Leica vulcanite -- Mother's Reflections tire care?

[Trask]

Per this website:

http://www.nemeng.com/leica/032b.shtml

one possible way to address drying/fading vulcanite on our older cameras is to use Mother's Reflections Tire Care (Mother's is a U.S. company selling a broad line of well-received car care products).

I'd be interested to know if anyone has ever tried this product on vulcanite? I've got a nice Leica IIIg that DAG just CLA'd that needs some TLC on the exterior, but of course I don't want to bollocks it all up. (Attn: UK members -- corrections on appropriate use of slang welcomed!)

 

[250swb]

'bollocks it all up' is a perfectly good use of the phrase.

I would guess that the warnings about car 'detailing' products are because they often contain petroleum products, and natural rubber and petroleum do not go well together in the long term, especially it they get to the glue underneath. If I were to turn to any product to refresh the finish (I don't think it can be 'fed' as such) it would be to use a product with glycerine in it, I use a Beeswax based hand lotion.

But if you have any small areas of Vulcanite to repair the best product is called 'Milliput', a two part resin putty that comes in different grades and colours, one being black. Mix some together, spread it into the space and level it down to match the rest of the vulcanite, then use a wet cocktail stick (or whatever tool you invent) to impress a vulcanite pattern into the surface. You get a long time to get it right before it dries, then after a few hours it will have dried just as hard as the surrounding vulcanite. Get it on Ebay or from model shops.

Steve

 

[Jesper]

There is a very good source of information about restoring vulcanite here:

http://www.nemeng.com/leica/032b.shtml

 

[Trask]

Jesper - yes, that's the one I pointed to in my original post...

 

[Jesper]

Jesper - yes, that's the one I pointed to in my original post...

Sorry, didn't check the link. I just sent my bookmark for restoring vulcanite.

 

[Trask]

To make a final report: I bought the Mother's Reflections tire care, and it seems to work very well on the vulcanite on my IIIg. Whereas it had a short of whitish look in the vulcanite crevices prior to application, it now looks uniformly black, and more deeply black. So it would appear to be a good solution for drying vulcanite issues.

 

[Truzi]

I can't speak to either vulcanite or that product, but do be very careful using auto products on anything - even for the purpose they are marketed. Often the products are to give a "new" or "shiny" appearance - just aesthetics, and are ultimately destructive with long-term use. As an example, go to a few car forums and read up on AmorAll.