frank2014 Posted October 10, 2014 Share #1 Posted October 10, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) I bought a M2 a couple of weeks ago. The camera is in mint condition and works quite well. However, the first day when I used it outdoor, I sadly found that the black painting on the back cover was badly scratched by the buttons on my shirt (some white metal shows up now). I didn't know that the painting on the camera was so soft. Though it is not a big deal, I wonder if I can use a black "car paint pen" to touch up the part where the original painting was scratched off? Though I can leave it as it is but feel a little bit annoying. Any comments and suggestions? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 10, 2014 Posted October 10, 2014 Hi frank2014, Take a look here M2: black paint on the back cover. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
tobey bilek Posted October 10, 2014 Share #2 Posted October 10, 2014 Original paint is not soft and no shirt button would scratch it. Someone repainted/or replaced it. The original paint was baked on laquor or a finish called Japan. Impossible to duplicate today. The best paint I found was a spray appliance black . You can try some auto paint, which may or may not stick in which case you will need to go to bare metal, prime and repaint. You will find a hinge pin on the left side if the back is opened. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted October 10, 2014 Share #3 Posted October 10, 2014 As Toby has said, the original black stove enamel paint is tough as heck and a shirt button definitely would not scratch it or rub it off. Auto paint is not really suitable, it dries to quickly and you will have trouble putting it on smoothly. You also don't know what was used to repaint the rear cover, so you don't want touch up paint reacting with that (I suspect if it is a fragile finish it is also a 'decorative' black from an auto range, but it may not be). So good old oil based enamel paint is the thing to use, it will be tougher than an acrylic auto paint and won't react with anything else. You'll need a fine artists brush to put it on. Steve 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_g_wolf ✝ Posted October 10, 2014 Share #4 Posted October 10, 2014 I bought a M2 a couple of weeks ago. The camera is in mint condition and works quite well. However, the first day when I used it outdoor, I sadly found that the black painting on the back cover was badly scratched by the buttons on my shirt (some white metal shows up now ...) Is it an all black M2-camera or has only the "backcover" been repainted? >>Some white metal<< seems to describe the standard chrome finish which got altered to black. In case chrome shows up under the chipping paint it was a poor job and should be rejected. Best GEORG Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank2014 Posted October 10, 2014 Author Share #5 Posted October 10, 2014 Is it an all black M2-camera or has only the "backcover" been repainted? >>Some white metal<< seems to describe the standard chrome finish which got altered to black. In case chrome shows up under the chipping paint it was a poor job and should be rejected. Best GEORG It is a chrome camera. The top and bottom are chrome. But the frame of the back cover was painted (?) in black. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank2014 Posted October 10, 2014 Author Share #6 Posted October 10, 2014 As Toby has said, the original black stove enamel paint is tough as heck and a shirt button definitely would not scratch it or rub it off. Auto paint is not really suitable, it dries to quickly and you will have trouble putting it on smoothly. You also don't know what was used to repaint the rear cover, so you don't want touch up paint reacting with that (I suspect if it is a fragile finish it is also a 'decorative' black from an auto range, but it may not be). So good old oil based enamel paint is the thing to use, it will be tougher than an acrylic auto paint and won't react with anything else. You'll need a fine artists brush to put it on. Steve Thanks Steve. Do you have a link (e.g. on ebay) where I can buy "old oil based enamel paint"? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank2014 Posted October 10, 2014 Author Share #7 Posted October 10, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Original paint is not soft and no shirt button would scratch it. Someone repainted/or replaced it. The original paint was baked on laquor or a finish called Japan. Impossible to duplicate today. The best paint I found was a spray appliance black . You can try some auto paint, which may or may not stick in which case you will need to go to bare metal, prime and repaint. You will find a hinge pin on the left side if the back is opened. Thanks Tobey. I am also curious about the painting (if it was repainted). I just touch it and it does not seem to be soft. Indeed it feels hard. I don't understannd why it can be scratched off by the plastic button on my shirt. The frame of the eye window on the viewfinder scratches with my eye glass more but it shows no sign of scratch. