Re: [Leica] Re: Black Finish

["Gary Todoroff" <datamaster@humboldt1.com>]

By far the best cleaner I have found for the Leica leatherette and other
older camera leather surfaces is Clear Guard Protectant made by Turtle Wax
("beautifies & protects rubber, vinyl, leather" on the label). Of course, I
never spray it directly on a camera. In fact, I keep an old wash cloth in a
plastic bag that has been  sprayed a few times. 

The Clear Guard has worked its way very lightly through the whole cloth.
After using a different cloth to get any dirt or dust off the camera, I
then polish up the body with the Clear Guard cloth. For getting into
corners, like between the speed dial on an M, I use a tooth brush very
lightly sprayed with Clear Guard.  When done I polish up with a clean rag.

Here is my cleaning kit, all in a little box by the camera shelf:
	Clear Guard and cloth
	toothbrush
	tooth picks
	Q-tips
	ROR
	lens tissue
	squeeze air bulb/brush
	compressed air can
	brass-wire cleaning brush (last used for some really bad corrosion on a
Baby Speed Graphic that looked like it had been in a barn for twenty years
- - not for M bodies!)

This sounds more complicated than it is, but it sure has cleaned up some
old cameras very nicely. I don't use it very often on my working cameras,
except if they have been through a lot of dust or moisture. However, the
old screw mount Leicas sitting on the shelf  sure look good. I've been
using Clear Guard  for about three years now with no problems. Just use it
very lightly.

Gary Todoroff
Tree LUGger