The Brick – Revival of an Argus
Argus is a word derived from the Greek word Argos. In Greek mythology, it is a watchman with a thousand eyes. It is also the name of a long-haired pheasant, a bluish Eurasian butterfly, or a silvery deep-bodied fish. It does not resemble any of these, so a brick it is!
This 1953 Argus C3 Matchmatic was given to me a few months back in fair shape. All the parts were there, and the lens was clear. It required a thorough cleaning and a new camera cover.
I ordered the camera cover from Hugo Studios. They sell laser-cut covers for over 400 classic cameras in many textures and colors. I decided to go with a traditional Moroccan brown leather cover.
Videos online made it was easy to figure out how to disassemble the camera. Internally, the main problem was the cleanliness of the view and range-finder glass and mirrors. After figuring out how to remove the wire clips holding in the circular glass, it was a snap to clean. Nothing needed lubrication except the shutter speed lever received a little lithium grease.
For outside clean-up, I removed the old leather and cleaned the surface with rubbing alcohol. I cleaned the knobs with a little vinegar and elbow grease. To clean and polish the outside of the lens, I used rubbing compound on a buffing wheel attached to a Dremel. Next time, I will use less pressure because it is easy to “over “polished the metal.
The Hugo Studio covers fit nicely, but they are sure sticky. They suggest adding water to the backside to help with placement. Take extra care when placing the covers on the camera. I felt that the front covers were ever so slightly too large, but this could be my placement.
Overall, I am excited to how the camera came out and looks. The next test…taking some pictures.
