View Full Version : Gotta Love Those Russian Packages...
Fedzilla_Bob
03-15-2005, 12:25
The images below are of the package that my newly acquired Jupiter 8 came in today... Very tidy.
I find it amusing to greet the postman when I get Russian packages, they hate waiting for signatures and they often announce that it is from Russia, accompanied with an inquisitor's scowl. :)
Congrats Bob !! Do you mean there's not a gift inside there ? Looks somewhat bit for a J8, maybe it came with the Zorki 4 rear cap on it ? ;)
Fedzilla_Bob
03-15-2005, 12:39
LOl, Nah... just lot's of foam.
The lens is a little dirty, a possible smear inside the rear element. I will be able to deal with in time.
I used to collect yak hair string from packages from the FSU. Kept adding it to a ball. But my wife made me get rid of it because she said we needed the space to actually put a bed in the spare bedroom. :)
You guys do know this site, I presume?
http://www.geocities.com/fzorkis/yakhair.html
Roman
Zorkiiglaza
03-15-2005, 16:14
It use to be that all packages were inspected and wrapped by some postal official. I have a large box of"Yak Hair" string sitting in my garage (over there). It seems my Russian archaeologist friend wouldn't let me use "good' carpenter's string to string out the grind lines on our excavations. I have seen pages ripped out of books for wrapping paper at the bazaar and the most interesting, back in 1994, was that a physics text book was in the men's room at the Insitute of Archaeology, for use as TP. :cool:
Fedzilla_Bob
03-15-2005, 16:25
You guys do know this site, I presume?
http://www.geocities.com/fzorkis/yakhair.html
Roman
Obsolutely, that site is one the things that gave me G.A.S.
Jim Blazik, Yashica Guy, Matt Denton are all to blame... OK, I'm in denial... they were only enablers.
Today's package was nice in that the paper was folded so evenly and carefully almost like the cloth surrounding a Japanese gift or lunch box. I don't save the "Yak Hair" as my cats would probably get it and end up at the Vet.
Is this some special skill Russians are taught?
Oh one more thing, there wasn't a shred of tape on the outer wrapping, we're talking master carftsmanship here :)
Zorkiiglaza
03-15-2005, 16:49
Yes, paper folding is- was a great skill over there. My daughter spent 3 years in a local Russian school in Almaty where she learned many of these skills.
Too bad about the grease smear. My young Russian friend used to joke about the lenses I would get from the older Russian collector- usually at least one finger print on the lens as a stamp of inspection! However, these were on outer surfaces and easily removed.
Hmmm, maybe next time I'm in Mongolia I'll bring back a yak hair sweater.... :p
impact07
03-15-2005, 22:24
The lady down at my post office is getting sick of me and the russian packages. I wish the postman would just leave them in the door. It kind of irks me that FedEx will leave me a new Power Mac on my front stoop in plain sight, but I have to sneak out of work in business hours to pick up a $20 camera from Russia. I think the cyrillic characters mean it must be a matter of National Security.
John Robertson
03-17-2005, 15:10
You are probably on a security watch list!!! I get the same reaction in the UK, I haven't had the Yak string yet only funny smelling foam, I put it in the trash and the seagulls ate it!!!
Incidentally even after 45years in my posession the Fed2 's Leather Case still has a very distinctive smell, not bad, just ....... distinctive, probably made out of the skin of an old Siberian peasant! :rolleyes:
yauyaursk
03-19-2005, 03:16
Um.......That's quite usual getting postal package from Russia at china(I'm studying in China now.....so....).
And some of elder postman will give you a kind of respect sight on the package and me also.
But Somehow I need a pair of handglove and a mask when I open the package.....
VERY DIRTY of it......
I need bath everytime after I deal with new package from Russia
Pherdinand
03-19-2005, 08:10
Funny, isn't it? A few years ago (ok, more than a few...) you could have had serious trouble by regularly receiving packages from the SO.
Whenever I get a nice little package of photo equipment from the FSU, my roommates yell, "Dre! Another 8-Ball from Russia!! Hook a brother up!!!"
2maneekameras
03-22-2005, 11:13
I have purchased several cameras from the Ukraine. It took me three trys to get get one wrapped in brown paper and string. at last.......
You are probably on a security watch list!!! I get the same reaction in the UK, I haven't had the Yak string yet only funny smelling foam, I put it in the trash and the seagulls ate it!!!
Incidentally even after 45years in my posession the Fed2 's Leather Case still has a very distinctive smell, not bad, just ....... distinctive, probably made out of the skin of an old Siberian peasant! :rolleyes:
I've got a large box in the closet full of Zorki, Kiev and FED neverready cases. And they all have a distinctive smell -- musty? Old? -- I don't know quite how to describe it, either. Too bad the stitching is usually rotted -- even in the cases where the leather is in good shape. They should have stitched them with Yak hair (or maybe they did). Who knows how many Commie cows gave their lives for those cases? Maybe I'll just dump the cameras and focus on collecting camera cases. Not that would be a REALLY unusual hobby!
pangkievrange
03-22-2005, 11:46
It typically takes me 2 hours to clean up one kiev camera. This is a very slow process. To clean up knurled dials, I have to use tooth picks to get rid of old gunks. What about the serrated focus wheel? It's full of dirt as usual. I just received Kiev-5. It appeared that the lens (Helios 94) needed an overhaul. The camera appeared in a mint condition. I also received 2 kiev 3 with the bold letters from Oleg yesterday. Very nice! Both cameras went through the cleaning process. The cameras now look spotless.
pangkievrange
2maneekameras
03-22-2005, 12:19
I know what you mean Wayne, those cases really pile up.
