Bellows care and maint.

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I've just purchased a 'mint' condition Linhof Super Technika V. It has what I believe is the original bellows which is in like new condition with no leaks. I want to keep it that way. Out here in the dry climate of the west, leather dries out. Anyone ever used Lexol or other products to keep a bellows moist? I have been told that mink oil products are too aggressive. I just want to keep the bellows moist but not soften it to much. Thoughts?

-- Richard Boulware (boulware-den@att.net), June 17, 2001

Answers

Renaissance micro-crystalline wax from Light Impressions. I live in the desert also and it works fine. Pat

-- pat krentz (patwandakrentz@aol.com), June 17, 2001.

Try this website for recommended maintenance tasks from an expert:

http://members.nbci.com/Deardorffcam/indexa.html

-- kapitman (kapitman@msn.com), June 18, 2001.


My sincere thanks for the LF shooters who have contributed answers to my questions. Perhaps I can return the favor sometime in the future. I have spent most of my life as an advertising illustrator/photographer and shot most of the product photography for both Pentax and Rollei during the seventies and early eighties. Thanks again, and...be well. Richard Boulware - Denver

-- Richard Boulware (boulware-den@att.net), June 18, 2001.

The first step is to determine what material your bellows is made of. Obviously you use different treatments for different materials. I have a Technika V and I didn't think the bellows was leather but it's been a while since I checked so perhaps my memory is wrong. I'd suggest that you call or e mail Bob Salomon of HP Marketing (the Linhof U.S. distributor) to determine exactly what your bellows is made of and what he would suggest as a treatment. I used Armorall once since it is supposed to be good for both leather and "leatherette" then read somewhere that it isn't good to use it on bellows because it rots the threads or something like that. HP Marketing advertises in the photo magazines so you should be able to get a phone number and e mail address from one of them, or perhaps someone else could post it here - I don't have it handy.

-- Brian Ellis (bellis60@earthlink.net), June 18, 2001.

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