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Leitz Midland black chrome M4, tape it? (NOPE)

alphonse2501

By alphonse2501
in Leica M-A / M7 / MP and Film M

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alphonse2501

alphonse2501

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I want to show you why taping a black chrome M4 is a bad idea.

 

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Huss

Huss

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4 hours ago, 250swb said:

A soft cloth with some Isopropyl alcohol will usually remove glue residue.

It's not the residue.  The glue chemically etches the finish.  I learned this the hard way when I first started riding motos.  I had a nice Kawi sportbike and wanted to protect the gas tank from scratches.  Instead of paying for a real tank protector, I used electrical tape.  Sure enough after I removed it about a year later to replace with fresh tape the tank had line etchings on it.

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250swb

250swb

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6 hours ago, Huss said:

It's not the residue.  The glue chemically etches the finish.  I learned this the hard way when I first started riding motos.  I had a nice Kawi sportbike and wanted to protect the gas tank from scratches.  Instead of paying for a real tank protector, I used electrical tape.  Sure enough after I removed it about a year later to replace with fresh tape the tank had line etchings on it.

But in the photo it looks like a raised edge, etching would go down into the finish or even go through the black chrome. And if it's the glue etching the surface why not all the way across and not just an edge? It hasn't even attacked the white paint of the lettering which is the most vulnerable part. If anything it's something else that's come into contact with the glue that's squeezing out, perhaps a cleaning product has 'set' the glue. So etching doesn't make sense. I still think IPA (or naphtha) would remove it carefully applied and avoiding the lettering and if somebody showed it to me I'd say 'give it here I'll show you how to clean it'. For petrol tanks or car parts with glue edging you can use a cutting compound then a polish, but you don't want to rub black chrome hard, just let the glue soak for a while in a film of IPA before a light rub.

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Bronco McBeast

Bronco McBeast

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If we are going to be smart about this, we’d realize that the glue underneath the piece of tape hasn’t damaged anything, and we’d conclude that the glue itself: doesn’t damage anything.

The surrounding of the tapa, the dryed glue, has dryed. This is easily cleanable with the right products. Why not try vinegar, leave a soaked sponge for an hour or so before wiping. 
 

For other surfaces that appear to have been “damaged” by tape, 99% of the cases is actual UVa/b damage to the whole piece EXCEPT for the place that was actually protected by the tape. 

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250swb

250swb

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1 minute ago, Bronco McBeast said:

… i totally forgot: actually, paint remover will remove any residue and it does not damage chrome. Magic.

A last resort I think. Better something that won't lift the white infill of the lettering just in case.

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alphonse2501

alphonse2501

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I follows tips above and pick Isopropyl Alcohol with a toothpick.

Much better. (Although there's light mark left.)

I plan to make this M4 as "Ersatz KE-7A" so I will to figure how to change frame preview level and self-timer to all-black tabs. I think M5's black tabs uses the same size as M4.

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250swb

250swb

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25 minutes ago, alphonse2501 said:

I follows tips above and pick Isopropyl Alcohol with a toothpick.

Much better. (Although there's light mark left.)

I plan to make this M4 as "Ersatz KE-7A" so I will to figure how to change frame preview level and self-timer to all-black tabs. I think M5's black tabs uses the same size as M4.

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Good job, but I'd have used a soft cotton bud so as not to scratch the camera.

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250swb

250swb

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On 9/21/2023 at 1:45 PM, kivis said:

Keep it clean, Never tape it. Too much at risk at resale.

Also don't try fake brassing with a nail file.

Chrome is chrome, whether silver or black, and applying tape won't affect it. The difference between highly polished silver chrome, like a classic car wing mirror or trim, and Leica's satin silver chrome or black chrome is the underlying base finish, not the chrome layer itself. But it's possible to shine up a satin chrome finish by rubbing at it, so think of Leicameter marks on an M2 top plate. There's no problem in applying tape to stop a strap or a Leicameter rubbing up against the body and shinnying the surface, just don't defeat the exercise and rub the surface hard when removing the residue of the tape.

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