Patching/replacing vulcanite on Leica M4

TomR55 · Jun 4, 2023

I have a relatively pristine M4. Just today I noticed a small chip (about 1 x .7 cm, irregular) near the base plate. This camera has never been treated poorly; it is kept in a good case and, again, is not roughly treated. I Is this something that can be "patched" or am I better to have someone re-do the vulcanite--working from the hypothesis that absent any rough treatment, the vulcanite (or the adhesive) is subject to aging?

If it's best to redo the vulcanite, does anyone have a recommendation for someone on the East coast of the US?

Any advice is most appreciated!

Thanks.

4season · Jun 4, 2023

TomR55 said:
Any advice is most appreciated!

Vulcanite is fused to the camera body under heat and pressure, hence the name (it's vulcanized). It becomes brittle with age, and easily chips in exposed areas, such as the lower edge when the baseplate is removed. There's no exact replacement, save for another body casting with intact vulcanite. One popular option is to replace the vulcanite with modern leather or leatherette covering, and you can get a pretty good, but not 100% identical, match to the original in this manner.

If it were my camera, I might attempt a DIY patch of the original covering, using epoxy or auto body filler. But matching the original texture will require some artistry.

250swb · Jun 5, 2023

There is a modelling product called 'Milliput' which is a two part resin putty that you can buy in black. Run some superglue around the edge of the chip so the damage doesn't spread and roll up a small ball of the putty. Push the putty into the chipped area and spread it flat using the baseplate to define the bottom edge. Square off the end of a cocktail stick and use this to press a facsimile of the vulcanite pattern into the putty, you can slightly dampen the surface to stop the putty sticking to the stick. You've got an hour or so before the putty starts to set so plenty of time to start again or go for a more accurate pattern. When satisfied take the baseplate off and wipe away any residual putty and leave the whole thing to set for 12 hours. Done well you'd be hard pressed to see the repair.

Philippe-Georges · Jun 5, 2023

Cameraleather.com in the US sells replacement coverings for different camera's.
For Leica, he has a good looking vulcanite ersatz...
BTW, for keeping Leica's vulcanite in good shape, Ballistol is the product that can help (sorry for repeating myself...).

Don_ih · Jun 5, 2023

I just replaced the vulcanite on my M3. Judging from exactly how and where it flaked off easiest, your hands deteriorate its adhesion to the camera. So, it may seem your vulcanite is mostly adhered and intact, but, if one chip comes off, I'd expect more will follow soon enough.

TomR55 · Jun 5, 2023

Thank everyone for quick and helpful replies.

Given these options, I will attempt a local repair. I'm more concerned with limiting the loss of vulcanite than in a obtaining "perfect" surface. In the interim, I will keep this camera in a half-case--perhaps this will limit the likelihood of more loss of vulcanite owing to the interaction of sweat, friction, and shock; I assume that these (and perhaps other) factors are contributing to the loss.

Thanks, again!

Philippe-Georges · Jun 5, 2023

TomR55 said:
Thank everyone for quick and helpful replies.

Given these options, I will attempt a local repair. I'm more concerned with limiting the loss of vulcanite than in a obtaining "perfect" surface. In the interim, I will keep this camera in a half-case--perhaps this will limit the likelihood of more loss of vulcanite owing to the interaction of sweat, friction, and shock; I assume that these (and perhaps other) factors are contributing to the loss.

Thanks, again!

I wouldn't local repair, to my personal experience with my M3, the repair product will hold but the adjacent parts will come off then, and so on.
And when you decide to entirely replace the further damaged covering, as it will go on degrading, then the repaired parts could be hard to remove, depending on the product used of course.

Vulcanite is a natural product, extracted from exotic trees, and is actually a kind of vulcanised rubber, which isn't ever lasting, but was popular due providing a very good grip, the 'small' camera didn't slip that easily out of you hands, which was a critic at the time...
From the M4 on, vinyl was used.

Don_ih · Jun 5, 2023

Philippe-Georges said:
the repair product will hold but the adjacent parts will come off then, and so on.
And when you decide to entirely replace the further damaged covering, ... the repaired parts could be hard to remove,

That would be my expectation and worry - that you'd end up with crud superglued to the camera as the rest of the original covering falls apart.

