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Engraving a Leica M6


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Dear colleagues,

 

I would like to engrave the top plate of my M6 (non-TTL). Neither my official reseller (Leica Paris) or the official representant (Leica Camera Agency) could answer me. I already know that you need to remove the M6 top plate in order to engrave it but I haven't found the cost and time needed for such an operation. Does anyone happen to know the answers to my questions ?

 

kind regards

 

ch

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Perhaps the lack of response is because of the zinc top plate? In the era of the zinc top plate the logo was either embossed in at the time of the manufacture or any custom logo's were printed on and not engraved?

Steve

Edited by 250swb
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Only yesterday bought a nice used M7 and during the conversation, the guy mentioned someone wanted to trade in an immaculate M4, then he noticed the owner had his name engraved on it which took around £300 off the price the dealer was prepared to pay for it.

Not sure if it was because it was his name engraved on it or having any form of engraving.

 

If resale price isn't important for you then it's not an issue

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Montjoie Saint Denis :confused:

Unless you mean the revolution which is not ancient.

 

Contact Leica's customer support. I would like to know how to order some engraving, too.

 

Thorsten has wrote about it..somewhere in the middle of the page.

 

leica.overgaard.dk - Thorsten Overgaard's Leica Pages - Leica M9 Digital Rangefinder Camera - Page 7: Color calibrators

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I don't think so, since the mention LEICA GMBH GERMANY is clearly engraved on the back of the top plate… Thank you for your answer

 

Which misses the point. The M6 top plate is made from zinc and plated either black or silver chrome, any 'engraving' is done before the top plate is plated otherwise the tiniest chip in the infill paint would allow the zinc top plate to corrode.

 

So, you have a zinc camera with a plated top plate, what are Leica going to do, strip the plating, engrave the top plate, and then re-plate it? They can do engraving from new because they just use an un-plated top plate to start with. But otherwise it throws up some big questions about how they would engrave an old zinc bodied camera and do the job to their usual standards.

 

Steve

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Which misses the point. The M6 top plate is made from zinc and plated either black or silver chrome, any 'engraving' is done before the top plate is plated otherwise the tiniest chip in the infill paint would allow the zinc top plate to corrode.

 

So, you have a zinc camera with a plated top plate, what are Leica going to do, strip the plating, engrave the top plate, and then re-plate it? They can do engraving from new because they just use an un-plated top plate to start with. But otherwise it throws up some big questions about how they would engrave an old zinc bodied camera and do the job to their usual standards.

 

Steve

 

Isn't it possible to put an MP plate on the M6. The plate only costed me € 50,- ( allthough that was on a M8 and I don't noe if it's the same material as the MP - I know it's another plate;))

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Which misses the point. The M6 top plate is made from zinc and plated either black or silver chrome, any 'engraving' is done before the top plate is plated otherwise the tiniest chip in the infill paint would allow the zinc top plate to corrode.

 

So, you have a zinc camera with a plated top plate, what are Leica going to do, strip the plating, engrave the top plate, and then re-plate it? They can do engraving from new because they just use an un-plated top plate to start with. But otherwise it throws up some big questions about how they would engrave an old zinc bodied camera and do the job to their usual standards.

 

Steve

Incorrect, Steve. Leica engraved my M6 with my name without any problem.

The corrosion we sometimes see on zinc top plates is caused by impurities of the zinc material.

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The corrosion we sometimes see on zinc top plates is caused by impurities of the zinc material.

 

So you know for sure that neither your M6 or the OP's has impurities?

 

You may be correct, but the logic employed to arrive at your conclusion beggars belief.

 

Steve

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I do know my camera hasn't got the Measles. The corrosion will or will not manifest itself irrespective of engraving.

Just consider that only the outside of the top is chromed . The inside is bare Zinc and the camera is not sealed.

Edited by jaapv
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I'm finding this thread quite interesting insofar as the question of the material being zinc on an M6 top plate.

 

Back in the dark ages (early 60's) the company I worked for had many thousands of components manufactured as ZBD (Zinc Based Die Castings or as we commonly called it 'Monkey Metal.) and the standard anti corrosion treatment was Cadmium Plate and Passivate, the only problem we used to get was what was termed as 'White Rust' which used to appear on the surface of the casting

 

I'm surprised that anyone would want to engrave a top plate after its been plated ? But that's just my thoughts

Edited by mikebidwell
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Zinc or no zinc, this is the result :)

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Which are still the wrong people to call... You won't get anywhere this way. Professional engravers will not have access to the correct font and are not able to take the top off (although that is not very difficult) Just contact Leica.:rolleyes:

Edited by jaapv
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