Re: [Leica] M6 and water world

[Francesco <fls@san.rr.com>]

Assume my M6 fell into a freshwater stream for a minute,
so it was completely soaked.  If I were to take off the lens,
open the back and set it in front of a heat lamp overnight,
would that be the proper way to dry it?  Would the meter
be useless afterwards?

Francesco





At 05:09 AM 11/16/98 , Walter S Delesandri wrote:
>Tina and Francesco:
>
>Hello.
>
>When I was learning camera repair, the old german I worked 
>for used to clean mildew off the curtains of Leicas and Pentaxes
>(nearly identical material)  with a large medical swab (deluxe 
>Q-tip) SOAKED with ammonia, water, and hydrogen peroxide (to kill 
>the fungus that produces mildew). He would clean one curtain, then 
>the other, rotating the drums as he went.   I 'bout crapped the 
>first time I saw this!!
>
>They'd dry clean and looking virtually new.  When I got my 
>mint- M4 after many years of storage, I did the same.  No 
>problems with curtains in the last ten years.  (a bit of "worldly"
>wear, tho...)  In fact, after a cursory cleaning and routine 
>maintenance, I've never thought about it again.  Check/tweek 
>curtain tensions every few years, it keeps on going, like the 
>bunny.....
>
>As Tina observed, tho, all bets are off with salt water!!
>
>The biggest fear about high humidity/water damage is the 
>curtain take up springs.  If they were to deteriorate, it 
>would be a monumental job (possibly uneconomical in the average 
>M) to replace them.  Same with the pin that couples the 
>supply side drums.  The only camera I ever had to send to 
>Leitz for mechanical repair had this problem.  I didn't have 
>the nerve!! some might.....
>
>Pretty damn good cameras, in spite of some funky design 
>points!!
>
>Walt
>