What type of grease in used in len's cams

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Leica Photography : One Thread

Has anyone tried greasing a lens helix before? What grease should be used?, Or does Leica have some proprietry grease?
Thanks

-- Karl Yik (karl.yik@dk.com), June 06, 2002

Answers

I did a complete DIY CLA on my 3rd generation 50mm F2 a while back - don'tuse CV joint grease - tried that and it's a bit too thick and has no braking qualities to the focusing action. Now using a synthetic cycle grease (finish line) which works very well . Nyogel which is sold via micro-tools.com is the proper stuff for focusing threads but I have no information if it is what Leica use - and there are 3 grades. It's not just the threads that have grease in them either - there are other parts which will benefit on an older lens that feels a bit uneven - the aperture ring feel was transformed with new grease.

-- Johann F (johannfuller@hotmail.com), June 06, 2002.

what's the old saw -- there are few things in life that don't benefit from proper lubrication.

-- roger michel (michel@tcn.org), June 06, 2002.

I was told by an expert many year sago that the very smallest amount of Vaseline on the thread was all that was needed. I use it if anything gets tight or dry. It has caused no trouble whatsoever so far - in 20 years of Leicas.

-- Tony Brookes (gdz00@btinternet.com), June 06, 2002.

I tried a tiny amount of Vaseline on the dry focusing helix and the screw-mount thread of a collapsible 5cm f/3.5 Elmar. It did the job although it doesn't seems very viscous and I don't know how long it will last.

-- Ray Moth (ray_moth@yahoo.com), June 06, 2002.

Does vaseline eventually dry out and go all crumbly?

-- Karl Yik (karl.yik@dk.com), June 07, 2002.


One of the three Nye greases from MicroTools is what you'll end up using.

My slight worry about any grease is the gassing off aspect. A Moly (not going to try and spell that molybdenum di sulfide?) powder is slippery stuff, but will leave such a thin layer that only the tightest fitting helical could run without the sloppy wobbles. There is a dry Moly spray which seems to be mixed with perhaps an acrylic medium. You shake the can, and spray out and in seconds it drys to a hard film, much like a teflon film. Film thickness here is far greater than balls of Moly pressed into the micro pores of metal. I don't detect any gassing from this once it's dry.

"The Feel". A moly layer is going to have your helicals running like grease on ice. It might be possible to build up a layer with the spray Moly and have it feel just like you want. Some like fast, most like smoooth.

The Silky feel? You want (and they all use) grease for this.

Just some thoughts. Have some crons (35/50 1st gens) apart here (lens cells out) am turning replacement brass parts for the original white metal, to finish in black paint. Plan to use Nye grease. Contact by email and will run some Moly tests if you like.

-- Larry Welker (lwelker@adelphia.net), June 07, 2002.


Larry, The grease I first used was moly based ( CV joint) - it was thick enough but too slippery - it gave a strange focusing action in that it was difficult to hold focus even though it was nice and slick. Nyogel seems to have a braking action so a that once you get th efocus set it feels like it's going to stay there.

-- Johann F (johannfuller@hotmail.com), June 08, 2002.

When I bought my 50mm elmar, the instruction booklet that came with it suggested that keeping a very light coat of vaseline on the barrel would keep the action smooth.

-- Bob (bobflores@attbi.com), June 08, 2002.

Johann

I could see "not holding" a problem with an old lens w/rotating barrel, ie 50 3.5 Elmar etc. What direction did it drift? Or are you saying it was as smooth as an air bearing? :-)

Milling and turning tools wear and need to always be checked for tolerance after resharpening. Even with throw-away carbide inserts there is variation from insert to insert. The odd out of spec cutter can get used. Helical fit will be affected by this. So the correct grease for one is not the correct grease for all. One would doubt that the heavy Nye would get used for any Leica helicals though.

Well, at least one would hope not!

-- Larry Welker (lwelker@adelphia.net), June 10, 2002.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