TomR55 · Jun 5, 2023

Philippe-Georges said:
I wouldn't local repair, to my personal experience with my M3, the repair product will hold but the adjacent parts will come off then, and so on.
And when you decide to entirely replace the further damaged covering, as it will go on degrading, then the repaired parts could be hard to remove, depending on the product used of course.

Vulcanite is a natural product, extracted from exotic trees, and is actually a kind of vulcanised rubber, which isn't ever lasting, but was popular due providing a very good grip, the 'small' camera didn't slip that easily out of you hands, which was a critic at the time...
From the M4 on, vinyl was used.

Does this mean that the M4 was done with vinyl, or that the M4 was the last body done with Vulcanite? Just as a matter of clarification.

nanthor · Jun 5, 2023

My personal preference is to keep the original vulcanite as long as possible. It is tough and feels good. A minor repair to a missing small piece will sometimes last for years, it is not a foregone conclusion that the rest will soon start to come off. As far as replacement leatherette goes, it almost always has one or two areas where there is less adhesion, perhaps a small bubble, and sometimes misaligning of the screw holes in relation to the control holes in the camera. The result can look unprofessional. If you do decide to replace, the body must be very clean after vulcanite removal, and some cameras can be a bear to remove it. Good luck.

faberryman · Jun 5, 2023

So brassing is good but chipped vulcanite is bad? They both show wear. Must be an issue of aesthetics. I'd keep shooting the M4 as is.

4season · Jun 5, 2023

TomR55 said:
Does this mean that the M4 was done with vinyl, or that the M4 was the last body done with Vulcanite? Just as a matter of clarification.

My M4 had a vulcanite covering, but my M4-2 had vinyl. In any event, vinyl doesn't usually chip in that manner. Shrink and curl, yes, chip, no.

Don_ih · Jun 5, 2023

faberryman said:
So brassing is good but chipped vulcanite is bad?

That's right.

GregY · Jun 5, 2023

Don Heisz said:
That's right.

Nothing to fret about... good/bad...... made to take photos ( Eddy Van Wessel's Leica M4)

faberryman · Jun 5, 2023

Don Heisz said:
That's right.

Aren't they both wabi-sabi? Maybe just fill in the area where the vulcanite has chipped off with a gold pen?

GregY · Jun 5, 2023

Well said faberryman, "what's imperfect is best"
Just to underline the point that i'm not picking on Eddy Van Wessel, while clutching a perfect-as-the-day-it-left-Wetzlar M4: to paraphrase Nancy Sinatra "this camera was made for using" ...my M4

Don_ih · Jun 5, 2023

Don Heisz said:
That's right.

I was actually joking. That the camera works is most important. Still, it shouldn't feel like it has leprosy.

250swb · Jun 6, 2023

Don Heisz said:
That would be my expectation and worry - that you'd end up with crud superglued to the camera as the rest of the original covering falls apart.

You mean the rest of the covering falling apart doesn't leave behind crud? I've used the resin putty method many times and it's fine for localised repairs, and when it comes time to admit defeat it chips off as easily as the last remaining vulcanite. If there is any superglue that originally reinforced the old repair it will chip off the cast metal body or alternatively use a superglue de-bonder.

Mr Flibble · Jun 6, 2023

I suppose Liquid Electrical Tape could be used for filling in small missing chips and stabilizing cracks in old vulcanite.

Don_ih · Jun 6, 2023

250swb said:
You mean the rest of the covering falling apart doesn't leave behind crud?

I actually mean I'd consider it a waste of time. There's nothing so special about the original covering that it needs to be preserved. I just recovered my M3. It took 15 minutes at the most to get every bit of the old stuff off and put the new on. No need to use any solvent. I left the original vulcanite on the door - and you cannot tell that it's different from the rest of the covering.

rknewcomb · Jun 16, 2023

That black M4 above is lovely, made me smile!
Robert

Patching/replacing vulcanite on Leica M4

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