Strap lugs, just sayin'

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The old Leicas were often carried around in half cases, full Leitz or Leica „Bereitschaftstaschen“ etc. for a long time before these brown leather „bags“ started being considered uncool. 

Also maybe because Robert Capa (OK, a Contax shooter) was the coolest there ever was, and there are numerous photos of him with an opened full case around and under his camera.

Most of them had the carrying strap attached to them, instead of being suspended from the camera lugs.

(Let‘s not start wondering why practically all other objects don‘t hang from a strap round their owners‘ neck, except cameras

and guitars & saxophones, which don‘t fit in a pocket).
 

Edited January 8, 2020 by tri

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[mann61]

Don't see a problem. Tri is right,use an old case detach the front cover you have a cheap half case. It is a bit bulky but secure and offers protection.

I have two old M3 cases .

[A miller]

2 minutes ago, mann61 said:

Don't see a problem. Tri is right,use an old case detach the front cover you have a cheap half case. It is a bit bulky but secure and offers protection.

I have two old M3 cases .

Sorry but i don’t practice safe sex with my Leicas.  And for reference i also don’t go shooting with people who use a half case 😉

[mann61]

Oooh it must be wild living on the edge!

[Frase]

Not so much living on the edge, my strap lugs were getting thin so they have had an insert to make them last a bit longer. I'm pretty sure there will be a Leica M1 or MDa out there willing to sacrifice its strap lugs for my M4 when the time comes!

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[Big Jim]

Leica M2, Leica strap with round steel eyelits. I think I dodged a bullet tonight. I was only removing the strap to put it on my newly purchased M3. One lug is almost worn through. And I just ordered the same strap for my M3 because I thought it was so good. Duh ! Anyone know a good strap that doesn’t cause wear like this ? Or a way to protect the lugs ? 

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[250swb]

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2 minutes ago, Big Jim said:

Leica M2, Leica strap with round steel eyelits. I think I dodged a bullet tonight. I was only removing the strap to put it on my newly purchased M3. One lug is almost worn through. And I just ordered the same strap for my M3 because I thought it was so good. Duh ! Anyone know a good strap that doesn’t cause wear like this ? Or a way to protect the lugs ? 

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Use round rings and not triangular rings. Triangular rings are a great idea but they cause wear on brass strap lugs because of the acute angle where the ring is supported in the lug.

[Big Jim]

27 minutes ago, 250swb said:

Use round rings and not triangular rings. Triangular rings are a great idea but they cause wear on brass strap lugs because of the acute angle where the ring is supported in the lug.

Thanks. But the Leica strap I used up to now, that caused the problem does have round rings. It’s this one

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Edited May 18, 2024 by Big Jim
Pic

[spydrxx]

Either get the lugs replaced or carry the camera in a case in which the strap encircles the case, but doesn't attach to the camera lugs. Years ago I found a solution for my M4 which involved inserting a thin piece of plastic tubing into the lug and then the strap. It cut down significantly on the lug wear and the tubing was easily replaced when/if it got worn. The tubing I used was the butane feed tubing from an inexpensive butane cigarette lighter, mere press fit in place.

[Big Jim]

6 hours ago, spydrxx said:

Either get the lugs replaced or carry the camera in a case in which the strap encircles the case, but doesn't attach to the camera lugs. Years ago I found a solution for my M4 which involved inserting a thin piece of plastic tubing into the lug and then the strap. It cut down significantly on the lug wear and the tubing was easily replaced when/if it got worn. The tubing I used was the butane feed tubing from an inexpensive butane cigarette lighter, mere press fit in place.

Thanks. If any users know where lugs can be replaced in Europe I’d be most grateful. 
My theory about this particular strap is that the ring is one you can thread onto the lug. The section that you lift to thread on is not smooth and tends to get stuck and rub against the lug. Hence the indented wear. Perhaps a solid ring would be better. 

[Mute-on]

Steel split rings will always wear brass lugs, particularly if the edges of the split end are sharp. There is a manufacturer of chrome plated brass split rings that have rounded and polished split ends called Cura. I haven’t seen them available for a while, but Wotancraft uses them in some of their straps, as shown here https://www.wotancraft.tw/id/creations/camera-neck-strap-leather-non-tapered-ring.

[George Collier]

I have an M4 and an M4-2, both of which have been worked on by Youxin Ye. He mentioned to me once that one of them (the M4, I believe) has brass lugs. He said the safe thing for any M is to use brass rings - not easy to find at the right size, but I did via a jeweler friend of mine - very cheap for a small bag. And you can watch the brass rings easily for ware. I also use a leather tabbed strap, like shown above - by Artisan & Artist. Nice straps, too.

