Hello, I just bought a Type II Curta off of eBay, and I'm a bit concerned about the condition of the machine. One other bidder noticed that the pictures showed the Curta as not particularly shiny. The handle especially looked rather filmy. The seller said that the Curta was actually shiny, and the problem was with the pictures. He said he would guarantee this, money back if not satisfied.

I just got the Curta, and it is not shiny. There's a fine white film on the handle and on the clearing ring. a coworker called this "white rust".

Can this be cleaned off easily, or should I just return the machine as "not in the condition advertised"?

Thanks!

Kelly in Madison WI

Kelly,

The rust is probably aluminum oxide.

Most aluminum on the Curta is black anodized. The rust you see is likely do to extreme humidity that has attacked areas of the crank handle that had the anodizing worn off.

The oxidation can be removed, but what remains underneath cannot be determined without an inspection. Replacement knurled crank knobs are available, and entire metal crank handles for the Type II are also available.

What worries me is the condition inside the machine. It would seem likely that the machine is in need of a good cleaning and re-lubrication. The cost to do this on a "dirty" Type II can range from $175 to $255. This assumes nothing is broken.

Jack