Just got a new 72 year-old Leica III that works great – except the previous owner must have been a voracious cigar smoker. Everytime I put it up to my face to focus, I get hit with a nasty old smoke smell. Any tips on how to clean and fumigate it? thanks

Just got a new 72 year-old Leica III that works great – except the previous owner must have been a voracious cigar smoker. Everytime I put it up to my face to focus, I get hit with a nasty old smoke smell. Any tips on how to clean and fumigate it? thanks

Have you tried Febreze? Spray some on a soft cloth (not directly on the camera) and wipe the body down. Leave it out of it's case for a few hours after and it should be much better. That stuff works wonders killing all sorts of nasty smells. We use it in the horn shop to kill the smell of "attic horn" cases -when a saxophone sits in a closed up case for 20 years, they tend to start to stink! Works like a charm :)

perhaps this would be a good time to take up cigar smoking ;-)

S.

hi frank :)

i would second febreze. just to give you another example ( non photographic but graphicly smelly ) of how well the stuff works ...

i used to have a honda civic with 180K miles on it. the driver's side seat belt just locked up and refused to work, so i had to search junkyards for a new belt. found one in pennsylvania that shipped one to me. i opened the box and it smelled like they had soaked it in urine for about 6 weeks before they gave it to me. anyhow, i broke out the febreze gave it 2 helpings, and the belt soon smelled lovely <g>

i wouldn't have minded the belt smelling like a nice cuban cigar!

-john

What the heck is in Fabreeze? I used it and now my hands are tingling... twitch... I'm going to spray some on the dog and see what happens.

Hey Frank,

Welcome. I hope you are not intending to behave on this forum. Let us know if your dog goes toes up :^) Seriously, I have gotten some old cameras from smokers, and you may end up replacing the vulcanite, which is what retains the smoke smell, I think. Check out cameraleather and pick an sassy new leather color.


What the heck is in Fabreeze? I used it and now my hands are tingling... twitch... I'm going to spray some on the dog and see what happens.

I don't recommend spaying fabreeze on the dog, a good friend of ours, sprayed the bedding of one of her older dogs, and sorry to say, that dog is not with us anylonger, fabreeze in a odor neutralizer that has a few chemical compounds that surround the molecular structure of the odor, and does not really get rid of the smell, but makes it not as easy to smell, after our friend lost her dog, I did alot of research and it is one of the funny products that makes us think we don't smell the odor. but in certain circumstances, become lethal to certain animals, It is kind of like biodegradable plastic, it really never goes anywhere, but breaks down to the point we can't see it.

Dave

Hey Frank, are you sure that Leica isn't hot?

Frank, there's only one solution to your problem:

Let the camera rest for 30-40 years and the smell will completely dissapear. Meanwhile, you can air it from time to time (every couple of years). Take it for a walk in the countryside or something. Make it feel comfortable and talk to it sweetly once in a while. They like to feel wanted, they're very delicate creatures, you know. After a while it'll get over the shock of changing owners.

I wish you'll spend lots of happy moments together.

I prefer to spary Lysol.... it kills the odour and disinfects....

i wouldn't have minded the belt smelling like a nice cuban cigar!

-john

I second that!!!

I tried the Fabreeze and now it smells much worse - all fake flowery - I guess I will just have to take up smoking.

Clean the lens carefuly, Tar will cling to a lens then take it out and use it- a lot!

Was there a case?

I had a smokey camera, I removed the case and febreze'd the case. Kept the camera out and used it every day after a month of pain the smell subsided. Still faaaaaaaintly there though....

Hi, Frank.

I used to smoke pipes. After I quit, I realized the back of every camera I had (along with my apartment, car, all my clothes...) smelled like pipe tobacco smoke. In time, the smell goes away. Like the desire to smoke.

Leave the camera in the open to air out.

I usually wipe down any camera that i get used with 99% isopropyl alcohol (maybe not to good for the leather) and then go over any leather with shoe polish. Usually that works pretty well. If not then I leave it outside for a while. That usually get rid of the smell for me.

Just leave the thing next to the litterbox - in a few days the smoke smell will be history.

Frank, just pee on the damn thing... then I'll bet it won't smell like cigar smoke anymore. ;>)

You're welcome...

Hi Dennis.

I got sick of smelling FaBreeze and just peeled the vulcanite off. The Camera Leather order should be here anyday now.

Go ahead and take up smoking! Between the photo supply store, the place where I get my pipe tobacco and the homebrew shop I'll never have to worry about having any extra cash. :)

Bruce

Try BALISTOL, this eucalyptus based oil invented in 1904 for the German army is terrific for virtually everything. It works very well for preserving and cleaning the Leica's vulcanite.
I use it for the upkeep of my camera's (Leica M5, Linhof & Hasselblad), the dashboard of my Volvo, the chain of my bicycle, the little wounds on my hands, the leather of my camera case and shoes and, last but not least, to protect me against the sun and cold hands.
See www.balistol.co.uk (I do not know the U.S. address).
It is good for gear, man and animal.
Trust it!
Philippe

http://www.ballistol.com/

tastes great!

and less filling!

Hey Frank,
Well, I'm actually waiting on a FED 5V which is on its way from the Ukraine...I can't afford a Leica!!!
Anyhoo, one of the common 'problems' with these FSU cameras and their never-ready cases is that they smell like dead animals...One recommendation is to first clean the leather with saddlesoap and then to place the camera or the case in a ziplock with balled up newspaper. Change the newspaper once a day for a couple of weeks. Apparently this works.

Cheers,
Kent

That's from the urine they use to tan the leather. I think the Keiv factory recycles everything.