Chrome peeling and flaking

[Spider67]

Hi I just got a Leica III that I am already loving....but the chrome on the backside is in bubbles and flaking away. I don't mind the measly look (just get's more personality perhaps "Measles" will be it's nick from now on).
What can/should I do to stop that process? Is ther any kind of lacquer I can put on it after the chrtome peeld away from the affected area?

[dougdarter]

If the chrome is peeling away, it could be for two reasons. The first is poor quality plating - this happens a lot with cameras produced
just after the war (for obvious reasons), or two, corrosion under the chrome plating. In either case, there is really very little you can do.

It's a fairly simple (and cheap) job to replace the top plate. You would lose the original serial number though.

[jolefler]

A badge of honor, the duelling scars of it's life. It'll prolly still outlast ya'!

[LeicaTom]

Spider,

With a Leica III that`s just age, it was possibly stored where weather anc climate had something to do with the corrosion - normally Leica III`s are more prone to wear and tear and brightmarks on the surfaces then corrosion, but anything can happen to a Leica and it has!

The Leica IIIC runs after 410000+ have been nortorious for chrome peel, seems that Leitz had some bad batches of chrome plating salution (contaminated) going on once or twice in the late 40`s and late "flattop" IIIC`s and early IIIF`s suffer from this alot, nothing I know you can do for it, cept do what Mick Jagger said.......paint it black!

Tom

[Spider67]

Thanks folks,
As said I don't mind the look. So neither painting nor changing the topplate is an option. Just wanted to know if it's Ok if I peel away the bubbles and put some lacqer over it or if I should even sand over lightly the red measles to stop the rust. As i clearly don't want to watch the top plate getting holes.
PS: it has a 49XXXXXX serial number does that meke it an early Leica IIIF? Is there a site where I can get info when it was made?

[payasam]

As Tom said, bad chrome was a problem with Leicas made shortly after WW2.

[edit] According to one source, 49XXXX would be a IIIc from 1949 or 1950.

[Spider67]

Thanks payasam.....The more often I read your nick the mor oftem I am tried to order it on of these days...as I am a forty year old kid with a beard.