with the two smaller sections I just reglued with contact cement. I'd rather have a corrosion free camera, with an alternate covering. This camera is actually going to be used to make photographic images , and while I want it to look like its not falling apart, neither does it have to be original. Sherry is putting the new Leica made covering on it (she says) which I suppose is the one for the M6TTL. I'm sure she'll do a nice job of it.

-- Charles (cbarcellona@telocity.com), February 20, 2002.