Clear Lacquer on Metal Parts of Camera?

Kino · Jan 21, 2019

Does anyone have any firsthand knowledge of what type of clear lacquer was used on polished aluminum speed and aperture rings on cameras like the Agfa Silette?

I am experimenting on just such a camera, trying to remove a clear coating on the focus ring that has become patchy and unattractive. It resembles nitrocellulose or acetate to me, but wondered if anyone could confirm or correct this assumption?

tedr1 · Jan 21, 2019

Here's something to try. Aluminum is soft, so are the laquers you mention. Is the existing coating hard or soft? If it is hard it may be clear anodizing which is a very common and very hard thin surface coating produced chemically. If it is anodizing unfortunately the only way to renovate it is to strip it down to bare metal and refinish.

AgX · Jan 21, 2019

Just try various solvents until the laquer comes off. The typical lacquer used in Germany for cosmetic coating in general was NC laquer.

Kino · Jan 21, 2019

Tedr1 and AgX,

Thanks. After all said and done, I am pretty sure it was nitrocellulose lacquer. A combination of soaking in dilute vinegar, a water rinse and a scrub with acetone and then metal polish got the bulk of it off.

Won't do that again. Not worth the effort.

Clear Lacquer on Metal Parts of Camera?

Kino

tedr1

AgX

Kino

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