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_g_wolf ✝ Posted October 10, 2014 Share #8 Posted October 10, 2014 >> Frank In case it was mine I would try to contact DAG or another supplier of LEITZ spares and ask for a properly kept replacement delivery. I don´t know the cost, but in case you are not the DIY type, much easier ... In the end of a DIY process you might not like the look of what you have painted. The door can easily be exchanged by their movable sideflanges. Best GEORG Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank2014 Posted October 10, 2014 Author Share #9 Posted October 10, 2014 >> Frank In case it was mine I would try to contact DAG or another supplier of LEITZ spares and ask for a properly kept replacement delivery. I don´t know the cost, but in case you are not the DIY type, much easier ... In the end of a DIY process you might not like the look of what you have painted. The door can easily be exchanged by their movable sideflanges. Best GEORG Yes. I can look into replace it if I want the cover looks perfect. But before that I want to try DIY and see the effect. Besides the buttons on my shirt I really cannot think of any other cause for the damage. The damage appears only two days after my purchase. I always put it into my camera bag when it is not on my neck. Best, Frank Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_g_wolf ✝ Posted October 10, 2014 Share #10 Posted October 10, 2014 (edited) You and/ or your shirt are not to blame, blame it on the sprayer ... One more suggestion: Send your backcover to DAG if you are close and get a proper part for a discount if he want´s to work on it. Regards GEORG Edited October 10, 2014 by k_g_wolf Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank2014 Posted October 15, 2014 Author Share #11 Posted October 15, 2014 Will nail enamel work on it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted October 15, 2014 Share #12 Posted October 15, 2014 Regardless of opinions regarding the durability of paint on the back door, it is not the same enamel used for the top and bottom of black Leicas (which is not particularly durable either.) If you care, note that there is no primer below the paint - a certain flaw. All Leica Ms that I have owned suffered wear on the back first. Personally, I would just suffer it out, leave it be, perhaps have it repainted before selling it. . Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted October 16, 2014 Share #13 Posted October 16, 2014 Another option is to simply use your fingernail to remove all the paint on the back. That is what many Zeiss Super Iconta users do[emoji655][emoji323][emoji316]. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank2014 Posted October 16, 2014 Author Share #14 Posted October 16, 2014 Regardless of opinions regarding the durability of paint on the back door, it is not the same enamel used for the top and bottom of black Leicas (which is not particularly durable either.) If you care, note that there is no primer below the paint - a certain flaw. All Leica Ms that I have owned suffered wear on the back first. Personally, I would just suffer it out, leave it be, perhaps have it repainted before selling it.. Yes. Another option is to just use a small patch of black tape to cover the scratched part. That is simple. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted October 16, 2014 Share #15 Posted October 16, 2014 Regardless of opinions regarding the durability of paint on the back door, it is not the same enamel used for the top and bottom of black Leicas (which is not particularly durable either.). Modern black paint Leica film bodies – the MP and a la carte M7 bodies – come with a bog standard black chrome back door. It is not painted. Some of the special editions (e.g. MP Classic and, I think, M6 Millennium) have a painted rear door which IMO looks better, even if it is less durable than the black chrome version. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted October 16, 2014 Share #16 Posted October 16, 2014 The rear door in the M2 era was painted in baked enamel (stove enamel), so there was no undercoat to make it adhere, the paint was used because it could be applied relatively thickly onto steel and it was more scratch resistant than the paint on the top and bottom covers. But when it chipped it would chip clean off, as does the finish on things like utility stove enamelled cups and teapots. Even so it is typically used on things that are knocked about and have a hard life, like the rear door. It is usually pretty well inert and won't react with any other type of paint that is used to touch it up. But as the OP says his was perfect and was scratched by a plastic button, so this makes us assume it has been re-finished in a modern paint not up to the job. Stove enamel was not used on the top and bottom covers because it would have filled or softened the engraving and would have been even less compatible on brass than the paint used. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipus Posted October 25, 2014 Share #17 Posted October 25, 2014 Some of the special editions (e.g. MP Classic and, I think, M6 Millennium) have a painted rear door which IMO looks better, even if it is less durable than the black chrome version. Correct. The Millennium has a black paint rear door. Yet another reason to buy it and not waste double the money on an MP. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted October 25, 2014 Share #18 Posted October 25, 2014 (edited) Black enamel on Leica bodies is over rated concerning durability. People described it as stove enamel which it is not. Stove enamel is ceramic!' Leica black enamel is simply an efficient, non-durable enamel highly susceptible to damage by sweaty hands. Leica could do better but chose black chrome because it is economical. Edited October 26, 2014 by pico 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted October 26, 2014 Share #19 Posted October 26, 2014 (edited) People described it as stove enamel which it is not. Stove enamel is ceramic!' Some people even get this simple thing wrong and confuse stove enamel (synthetic/resin) with vitreous enamel (ceramic) Steve Edited October 26, 2014 by 250swb spelling Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
costakarl Posted October 26, 2014 Share #20 Posted October 26, 2014 I use black enamel available in any hobby shop. Lots of choice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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