Leather cases and mold

[monkowa]

This might be better suited in the misc equipment forum but it involves my leicas so here we are.
Anyway, I bought an old, old leather case that fits both my M3 and M4 and it smelled funny. Not bad, or moldy but sweet I want to say. It also had green corrosion around the button snaps and strap locks. I looked online and found some troubleshooting for possible mold issues that involved hydrogen peroxide and that seemed to make the leather super stiff and the felt material inside more stiff than usual.
The sweet smell remained as well. Not nearly as bad but it was there.

I guess my question is, any of you peeps run across this particular issue and is it a big deal? It's a nice case and it has a name and address on it that kinda makes the case cooler than it would be otherwise.

Lastly, if this is an issue, what kind of leather cases (ever ready and otherwise) would you suggest that wouldnt break the bank?

 

[Svenedin]

The trouble with anything that has been mouldy over the years is that the fungal spores will be embedded in the material (leather or whatever) and there is not much you can do. Your case has obviously been damp for a significant period if there is green corrosion of the metal parts. Mould spores are absolutely ubiquitous. There is no avoiding them in everyday life but they will only cause a problem if the right conditions exist for them to grow. If your case is now too stiff try some penetrating leather cream which may soften it. I use Neat's Foot oil.

 

[macfred]

.... what kind of leather cases (ever ready and otherwise) would you suggest that wouldnt break the bank?

ebay seller studentphotostore has some nice half cases for Leica M (about 90,-- Euros) -
I bought a half case for my Nikon F2 (60,-- Euros) and an other soft case for my Rolleiflex which came with a mouldy (n)ever-ready case (60,-- Euros).
These cases are made fro genuine Italian leather. I'm quite satisfied.

 

[guangong]

As for your case, try boot oil, mink oil or neetsfoot oil. The latter is very affordable if bought in a saddle shop. Slop it on and remove next day. I am a firm believer in hard cases. Friends laughed at my hard Hasselblad case until it fell undamaged onto concrete from the seat of my Jeep. Forty years ago my Rollei tlr was knocked from my hands onto pavement and suffered only a sheared pin on the locking clasp, and of course all those inadvertent knocks and bumps suffered by Leicas and Leicaflexes. My Nikons are usually carried in the case bottom (no snugger fitting case bottom but rest of case too bulky).
However, i don’t store Leitz lenses and equipment in cases...they seem to be particularly prone to fungus...must be Wetzlar air!

 

[E. von Hoegh]

This might be better suited in the misc equipment forum but it involves my leicas so here we are.
Anyway, I bought an old, old leather case that fits both my M3 and M4 and it smelled funny. Not bad, or moldy but sweet I want to say. It also had green corrosion around the button snaps and strap locks. I looked online and found some troubleshooting for possible mold issues that involved hydrogen peroxide and that seemed to make the leather super stiff and the felt material inside more stiff than usual.
The sweet smell remained as well. Not nearly as bad but it was there.

I guess my question is, any of you peeps run across this particular issue and is it a big deal? It's a nice case and it has a name and address on it that kinda makes the case cooler than it would be otherwise.

Lastly, if this is an issue, what kind of leather cases (ever ready and otherwise) would you suggest that wouldnt break the bank?

The green stuff around the metal parts (brass or other copper alloy) is verdegris, nothing to do with mold. It's from a reaction between the brass and leather itself. The sweetish smell might be the result of it being recently treated with some sort of leather conditioner.
Exposing to sunlight or UV will kill the mold and reduce the smell. Hydrogen peroxide sounds like a disaster, I certainly wouldn't use it on leather.

 

[benjiboy]

Cameras and certainly, in general, seem to be more susceptible to fungus when they have been kept in leather ever-ready/ lens cases for years. Speaking personally I keep my gear in Domke F2 bags that are made from heavy-duty cotton canvass that is breathable together with some sachets of silica gel and has never had any fungus problems.

 

[TheRook]

The sweet smell is likely from some sort of leather treatment oil generously applied to the case by a previous owner. Saddle oil, olive oil, rapeseed oil... it could be any one of these. By hanging the case outdoors for an extended period, you should be able to reduce the smell.