I ordered the m10-r black paint

[IkarusJohn]

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You have other black paint M cameras?

[250swb]

Wear isn't caused by smooth rubbing like you've taken it to bed and fondled it all night, although in the context of this thread I suppose that's possible. It's mostly caused by lots of small dings in the paint that eventually all join together, except for the areas where the finger is always touching like the film advance lever on a film camera. But again, in this thread the areas where the finger is always touching is clearly open to debate, but try it with sandpaper on your finger and you'll be off to the Doctor in the morning.

[ianman]

Whatever you do stay away from 80 grit, that can do some serious damage to your tools.... according to a friend !

Edited July 26, 2021 by ianman

[EdwardM]

its weird. period.

[Herr Barnack]

4 hours ago, Flu said:

If I don’t brass mine, it will almost look like every other black M body on my shelf. I might grab the wrong one as I head out the door in haste…LOL

In other words, I only bought this M10RBP because it could brass easily as I didn’t want just another simple and clean black M body. 

You can never be too careful - a quick coat of this will put a prompt end to any such miscue:  https://www.amazon.com/Krylon-Fluorescent-yellow-orange-3102/dp/B07YGMDS1V/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=neon+orange+spray+paint&qid=1627350523&sr=8-4

 

[AndreasG]

vor 3 Stunden schrieb Herr Barnack:

You can never be too careful - a quick coat of this will put a prompt end to any such miscue:  https://www.amazon.com/Krylon-Fluorescent-yellow-orange-3102/dp/B07YGMDS1V/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=neon+orange+spray+paint&qid=1627350523&sr=8-4

 

Or follow the procedure here:

 

[250swb]

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11 hours ago, RF’sDelight said:

I respect the sandpaper folks but as soon as I receive my BP I will watch both of us ageing by using. BTW the M8.2, the original M9 and the M9-P were painted too, can’t remember any buzz about fake brassing back then. That tells us something about marketing and hype I guess.

Fake brassing really started with the MP back in 2003. Leica said it was painted in black lacquer so some people thought this was the type of lacquer made from tree sap, and within a week they were showing their distressed camera. The idea caught on and there were endless threads about why Leica painted their cameras in tree sap. Of course 'lacquer' or lackieren are just words for paint, Fender guitars were lacquered and using exactly the same paint formulation Ford painted their cars with, the names of the colours were even the same.

The second wave hit when the M9 was introduced in 2009. People had been anticipating the black paint version and asking how to brass it even before it was released. And again within about a week or two the fake brassing started to be shown, clearly fake and laughable to look at, but many insisted it was through wear. The last laugh was on them though because it turned out that the M9 wasn't painted in a conventional spray on paint after all but powder coated, a far tougher paint finish and one that really did resist brassing. The brassing then looked a bit silly because nobody could argue it was from genuine wear, not least because of typical sandpaper edges. The other determining factor is fake brassing is always neat, real brassing can be ugly and much of it will be accident damage, bumping cameras against each other etc.

And now the M10, I've not seen one in the flesh but I doubt Leica have gone back to the tree sap (sic) and it's more than likely to be the hard wearing powder coating that doesn't brass in the same way lacquer paint does anyway, even with sandpaper mitts.

Edited July 27, 2021 by 250swb

[250swb]

8 minutes ago, Steven said:

As far as I’m concerned, I don’t care if people think the Brassing is real or fake. 
I like it, for my own eyes, it’s all that matters… to me. 

I agree and thinking about it the term 'fake' is too freely used by myself and others anyway, it's closer to 'decorative brassing' because it has none of the detail an actual fake would have if done to fool somebody. 

[Ouroboros]

My experience of brassing after 16 years of using my MP regularly is that the process of lacquer wear is quite slow and very localised.  
 

Brass is only showing on the tip of the wind-on lever and the knurled grip on the rewind knob.  There is a barely perceptible bit if brassing on the frame selector lever (yes, I really do use it!) and a very tiny amount on the extreme corners of the top plate step.

This is a camera that is widely travelled, is used several times per week, has never seen a half case and only within the past couple of years has been carried in a Billingham Hadley Small because I finally  caved in and bought one. 

