Zurenborger Posted December 4, 2006 Share #1 Posted December 4, 2006 Advertisement (gone after registration) What is the "body base" of an M4, that is when the chrome comes off, and how is the chrome applied? Can you re-chrome an M4 or perhaps have it painted? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 4, 2006 Posted December 4, 2006 Hi Zurenborger, Take a look here Material used und the M4 chrome. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
wparsonsgisnet Posted December 4, 2006 Share #2 Posted December 4, 2006 I believe that the chrome parts have been applied to brass. Therefore, when it wears, you will see brass. Where I have seen brassing on Leiuca's, it is a badge of expertise and experience. Tom Abrahamsson displays such a camera, at Tom's Uncollectibles on the 3rd row down. I have seen much more brassed camera images than this one. You could, of course, rechrome. I have a chrome M4, built about 1968, which shows NO brassing. Personally I prefer the chrome look and have order my M8 that way. Regards, Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zurenborger Posted December 4, 2006 Author Share #3 Posted December 4, 2006 Hi Bill, thanks for the link. The blacks brass I have seen that before and it looks nice, but what happens to chrome in similar circumstances, I have never seen a really warn chrom Leica. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrid Posted December 4, 2006 Share #4 Posted December 4, 2006 What is the "body base" of an M4, that is when the chrome comes off, and how is the chrome applied? Can you re-chrome an M4 or perhaps have it painted? The top plate etc. on the M4 are made of brass, that is first nickel plated and then finished with silver or black chrome. You can have the chrome replated (satin chrome) or stripped entirely, so it can be repainted with enamel. Obviously the needs to be disassembled and sent to a company such as ACME PLATING - Specialist in Gold, Silver, Bronze and Nickel Plating Acme stripped my M4 a few months ago, but i haven't gotten around to painting it (black enamel). PS: Forget about doing the ASA dial on the back door. It's very difficult to disassemble. You need to drill out rivets etc.I've seen vintage blackpaint cameras that had a chrome dial on the back or where Leica had simply painted straight over the chrome. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobey bilek Posted December 16, 2006 Share #5 Posted December 16, 2006 The satin chrome is difficult to reproduce exactly. Bright chrome is easy. The intermediate nickel is important. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikel Posted December 16, 2006 Share #6 Posted December 16, 2006 I think you are looking for this: Gary Winograd's M4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted December 16, 2006 Share #7 Posted December 16, 2006 Advertisement (gone after registration) A 'straight M4', like the M4-2, uses brass, as described above. So do early M4-P bodies. When the production of the M6 started in '84 however the M4-P got the same top plate, which is a zinc die casting. So it doesn't get brassed, but 'zinced'. This is less obtrusive with the silver than the black cameras, obviously. With the MP 'new', Leica went back to brass. You can spot a zinc M4-P from the fact that the rangefinder windows are flush with the front surface of the top plate, without the classical molding. Some even have the semi-silvered stripe on the front finder window, like the M6, though it's completely non-functional! The old man from tha Age of Brass Cameras Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gberger Posted December 17, 2006 Share #8 Posted December 17, 2006 I bought our M4 in 1968. It has been all over the world, been CLA'd three times and the shutter curtains replaced two years ago. We have a collection of over five thousand 'chromes that were taken by that camera. There's still no signs of "brassing," or any other wear on the chrome finish. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrid Posted December 18, 2006 Share #9 Posted December 18, 2006 Everytime I see Winogrands M4 I'm amazed that he managed to wear down the finish through the nickel, down to the brass. That's pretty impressive considering how tough a material nickel is. One of it's uses it to line gun barrels... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frc Posted December 18, 2006 Share #10 Posted December 18, 2006 Winogrand shot alot, no gun would have outlasted his Leica;-) My chrome MP is being bashed for three years now, no sign of brassing yet, working on it. I suppose Winogrand was a more heavyweight shooter than me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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