Sticky bellows

[eric rose]

I bought a replacement bellows from KEH. Evidently these bellows are

made by a company over in England and are OEM replacements.

 

Very nice bellows, but it is really sticky. Everytime I pull the

bellows out to take a pic (Linhof TekIV) I have to pull apart the pleats.

 

Any suggestions on how I can get rid of this stickyness without

damaging the bellows?

 

Thanks,

 

Eric

[lee hamiel]

Eric:

 

Are they leather?

[silent1]

Dust them with cornstarch or talcum powder. You used to be able to get colored talc (so it wouldn't show), but I don't know where you'd look for it these days. You could try a little lycopodium powder, but be careful with it, it's been known to ignite spontaneously (won't do it once its on the bellows, though). Even lamp black...

[nickc1]

Quite likely they were made by this company - I have never dealt with them, they are only just down the road though!

 

http://www.camerabellows.com/

 

Nick

[eric rose]

Yes in fact they are made by Camera Bellows. Unfortunately I found them very slow to respond to emails and even to take things seriously once I called them from Canada. I was able to purchase it from KEH at the same price and get it immediately. Something that I needed at the time.

 

The bellows I think is leather. My only concern about talc is that it will get into my lens when the Tek is closed up and being transported.

What I would rather find is something that will remove the sticky stuff.

[michael_briggs2]

Probably they use contact cement in assembling the bellows. Maybe they accidentally got some of the contact cement on the outside of the bellows. The solvent for contact cement is lacquer thinner. You could try rubbing off the stickness with a rag lightly dampened in lacquer thinner, then immediately drying the bellows by rubbing with a dry rag and blowing air on it. The lacquer thinner will dissolve the contact cement, and the second rag will absorb the lacquer thinner / contact cement solution, thereby removing the contact cement. But you don't want solvent to soak into the fabric and dissolve the cement that is holding the bellows together. Work in small sections. Try this idea at your own risk, etc.

 

Or send the bellows back for warranty replacement? Talk to KEH?