[williamj]

Either paracord or peak design connectors are worth looking at if you don’t want wear on your lugs. 

[pippy]

On 5/19/2024 at 6:59 AM, Big Jim said:

...My theory about this particular strap is that the ring is one you can thread onto the lug. The section that you lift to thread on is not smooth and tends to get stuck and rub against the lug. Hence the indented wear. Perhaps a solid ring would be better...

I suspect that you are correct. The lugs on your M2 are chrome-plated brass - as can be seen in your photograph - and brass will wear faster than steel in any event let alone when the steel has sharp edges which will catch on the lug simply through normal movement.

Until such time as you manage to source a repair-person I suggest you take heed of the tip mentioned by spydrxx in post #49 and use some plastic bushings. One 'always-to-hand' (possibly!) donor which I've read about in the past would be to cut-down some sections from the ink-tubing of a standard 'Bic'-style ball-point pen refill.

As well as all that I would also advise that you put aside the nicely-made leather strap and acquire one or more of Leica's once-ubiquitous 14312 nylon straps. The 'D-rings' of these are circular in cross section and, in future, are far less likely to cause such wear as you have seen with your M2.

Best of good fortune.

Philip.

Edited May 20, 2024 by pippy

[jaapv]

On 5/18/2024 at 10:11 PM, Big Jim said:

Anyone know a good strap that doesn’t cause wear like this ?

Leicatime, by Luigi Crescenzi. I have fifteen years old ones that are still going strong. Insee that Luigi upgraded them a bit over the years. He will make to order, I'm convinced that he can still produce the Leica M ones for classical lugs.

 

https://luigicases.com/a000-STRAPS-page.htm

 

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[250swb]

Scary if you have experience of leather shoe laces. 

But other than people using wrist straps I've never seen a catastrophic short term degradation like the OP has had. It's been chewed up very quickly, so if a triangular ring isn't the problem there is more going on than can be explained.

[Big Jim]

On 5/20/2024 at 10:06 PM, 250swb said:

Scary if you have experience of leather shoe laces. 

But other than people using wrist straps I've never seen a catastrophic short term degradation like the OP has had. It's been chewed up very quickly, so if a triangular ring isn't the problem there is more going on than can be explained.

As I said up thread no triangular connectors were used and I believe what happened can be fully explained. I had an Artisan & Artist leather case fitted with fits around and above the lugs. To this I fitted the Leica strap mentioned above which also has a piece of leather between the ring and the body. This combination pushed the ring against the outer edges of the lug. The ring ends then catch there and rub the brass lug. This explains the odd position of the wear. A good example of where being too careful can cause more problems! 
Lots of good tips here. I looked for those Cura rings @Mute-on but can’t find them online. I think the ring ends are a big part of the problem. If there was a ring with angled smoother edges I think wear would be reduced. @Frasedid you get those inserts specially manufactured? 
Thanks everyone for your help. 

Edited May 25, 2024 by Big Jim
Fine

[Mute-on]

1 hour ago, Big Jim said:

As I said up thread no triangular connectors were used and I believe what happened can be fully explained. I had an Artisan & Artist leather case fitted with fits around and above the lugs. To this I fitted the Leica strap mentioned above which also has a piece of leather between the ring and the body. This combination pushed the ring against the outer edges of the lug. The ring ends then catch there and rub the brass lug. This explains the odd position of the wear. A good example of where being too careful can cause more problems! 
Lots of good tips here. I looked for those Cura rings @Mute-on but can’t find them online. I think the ring ends are a big part of the problem. If there was a ring with angled smoother edges I think wear would be reduced. @Frasedid you get those inserts specially manufactured? 
Thanks everyone for your help. 

Buy one of the Wotancraft straps and the Cura rings come with it. Free shipping too, according to the website …. https://www.wotancraft.tw/id/product/aca09-12-bnw000-ring
 

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Frase]

7 hours ago, Big Jim said:

As I said up thread no triangular connectors were used and I believe what happened can be fully explained. I had an Artisan & Artist leather case fitted with fits around and above the lugs. To this I fitted the Leica strap mentioned above which also has a piece of leather between the ring and the body. This combination pushed the ring against the outer edges of the lug. The ring ends then catch there and rub the brass lug. This explains the odd position of the wear. A good example of where being too careful can cause more problems! 
Lots of good tips here. I looked for those Cura rings @Mute-on but can’t find them online. I think the ring ends are a big part of the problem. If there was a ring with angled smoother edges I think wear would be reduced. @Frasedid you get those inserts specially manufactured? 
Thanks everyone for your help. 

No i just bought some brass tube the correct size.

[Frase]

There still in there and thats 4 years