Can someone help me find a rapid rewind accessory to fit over the knurled rewind knob of my Leica M2. I have heard that a "Richard Wasserman" currently makes these, but have not been able to locate. I used to see a variety of these when I passed thru NYC twenty years ago, but see none here now in the Southwst.

Thanks

Jim Kluk

-- Jim Klukkert (twohouses@aol.com), March 17, 2002

Answers

The answer is below. Doesn't anybody know how to read old messages, or use Google any more. This was the third hit there, a message posted here earlier this year.

"I saved his old web page and here is his contact info:

Richard Wasserman 1240 Maple Ave Wilmette, IL 60091 USA disfromage@aol.com fax 312/666-8209.

You have to be careful to support the extended rewind shaft with a finger. Shafts have been known to bend from unsupported enthusiastic winding.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), January 24, 2002."

-- Alec (alecj@bellsouth.net), March 17, 2002.

Jim, unless I'm confused from looking at too many Leica sites, I thought I saw the M2/M3 rewind thingy selling for $45 at Stephen Gandy's www.cameraquest.com site but I couldnt find the page just now when I looked for it. Perhaps you could email him and ask. His email address is listed on the site.

-- Fred Sun (redsky3@yahoo.com), March 17, 2002.

Jim,

I use these rewind levers for some months now w/o any problems (those you mentioned). They work fine, but unless you shoot lots of film or are in need of fast film changing I think these levers are quite overprized for those 5-10 seconds you gain. Sometimes a little break can't hurt while shooting ;-) Nontheless now that richard wassermanns site seems to be gone the only place to get them is cameraquest, look under classic camera profiles->Leica->rewind lever attachments on the www.cameraquest.com - site.

-- Kai Blanke (Kai.blanke@iname.com), March 18, 2002.

I had one of these some years ago on an M3. The added strain wore out the rewind knob shaft. apparently that was a problem w/M3s, or so I was told then. After it was repaired, I left the crank off, as the handle stuck out too far for me and would hang up on things like pockets, case edges, etc. this was c.1985, and when I looked for it recently, it was gone. I guess I din't need it after all.

-- Mark Sampson (MSampson45@aol.com), March 18, 2002.