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I_am_nietzsche
Tinkerer
Username: I_am_nietzsche
Post Number: 3
Registered: 02-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 - 06:12 pm: | 
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Hello. I recently acquired a Voigtlander Virtus that has some distracting rub marks to the majority of its leather surfaces. Also, the paint is warn and missing on many of the black surfaces. However, all summed up, the camera is in relatively decent condition for its age. Any suggestions on how to restore an item of this scarcity, or would it be better to just leave it alone?
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Dgillette4
Tinkerer
Username: Dgillette4
Post Number: 169
Registered: 04-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 - 07:04 pm: |
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I wouldn't touch the finish , you could ruin the value. Just brush clean surface. And check all operations. From what I see it looks pretty nice. It's like the story of the lady who had many collectable coins so she thought she would clean them with brillo. She was very surprised to find out they went from $50,000 to $12,000 in resale value. Have you shot any pictures with it? There are many old films made for larger rolls. Don |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 285
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 21, 2008 - 01:44 pm: |
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Never refinish such an honest camera as this example, you will ruin the patina of age and use. If the rub/scruff marks on the leather are a distracting lighter colour, careful use of a black wax boot polish can make all the difference. This is all the cosmetic work I do on a camera like this.
If I was constructing a working example from a number of wrecked examples, then I have a different approach - In this case I always refinish the 'bitsa' to original fresh factory finish. This is the route I take in motorcycle restoration, so I feel the same criteria should hold for cameras. |
Wernerjb
Tinkerer
Username: Wernerjb
Post Number: 267
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 22, 2008 - 02:14 am: |
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Don and Glenn are right, I fully agree to what they say. So when I have several specimen of one camera type I turn one (the beaten-up one, to be precise) into a user, which means it then does not matter any longer whether it has to be historically correct or representative of its type or model. A user camera may have a differently coloured leather or new features. But that is why I also feel sorry for historically valuable gadgets that have been turned into sth more modern, like say a 1930's radio with a newly added FM decoder for a stereo headset or, just because it is so "cool", a socket for a guitar pick-up. |
Wernerjb
Tinkerer
Username: Wernerjb
Post Number: 268
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 22, 2008 - 02:16 am: |
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NB ... cosidering your username: you DID know all that beforehand, didn't you? |
Pablomartinez
Tinkerer
Username: Pablomartinez
Post Number: 91
Registered: 09-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 22, 2008 - 02:42 pm: |
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As my father in law will say, "If it's not broken, dont't fix it! |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 286
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 23, 2008 - 07:21 pm: |
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Pablo,
Sound common sense. However you must bear in mind, that sometimes it is possible to pick up real bargains, from these 'I can improve this' merchants. I have a Leica M2 and M3 acquired this way, both at bargain prices. This is also true in other hobby areas. About 3 years ago I purchased a pile of dusty/rusty scrap, which I have turned into a very nice vintage Scott motorcycle. The previous owner had dismantled it in the 70s, in order to modernise it! He had been reading American hotrod magazines, and thought he would try it on a bike. |
I_am_nietzsche
Tinkerer
Username: I_am_nietzsche
Post Number: 9
Registered: 02-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 25, 2008 - 12:21 pm: |
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I thank everyone for the advice, and I have decided to leave it alone. I will allow the next owner to make this careful decision... to avoid any costly mistakes. Don - I have not shot any film with this camera... As much as I'd love to it just seems far too fragile.
-N. |