John Robertson
03-22-2005, 14:25
Just think what the knurling dirt on these cameras might be 8-)))
Man Grease?????? AAAARGH!!!!
Is this some special skill Russians are taught? :)
yes...craft lessons in kindergarten, elemantary school, etc. My hubby still can't get over my gift-wrapping skills:))))
I've got a large box in the closet full of Zorki, Kiev and FED neverready cases.
For the case my Zorki 4 came in, I drilled out the rivets that hold the two parts together and replace them with poppers, took me about 10 minutes.
And they all have a distinctive smell -- musty? Old? -- I don't know quite how to describe it, either.
Yeah, reminds me of my grandpa's Leica's case - but I'd be a little worried to breath too deaply :-)
Fedzilla_Bob
03-22-2005, 18:38
yes...craft lessons in kindergarten, elemantary school, etc. My hubby still can't get over my gift-wrapping skills:))))
I wish I had the same craft lessons! I hope you share the skills with hubby and kids. They will thank you later.
Just this sunday I through away 5 or 6 of them musty, old, dirty FEd/Zorki (n)ever-ready cases. I never use them. No-one ever wants them. So, out they went. Good riddance to bad rubbish, I say. :p
The cameras have a nice shelf to themselves now, BTW. :)
Pherdinand
03-23-2005, 02:58
Back in my years of studentship, in Romania there was a rule (still might be!) that you HAD to wrap the shipment box into uncoloured unprinted paper, probably blue or brown, AND tie it well with a rope on the outside. Otherwise it was not accepted for shipping.
pangkievrange
03-23-2005, 06:40
You should never dismiss old never-ready cases. After cleaning up with isopropanol (91%, drugstore like CVS) inside and out, the case for my kiev 2 (51) is reborn. I wear dishwash gloeves to do this kind of job. I soaked the inside with a huge dose of alcohol and use paper towel as medium.
pangkievrange
I received a package from Slovakia about 15 minutes ago....... tied up in blue cord. It came from Dr. Dunay, perhaps better known as "Cupog" and the packing was superb. Everything is perfect. Now if only my package from Grizzly33Bear would arrive........ (It's on the way and should be here no later than early next week.)
Walker
Oleg says wrapping with paper and trying with twine discourages theft. He recommends doing that with cameras shipped to him for repair.
pangkievrange
03-23-2005, 12:26
I received a package from Slovakia about 15 minutes ago....... tied up in blue cord. It came from Dr. Dunay, perhaps better known as "Cupog" and the packing was superb. Everything is perfect. Now if only my package from Grizzly33Bear would arrive........ (It's on the way and should be here no later than early next week.)
Walker
Although I received my Kiev 5 won later on, I'm still waiting for jupiter 3 for kiev from her. The package she sends out is always registered. Almost 30 days have passed!!!
pangkievrange
Fedzilla_Bob
03-23-2005, 23:05
I never expected this thread to have such a long life. :)
I am saving up just so i can get another package from the Ukraine or moscow. Maybe Tallin.
BTW- has anyone seen the latest issue of Wired? There is an article on space artifacts being sold off from Russia.
I wonder what kind of paper and string they use to wrap a Buran shuttle? :)
Postal people probably wonder what all those Russian or East European packages are. I once ordered an Exakta VX1000 from the Czech Republic (it looks nearly new). When the mail carrier brought it to the door, he wanted to know if I was expecting a package from Czechslovakia. As it happened, I was. Since then , he has kidded me more than once after I explained they were 'classic' Russian cameras. (Not including the Exakta, of course.) He even asked me about an old twin-lens reflex he has.
At the moment, I'm awaiting a second Zorki-3 ordered from those parts. I recently bought a Zorki-6 and a Kiev 4a from Yuri of Fedka fame in NYC. Both look good. But they didn't arouse any suspicion coming from NYC.
Over the past several years I have received so many brown paper, yak-hair twine packages that I suspect when they see one at the PO they just throw it into the bin with my mail without even looking at the address. In other words, I'm a recognized odd ball.
I've gotten two this week......... so far. One from Cupog in Slovakia and another from Oleg in the Russian Federation. I'm expecting another from Grizzly33Bear either tomorrow or the first of next week. My mail carriers haven't really expressed an interest in the packages' contents but I've made it known that they usually contain photographic items.
Besides, after the first 25 or 30 string-wrapped packages I'm sure they have gotten used to seeing them. :)
Walker
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