Show me your Re-Covered Leica

erikhaugsby · 02-09-2007

because a great chunk of vulcanite below the lens mount fell off today. Cameraleather seems to be a logical choice, but I'm not sure what kind of covering I want. Shame that I don't find chrome to match to well with anything except stale black...
Anybody want to post pictures of their reclaimed Leicas to help me?

Nick R. · 02-09-2007

I'd recommend http://www.aki-asahi.com/store/. My cover came from Japan is less than a week while cameraleather has been know to have delivery problems.

Gman · 02-09-2007

I second Aki- nice replacement for my M2 and very fast shipping from Japan. He probably won't come running to tie my shoe, but his product is good.

jeff

back alley · 02-09-2007

check the aki site for different coverings and do a search here as i think we did this before.

joe

Shac · 02-09-2007

Another vote for Ashi Aki - great srvice great products
Shac

Doug · 02-09-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by erikhaugsby

I don't find chrome to match to well with anything except stale black...

I would agree, and suggest some very dark rich color would look most elegant to me. Navy, or a deep forest green, an almost black maroon, very dark rich brown, etc. Any brighter color is just too gaudy, I think, though maybe there'd be an almost-desaturated mid-tone that would work... or a nice grey maybe.

NL2377 · 02-10-2007

from aki... fit perfectly, The camera looks much better in person, then does in the photo.

RML · 02-10-2007

Another vote for Aki.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/phot...duct=111&cat=3

ray_g · 02-10-2007

NL2377 · 02-10-2007

Ray, Did you make that strap or pick it up somewhere??? I've been looking for something different for mine, and that looks pretty suiting...

visiondr · 02-10-2007

Nicholas,

That looks like one of Luigi's braded leather straps.
http://www.leicatime.com/000-STRAPS-page.htm
Look near the bottom of the page.

Ron

Xmas · 02-10-2007

There is the option of repairing the vul with a patch or replacing with a near clone. Someone did publish a patch technique...

Noel

thomasw_ · 02-10-2007

I can add to this indirectly. I ordered and paid for two kits from cameraleather.com before christmas...on dec.17th i think. I still haven't seen them. Though the selection is better, being more extensive and varied than aki's, the delivery has been extremely tardy for me. You should take my experience into account. I can only hope that my kits will arrive....and perhaps I will be compensated?!

Doug · 02-10-2007

Thomas, what does Cameraleather have to say? Have they shipped your items? Perhaps the shipment is hung up in Customs?

erikhaugsby · 02-10-2007

Hey, thanks all for the help. I can't say that I've heard of cameraleather being slow before (shows how well informed I am...), and thanks for mentioning that.

I just wish that Aki had a few more covering choices

drewbarb · 02-10-2007

This is going back 3 or 4 years, but I got a black lizard skin kit from Cameraleather, and it was delivered very quickly. I sent payment with a money order, and got the kit in less than two weeks. Recently I've been thinking of getting a "granite" grey kid skin kit from them for another chrome M3 whose vulcanite was crumbling. I have read about the problems with cameraleather's slow service lately, but I'd still order from them. If I do, I'll expect it to perhaps take longer than last time, but that's ok. Getting a new cover for my camera is far from an urgent matter.

Anyway, here's a shot of my chrome M3 with cameraleather's black lizard skin kit. I have really liked this kit- it looks and feels great, and has worn really well. I use this camera every week, and 3+ years on, if anything, it actually looks better.

dcsang · 02-10-2007

Out of curiosity, how hard is it to remove the old vulcanite??

Cheers,
Dave

wpb · 02-10-2007

Contact him (Aki) with what you are looking for. Removing the old cover of my M3 took about 45 minutes start to finish.

thomasw_ · 02-10-2007

a barnack removal was less elbow and scrub work than a M for me. mind you if adhesives have been applied, then there will be more scrub work to get the body bare.

thomas

ray_g · 02-10-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by NL2377

Ray, Did you make that strap or pick it up somewhere??? I've been looking for something different for mine, and that looks pretty suiting...

Ron is correct, but I asked Luigi to braid it using three, rather than two straps. I am sure he would be happy to make one for you.

erikhaugsby · 02-10-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcsang

Out of curiosity, how hard is it to remove the old vulcanite??

Cheers,
Dave

From what I know the vulcanite itself just flakes off, but the adhesive agent under it needs some scrubbing/varnishing to remove completely.

RML · 02-10-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by erikhaugsby

From what I know the vulcanite itself just flakes off, but the adhesive agent under it needs some scrubbing/varnishing to remove completely.

The vulcanite on my M2 was falling off mostly by itself. It took my five minutes to remove all of it. All I did then was to use some alcohol ketonatis to clean the body. Whatever gunk came off, that's what came off. The rest I left on as it took more time and effort to remove than I was willing to spend. Besides, I had the scrap the body so much I was leaving marks on it. It just wasn't worth that to me.

Aki ships very, very quickly. I received my cover within a week, from Japan to Holland, and at normal letter postage. Aski him if he can make you a cover in the leather(ette) that you want for your kind of camera. I asked for Japanesque Gold vinyl for my M2, which he (reluctantly

) provided. Reluctantly because he didn't think it was worthy of an M2.

Aki's covers are cheap too and the fit it very very good on my M2, better than the one from Cameraleather.

bobkonos · 02-10-2007

I have had very good service and product from Cameraleather. I have an M3 done in burgundy snakeskin, another M3 in Verdigris goatskin, and my M2 is done in black "very much like original" vulcanite. Morgan did the installation and all are perfect. If you look at the M3 done in Verdigris on his site, I believe that is my camera.

bobkonos · 02-10-2007

Zen Shooter,

Your anthracite M3 is stunning!

thomasw_ · 02-10-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug

Thomas, what does Cameraleather have to say? Have they shipped your items? Perhaps the shipment is hung up in Customs?

no it was an error. morgan said it was accidently shipped somewhere else. accordingly i have to wait. morgan has been excellent in terms of communication. it is not my intent to knock the quality of cameraleather's work or their communication with me. but sending the kits to the wrong address is very lame, especially since i had deliberately set aside my very precious free-time to deal with thr procedure.