Just picked up a sweet little Olynous OM-1 & 3 lenses for a good deal.It's one of the origional OM's and everything works.
The gear smells like it was stored in the belly of a Yak.A dead Yak.How can I get rid of this offensive odor?
Set it in a sunny place for a while, time and sun are the best healers of that affliction . I picked up a Yashica D that had been stored in a leather case and inside a leather gear bag. It took several months for that lovely aroma to finally dissipate.
When I get used gear that reeks of tobacco smoke, I put it in a bag, in a warm spot with a few of those fabric softener sheets for the dryer. It seems to do the trick.
acetic acid eats odours. Freshly ground coffee too. put the camera in a box besides one bowl of one of those for a while, then switch to the other. coffee really is the better alternative. i've heard it makes a good brew too. not sure though, was a dodgy fellow who told me.
Nice... I'd like my cameras to smell like coffee and I guess coffee that shared a box with a nice camera would be even better
Storing it in a warm, sunny place for a while is what I do. Leave it open and without lens for a week if you don't need it right now and all the smell should be gone. Worked for me every time and I've had a few that looked and smelled like they've been stored in in a bag with an old sandwich for a few years.
This can be difficult. I once had to give up a Pentax ME SE because of its odor. I tried, for two weeks, various remedies (baking soda, vinegar, organic deodorizer, keeping it in a zip-lock bag, etc.), but nothing worked. Since then, I am always concerned about funky gear. However, since I buy about 99% of my gear from KEH, this has not been a problem. Only eBay items have been funky. Yet another reason why eBay "bargains" are really just "traps."
Baking soda would be my first suggestion too. Lacking that, an ionizing air cleaner (especially one that makes ozone) will make short work of the odors.
Thanks one and all.I have the leather on my front porch airing out.It gets direct sunlight for about 6 hours.If that fails I'll try dryer sheets and then coffee.
I've given up on trying to get the stink out of old leather. I tend to just get rid of the stuff because (IMO) its a breeding ground for fungal infestations. The only leather goods I will keep are branded items such as Leica or other quality name, then I still dont use the stuff, I display it seperately from the cameras and lenses.