A Case of the Smelly Gitzo

jcc · Jul 31, 2014

So, I got this Series 3 Gitzo for a really good price, brand spanking new, a few months ago. It had that new photo equipment smell of carbon fiber, magnesium, and rubber... I only use it for my 4x5 camera, which is not new. And every time I would use the 4x5, my hands would smell funny. Naturally, I started sniffing the camera... my lenses... my bag... Then finally, the Gitzo.

The smell comes from the rubber grip around the leg locks. It's not a pleasant rubber smell, but a funky one.

My question is: IS THIS NORMAL??? This is my only Gitzo, and the only other one I've handled had a plastic grip on the leg locks. I'm hoping the smell will eventually go away. It's getting kind of worse, the more I use it. The rubber itself doesn't smell bad. Just my hands after handling them. Smells like uncured epoxy, or there abouts.

The tripod is kept in open air, and not in a bag. It's never gotten wet. As far as I can tell, it's had this "feature" since day one.

David A. Goldfarb · Jul 31, 2014

I got my Gitzo 6x 5-series legset when it came out several years ago, and it doesn't seem to be outgassing, so it stops eventually.

jcc · Jul 31, 2014

David A. Goldfarb said:
I got my Gitzo 6x 5-series legset when it came out several years ago, and it doesn't seem to be outgassing, so it stops eventually.

Thank you. Also, remind me to buy you a drink the next time I go home to Hawaii.

David A. Goldfarb · Jul 31, 2014

Drop me a line, if you're in the neighborhood.

Jeff Kubach · Jul 31, 2014

Maybe use gloves?

Jeff

AgX · Jul 31, 2014

I don't know about this very problem. But I experience a lot of bad smells with current products. To me it even seems to have got worse the last years, especially with rubber items.

In general heating the part gives (some or full) relieve. Heating either by the sun (at a clear summer day) or by means of a heat-gun or incandescent lamp. That heating though can take a lot of time.

In the worst case so far (vibration damping in a Mercedes) I had to discard the parts all together, and to heat-treat the surrounding for about 10 hours.

jcc · Jul 31, 2014

Maybe they offer polyurethane replacements. Maybe it's a defective item and that's why I got such a good deal out if it.

TareqPhoto · Jul 31, 2014

In fact, your thread reminding me about something i would like to do with my Gitzo tripods, i am looking for to clean them after i disassemble it aparts, but i would like to know what kind of grease i should use for locks parts, and if there is some kind of that Aroma or alcoholic new leather/fiber/rubber smell i can buy to give my tripod as a new look and smell as brand new or closer?

pdeeh · Jul 31, 2014

I had to replace a leg lock on my Manfrotto, and their UK service centre told me they use car axle grease for everything but the ball heads (which need something more sophisticated)

jcc · Jul 31, 2014

Yeah, I think the leg locks aren't that complicated, so any old lubricant that's not messy will do. I used a white paste (name is escaping me at the moment) after I cleaned the joints on my RRS.

Alex Muir · Jul 31, 2014

I'm sure Gitzo sell the leg lock grease as a spare. You could try the local distributor. I can't help with the smell. My own Gitzo has no smell at all, but it is a bit older than yours.
Alex

benjiboy · Jul 31, 2014

I would just spray your tripod with some of that fabric deodorizer that comes in spray bottles. Dead Link Removed

jcc · Jul 31, 2014

silveror0 said:
Would that be "white lithium grease?" That's great stuff for lubing lots of things.

That's the stuff! Lucas was the brand. Picked it up from Home Depot.

AgX · Jul 31, 2014

As indicated above those threadings at tripod legs take any standard grease. No need to bother with types and brands.

Though if the threads are not covered a complete different type of lubrication might be considered depending on usage of the tripod.

AgX · Jul 31, 2014

As indicated above those threadings at tripod legs take any standard grease. No need to bother with types and brands.

Though if the threads are not covered a complete different type of lubrication might be considered depending on use of the tripod.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jul 31, 2014

It's the new tripod smell But with most new plastic/rubber items, they outgas. Should go away. You might want to leave it in the garage if your chemically sensitive like me. I bought some Ikea furniture made of MDF and the formaldehyde fumes made me sick. I had to let it air out a bit in the garage before I used it.

Alex Muir · Jul 31, 2014

Some synthetic greases can be harmful to plastics. The leg lock parts on my own carbon fibre Gitzo are made of a type of plastic. I wouldn't be able to identify it without reference to the manufacturer. On metal parts, I would think that any normal type of grease would do. I would be wary of using any type of grease on plastic locks without knowing that it was compatible. Perhaps I'm worrying too much, but the warning about compatibility between lubes and plastics came from another source, totally unrelated to Gitzo, or tripods.
On the point about unwelcome smells from photo gear, I once bought a projector screen that smelled quite simply of vomit! It became so bad after a few days that I had to throw it out. I think the paint used on the fabric screen had gone off. My wife still talks about the smell in the house, and that was about 20 years ago.
Alex.

removed account4 · Jul 31, 2014

uv from the sun gets rid of smells
maybe since it wont be hurt, or burn up
or start a fire . leave the tripod out in the bright sun for a bit ?
also call gitzo and see what they have to say ...?
maybe they have a spray whose smell overpowers the outgassing ( or use olive oil from canned anchovies? )...

jcc · Aug 1, 2014

See, the rubber grip doesn't smell by itself. I actually have to touch it, then my hand smells.

Hmmm, I'll have to experiment to see if other people's hands will smell after touching it.

removed account4 · Aug 1, 2014

jcc said:
See, the rubber grip doesn't smell by itself. I actually have to touch it, then my hand smells.

Hmmm, I'll have to experiment to see if other people's hands will smell after touching it.

sounds like a good reason to have an assistant

AgX · Aug 1, 2014

Alex Muir said:
Some synthetic greases can be harmful to plastics.

Yes, you are right. Though the only case I experienced myself was a polystyrene cannister I had filled with standard grease that cracked ofter years.
I did not consider plastic parts as I did not know about plastic leg-locks.

Old-N-Feeble · Aug 1, 2014

Is the smell more pungent with the legs open? Maybe it just needs a thorough cleaning.

Alex Muir · Aug 1, 2014

AgX said:
Yes, you are right. Though the only case I experienced myself was a polystyrene cannister I had filled with standard grease that cracked ofter years.
I did not consider plastic parts as I did not know about plastic leg-locks.

My own Gitzo tripod is a small one in the Mountaineer range. It is not a current model. The threaded parts of the locking mechanism are some sort of plastic. Perhaps they are metal on the larger models. I doubt that there would be any harm in using a normal type of grease, although Gitzo do offer a grease for this purpose. It could easily be a standard product carrying a typically Gitzo price tag! One good thing about their tripods, though, apart from the high quality, is the comprehensive range of spare parts you can buy if needed. I needed mine repaired, and found a parts diagram online showing that virtually everything could be purchased as a spare. Unfortunately, they don't seem to offer a fragranced grease to combat the smelly rubber!

Alex.

Mainecoonmaniac · Aug 1, 2014

Oh my!

Old-N-Feeble said:
Is the smell more pungent with the legs open? Maybe it just needs a thorough cleaning.

Are you talking about a tripod?

Old-N-Feeble · Aug 1, 2014

Mainecoonmaniac said:
Are you talking about a tripod?

Butt of course!!

A Case of the Smelly Gitzo

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