Cleaning up an Old Kodak Brownie?

[Omni-Functional]

Hi there, I'm new here so please be kind if this is in the wrong place!

I picked up a Kodak Six-20 Brownie Model E today for very cheap. Just wanted it to shoot some portraits of a friend. Internally it is pristine, everything that matters on the box seems to work perfectly and is remarkably clean for its age. Checking around the faceplate there are signs of surface rust etc. I was wondering if anyone here would be able to point me in the direction of a resource that would show me how to remove the faceplate and give it a clean?

It does seem the faceplate can just be "popped off" although the rust seems to be preventing this. Is it common for these to have been essentially rusted shut? Is it even worth worrying about?

Sorry for the wall of text and thanks for reading if you did!

 

[AgX]

I am ignorant on that model (nonexistant here), but the metal box cameras I got typically are assembled in a way that allow opening only by force.
Aside of the shutter one might need to clean the taking optics or the finder optics, but in my cases I refrained...

Concerning the outer rust I advise rust converter locally applied.

 

[Omni-Functional]

Thank you for your reply, after some research it seems to be a model assembled by Kodak in the late '40s to early '50s. Metal construction which is nice, feels very sturdy.

Thank you for the advice in regards to the rust, I will certainly get right on that.

 

[shutterfinger]

First of all go to https://www.brownie-camera.com/list.shtml then click on the Six 20 E link.
Now the front of the camera snaps on to the main body by the means of rounded bumps, likely on the face piece, and recesses for them to mate into on the body.
Using a flat blade #0 or #1 screwdriver that will just fit into the gap between the face and body lift the face up 1/64 to 1/32 inch (.4mm to 8mm ) and slip the face out from the body working your way around the body until the face is free of the body without bending anything.
Use a red Scotchbrite to buff the rust off and repaint with enamel. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-Red-Sc...214503?hash=item2859cbb627:g:IvIAAOSw7eda75EH
Have fun polishing up your jewel.

 

[Louis Nargi]

Thanks for this post