Refinish format masks for Wirgin Auta?

My Wirgin Auta is a 6x9 folding camera with dual ruby windows and I actually have the format masks for it, to shoot 6x4.5 with the 105 mm lens. I like that combination -- it's a great portrait length for that format.

Unfortunately, during a dozen years of storage, the format masks, originally blued spring steel with some wear (as might be expected for a ca. 1940 camera) developed rust. It's not terrible, but it's on the film contact side (where the bluing was worn away) and will scratch.

Removing the rust is the matter of a couple minutes with a piece of Scotchbrite or fine polishing papers, but what's the best option for refinishing the masks? They have to flex a good bit to go in and out (though I don't remove them much, I have another 6x9 folder I like better for full frame).

As I see it, the options are to reblue (slow rust bluing, as used on classic guns, is easy enough, but bluing doesn't protect from rust very well), to apply a camera-compatible black lacquer coating, or to prime and apply a pearl or matte black enamel (likely from a rattle can).

Which is best, or am I missing a better option?

Does this come in contact with the film? If not use the best flat paint at your disposal. I think a good enamel is supposed to wear better but takes much longer to cure. In a non contact use anything will do as long as its cured past any outgassing.

glbeas said:

Does this come in contact with the film? If not use the best flat paint at your disposal. I think a good enamel is supposed to wear better but takes much longer to cure. In a non contact use anything will do as long as its cured past any outgassing.

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Donald Qualls said:

It's not terrible, but it's on the film contact side (where the bluing was worn away) and will scratch.

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If it were on the other side, i wouldn't care -- worst it could do is scatter light into the inside of the bellows and back of the lens when the shutter is open. When I got the camera, I blacked out the wear areas with a Sharpie, but that's just dye, it doesn't have any wear resistance at all.

To reiterate, whatever I do here will be in contact with the film emulsion, and will slide along the image area during each advance.

Im not sure it would need blacking on those contact areas except for that closest to the opening, which is curved away from the film. The films antihalation will quench any light spill in that direction. Assuming you have the metal buffed smooth already after cleaning up the rust, have you tried a roll to see if the lack of blacking has any effect?
Have you looked at a product like this?
https://jaxchemical.com/shop/jax-iron-steel-nickel-blackener/

I'd just go with your original plan and re-blue the parts for reasons you've cited. Though I like rust converter-type products which are left in place to protect the metal, I have a hunch they might not be ideal for this situation.

glbeas said:

Im not sure it would need blacking on those contact areas except for that closest to the opening, which is curved away from the film. The films antihalation will quench any light spill in that direction. Assuming you have the metal buffed smooth already after cleaning up the rust, have you tried a roll to see if the lack of blacking has any effect?
Have you looked at a product like this?
https://jaxchemical.com/shop/jax-iron-steel-nickel-blackener/

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I'm less worried about stray light, and more worried about rusting again. I live in a pretty humid client, and once rust has gotten into steel, it's hard to keep it away.

That Jax product is more or less the same as a cold blue for gun parts -- just a chemical treatment to color the metal. Most of those don't protect against rust even as well as a slow rust blue.

I did notice after I posted the above picture that I had the masks in backward -- the edges near the lens should have been close to the rollers. Flipping them that way puts the rusty area next to the roller, where it will have less direct contact with the film. I think I'll be okay to polish out the rust and apply a cold blue product (I can get one that will work as well as that Jax at local sporting goods stores or ranges). I will need to exercise care that I don't store the camera for a dozen years without using it, though...

Next time pack it away with silica gel!

There won't be a next time.