I've had pretty good success using a tool called a 'Paper Tiger'
that's used for wallpaper removal. It's a couple of toothed wheels
on a plastic handle. The idea is to run it across the wallpaper and
make a series of little holes. This allows the wallpaper remover
to soak in. It works fine in removing the leather from a Speed Graphic.
After running it across the camera body, I use a towel soaked in hot water
and let it sit for 15 or 20 minutes. This makes it easy to work a putty knife
under the leather.

Leather? Real leather dyed grey on a Speed Graphic?

I'd have bet it was Naugahide; that synthetic leather that was popular in the '50's. Ne'er the less, your removal tool's about the same as I've seen paper hangars use which looked like a 4" paint roller with tiny spikes on it instead of fuzzy stuff to hold paint. Good idea you had for softening the glue under it.

In the reverse of taking stuff off, I'm looking for some non-slip color-matching grey stuff to wrap my Graflite's handle with. That'll make holding on to my fully-decked-out Super Speed Graphic's 8-pound weight much easier and safer.

Quite a while ago I posted on this site (IIRC!) a link to an outfit that sells replacement coverings for camera bodies, but I don't seem to have bookmarked the site. A google search might turn up something.

XXX Moroccan leather was used on all Graflex Corp. and its many previous names cameras from beginning until the introduction of the Pacemaker series which are covered with leatherette.

Previous posts on striping bad coverings suggest that only a warm wet towel allowed to lay on the leather/leatherette for 30 minutes or so is all that is needed.

Here'a a link:
http://www.micro-tools.com/store/P-4040-2/Leatherette-18x11.aspx

They also have Moroccan leather. Looks like it's all black, not grey. Drill around their site a bit. Also google "camera restoration supplies" and do a search for leather suppliers. Is Tandy still in business?

BTW, this stuff seems pricey, even the synthetics.

45PSS wrote:

....until the introduction of the Pacemaker series which are covered with leatherette

Leatherette; what I couldn't think of besides naugahide that covered a bunch of things back then. Thanks for mentioning it.

Henry wrote:

Quite a while ago I posted on this site (IIRC!) a link to an outfit that sells replacement coverings for camera bodies, but I don't seem to have bookmarked the site. A google search might turn up something.

There is this place

http://www.cameraleather.com/

Supposedly good to deal with, I've not dealt with them myself.