Had a guy bring in a Leica M3 from 1955 last month, said his grandpa carried it through Korea. The rangefinder patch was dim but the shutter was perfect. He didn't want it 'restored,' just wanted it to work like it did for him.

3 comments

3 Comments

Oh, that hits on something I see a lot. People want things fixed, but not made new. They want the history left in. Like my neighbor who just wanted her old wooden table sanded enough to be smooth, but begged me not to strip out all the old stain and dents. She said the marks were from her kids doing homework. It's about keeping the story alive, not getting a perfect copy.

nathan1001mo ago

Wait, she wanted you to keep the dents? That's wild. I get keeping the stain maybe, but actual dents from pencils and stuff? I'd be so tempted to just fix it all smooth. Makes me think of my dad's old truck, all the rust spots he refused to patch because they were from "that fishing trip in '92." I guess the damage is the whole point for some people.

alicecraig1mo ago

Ever notice how the things we fix perfectly lose their soul? That camera's dim patch and worn edges are the proof it was there. Polishing them away would just make it another old camera.