Question on brassing silver grey M9

[pixelstrata]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I have a silver grey M9.

 

It has some 'scuffs' on the top of the toplate. Not scratches. I don't really bother with them that much.

 

Though I wonder if some minimal rubbing on the top of the top plate could replace these scuffs with the an irregular brass patina over some of the top plate. It would basically just look a bit nicer than the current black scuffs.

 

How would something like this be done?

Edited March 22, 2017 by pixelstrata

[uhoh7]

The brass is very deep under chrome paint, unlike the Black M9, which does not use the chrome paint. Best to ignore the whole issue and take solace that even M6 and M10 black cameras will never do this:

 

DSC09786 by unoh7, on Flickr

 

For some reason I don't see much brassing on black 240s, but I don't think they use chrome paint as the M10 does. 

Edited March 24, 2017 by uhoh7

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[pixelstrata]

Great advice - I will just ignore it. 

 

Anyway my failing eyesight at very close distance means I don't notice much..

[jaapv]

The brass is very deep under chrome paint, unlike the Black M9, which does not use the chrome paint. Best to ignore the whole issue and take solace that even M6 and M10 black cameras will never do this:

 

DSC09786 by unoh7, on Flickr

 

For some reason I don't see much brassing on black 240s, but I don't think they use chrome paint as the M10 does. 

Chrome paint doesn't exist. It is either paint or black chrome.

[jaapv]

I have a silver grey M9.

 

It has some 'scuffs' on the top of the toplate. Not scratches. I don't really bother with them that much.

 

Though I wonder if some minimal rubbing on the top of the top plate could replace these scuffs with the an irregular brass patina over some of the top plate. It would basically just look a bit nicer than the current black scuffs.

 

How would something like this be done?

This is coating AKA paint. Anything you do to it will make it look worse.

Let the camera wear its battle scars with pride.

[uhoh7]

Chrome paint doesn't exist. It is either paint or black chrome.

You mean it is either Black Paint or Black Chrome or Silver Chrome.

 

As usual, you are right, of course. Poor choice of words by me. I should have said chrome plate or chrome coating.

 

Bill Rosauer

"The reason why the cameras with brass top plates in black chrome get "silvery" on the edges instead of braising is because of the nature of the black chrome plating process. It is not a single black chrome plate, but rather a series of platings applied to the metal part. On the zinc top plates, first a flash coat of copper is applied, then nickel plating, chrome plating and then the finish black chrome plating. I believe the copper flash coat was not used on the brass top plates. Since the bright chrome plating is very durable, it is rare to wear past this on the black chrome cameras. Black paint cameras on the other hand do not have these coatings and wear through to the brass rather easily. "

 

So M10 is brass, which is "chromed" or coated/plated with chrome which is then painted silver or black. Or is the black in the chrome? Hence Black Chrome finish? I think it's painted because the black does where off first.

 

Which begs the question, why isn't it just stainless steel? Lighter and looks great, don't need any paint at all, or coating/plating. Or Aluminum, like M262?

Edited March 29, 2017 by uhoh7

[TomB_tx]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

The original silver-grey M9s were just grey paint - not plated. The M9P in silver was chrome plated.

The top plates are machined from brass - which machines easily.

Stainless is much harder and more expensive to machine, and tooling wears faster (due to the abrasive nature of the chrome components) and so is not good for long production runs. The M60 used stainless as an experiment - so if you want stainless look for one of them!