There is an obvious bright spot on the surface of the lacquer (not brassed) on the top plate in front of the shutter speed dial because I often change the shutter speed by feel with my right index finger when the camera is to my eye.  There is a similar surface mark near the rewind knob where the top joint of my right index finger comes into contact with the top plate when I’m rewinding a film.

As for deliberately sanding a camera, I just don’t get it either, but as the human race is still evolving as a species,  I ‘m sure the answer to “WTF????”  will be revealed one day.

Edited July 27, 2021 by Ouroboros

[ianman]

59 minutes ago, Steven said:

I’m currently having an m7 BP being modified. Drilling into the metal chassis to change the film rewind knob to switch the m6/m7 style for the classic MP knob. 
Will it be fake ? 100%. Will I love it ? 100% 

Not the same thing though. This is a functional modification as well as being a cosmetic one rather than solely cosmetic.

Of course all these things are personal preferences. Once my M9 came back from Leica with a black dot. Solely cosmetic but I prefer it. On the other hand, I don't "baby" my cameras but I would never intentionally damage them either.

I have a lovely thick wool jumper that I've had for years. It's obviously worn out and even starting to come apart. But I love it. I prefer to put it on than a new one, I've had it for so long the it feels like a second skin. But if I bought a new one and started to make holes in it, it wouldn't be the same. Not only would it look strange but would never have the feeling of the older one.

 It's time that makes something feel like it's part of me and only time can work it's magic.

Edited July 27, 2021 by ianman

[IkarusJohn]

Well, I guess Janis Joplin painted her Porsche …

[ianman]

16 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

yes, I do use it!

aha... I knew there had to be someone else out there who uses it  

 

[Ouroboros]

4 minutes ago, ianman said:

aha... I knew there had to be someone else out there who uses it  

 

Someone’s bound to bite! 
.

.

.

 😁

[ianman]

3 hours ago, Steven said:

I’m currently having an m7 BP being modified. Drilling into the metal chassis to change the film rewind knob to switch the m6/m7 style for the classic MP knob.

You could then have the best of both worlds by adding a winder. The real Leica one, not the copy (although probabaly better) one. I haven't seen a Leica one for sale in years. It must be quite rare.Came in a box with a little Leica branded screwdriver IIRC.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, IkarusJohn said:

Well, I guess Janis Joplin painted her Porsche …

...........didn't she really want a Mercedes Benz?

[Herr Barnack]

9 hours ago, AndreasG said:

Or follow the procedure here:

 

Oh, my God - that poor M9!  😢

[AndreasG]

Hopefully the sensor was already blind!

[250swb]

5 hours ago, Ouroboros said:

My experience of brassing after 16 years of using my MP regularly is that the process of lacquer wear is quite slow and very localised.  

I guess mine is similar

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Made in 2002 with Leica using the delicate 'black lacquer' tree sap finish. It's never had a half case or anything and it's been bumped and knocked but not abused. There is some scuffing where the strap rubs which doesn't show in the photo. I can't remember where any of the scratches came from (so no fond memories of use), but I suspect are from stuffing it into my Hadley Pro with lenses and other cameras.

 

[zupfgeiger]

On 6/26/2021 at 10:45 AM, pippy said:

...which also (IMO) look utterly ridiculous. WAAAYYY over the top.

Fender's CS has made some seriously good relic'd guitars - their 'Blackie' and 'Black Strat' editions were superb - but the Road Worn Series are (IMO) a joke.

Philip.

 

It's more the violin makers who do this - treating their new instruments in a way that they look like 300 years old Stradivaris. Old violins sell much better then new ones. But sanding a digital Leica M to make it look like HCB's very own camera is a ridiculous fake. 

Edited July 27, 2021 by zupfgeiger

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Guest BlackBarn]

On 7/27/2021 at 5:26 AM, Steven said:

Any suggestions before I continue ?

You may be interested in seeing Leica’s version of ‘getting out the sandpaper’ 

https://en.leica-camera.com/Company/Press-Centre/Press-Releases/2015/Press-Release-Special-limited-edition-LEICA-M-P-‘CORRESPONDENT’-SET-CREATED-BY-LENNY-KRAVITZ-FOR-KRAVITZ-DESIGN
 

There’s one currently for sale on eBay with a few more photos.