Is this fungus/mold on metal?

Oblidor · Jan 27, 2024

Hi

I'm trying to fix an analogue camera with a Seiko SLV shutter. Inside I found these dark spots on the metal (brass or copper not sure). Is this fungus or mold? It is not removed with isopropanol cleaning.

If it is, does anybody have advice how to clean it?

Thanks in advance

skylight1b · Jan 27, 2024

To me this looks like pitting/corrosion of the brass, but I'm not sure. I have never used it on camera parts, but for other metal pieces I have worked on, Maas metal polish works wonders, and it's safe for most (if not all) metals. It'll clean up whatever is salvageable.

Sirius Glass · Jan 27, 2024

Consider metal polish such as silver polish. Only put it on a small area to test it first. I doubt the isopropyl alcohol will do much.

John Koehrer · Jan 27, 2024

What he says^^ I've used Brasso in the past & it worked pretty well but if the corrosion
is real bad it may not remove it completely but you may have "shadows" under
the layer.

If you have access to a Dremel and buffing wheel & compound that May do a slightly more aggressive job.

Kino · Jan 27, 2024

You could try "pickling" the metal, but unless you are sure of the composition, you may do more damage than good.

Pickling (metal) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I'd stick with the polish and a dremel. It's probably where lube dropped on the metal and discolored it, trapping water and starting some biological growth. If you did nothing, it would probably still outlive the vast majority of users on Photrio...

reddesert · Jan 27, 2024

I don't think this is biological. It's unclear if the metal is a type of brass, or something else with a yellowish finish. Either way it is probably some combination of an oil stain and resulting corrosion or alloy reaction with oil and/or moisture. If it is brass, it's even less likely to be biological because the copper in brass gives it quite strong anti-microbial properties. Brass can be rather reactive on the surface, but retain structural integrity. I would just lightly polish it by hand with a cloth and some metal polish, maybe something less aggressive than Brasso, and call it good.

Sirius Glass · Jan 27, 2024

Sirius Glass said:
Consider metal polish such as silver polish. Only put it on a small area to test it first. I doubt the isopropyl alcohol will do much.

Chrome polish for motorcycles would work too. I have used it for tough problem corrosion.

250swb · Jan 28, 2024

Oblidor said:
Hi

I'm trying to fix an analogue camera with a Seiko SLV shutter. Inside I found these dark spots on the metal (brass or copper not sure). Is this fungus or mold? It is not removed with isopropanol cleaning.

If it is, does anybody have advice how to clean it?

Thanks in advance

I think something liquid and slightly acidic has splashed onto the metal and etched it. Wire wool might solve the problem.

BrianShaw · Jan 28, 2024

Before using an abrasive approach, perhaps it might be best to attempt a gentle chemical cleaning using a clock cleaning solution. They include ammonia, soap/detergent, and a mild acid to clean grease and corrosion off of (primarily) brass clock parts.

Ian C · Jan 28, 2024

The material that caused the discoloration is long gone. What you see is cosmetic only. It has no effect upon its function. Nothing needs to be done.

Oblidor · Jan 28, 2024

I have worked on it today and from what I can see I agree that this is corrosion. I was worried it was fungal as that could have spread to the glass, but i don't see any issues with the glass elements, but that there are other parts that also have corrosion. I have used 1200 and 2500 grit sand paper to clean the verdigris that made the surface rough. So after this I it must have been that the camera has been stored in some damp area over time I guess.

Thank you all for input!

Is this fungus/mold on metal?

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