Tips for Cleaning Antique Cameras

[Baruopa]

I've got quite a collection of around 30~ cameras, mostly, ranging from the 1900s-1960s, mainly Kodaks with a few misc. throughout. I love these cameras but time (and dust) is unkind to them. I want to clean them up to remove the dust that's been accumulating since they've been in my collection, and also to preserve them so that they last. I'm having a difficult time nailing down a definitive method for cleaning and preserving them, especially in regards to the leather grips and bellows. I figured this thread could act as a one-stop for cleaning/preservation info, unless one exists already. Thank you.

 

[Tel]

I've had good results with Pecard's Leather Dressing. I've used it on the leather covering of several very old cameras. One of them had very dry leather that was beginning to flake off; an aggressive application of Pecard's and a lot of patience brought the leather back to good condition so I didn't need to replace it. Generally, I use isopropyl alcohol and rags and q-tips for metal parts, and a good lens cleaner like Clarity for the glass.

 

[ced]

I have some of this (not cheap): https://www.preservationequipment.com/Catalogue/Cleaning-Products/Cleaning-Agents/Renaissance-Wax