Saw a guy at the flea market trying to fix a Leica with a pair of pliers...

I was at the big swap meet in Pasadena last weekend and stopped at a booth full of old cameras. The seller had a Leica M3 on the table, and he was using a regular pair of pliers to try and turn the lens mount. He said the lens was 'just stuck' and he 'needed to get it off to sell it separate.' I told him that was a sure way to wreck the threads, but he just shrugged. It got me thinking... is it ever okay to use non-specialized tools on high-end gear in a pinch, or should you always walk away if you don't have the right kit? What would you have done?

2 comments

2 Comments

wrenstone4d ago

Pliers on an M3? My stomach just dropped reading that. That's like using a rock to fix a watch.

black.margaret4d ago

Yeah, I get that feeling. Used to think the same way as @wrenstone. Then I saw a pro mechanic do it on a stripped bolt head in a tight spot. He had the right parallel jaw pliers, perfect grip. No damage. Changed my whole view. Sometimes the "wrong" tool is the only one that fits.