Lens Cleaning

[Orka Akinse]

Guys

 

What is the best product to use when cleaning bino or scope glass. I used the "scope pens" but have just seen a DVD suggesting not to use them. It [the DVD] recommended using those wet wipe things you use for spectacles. I bought some from Sainsbury's and they are alcohol based, so I looked at my specsavers stuff I was given and they do not list the ingredients on the spray bottle.

 

I know my lenses are coated and do not obviously want to screw it up. What do you guys use?

 

A confused

 

OA

[Jager SA]

Best way for me, dont clean them unless its the last resort. If you have to, this is what ive always done and never marked a lens. Out in the field, lick the lens, dont touch it with a cloth.

When you get back to base run them under a warm shower (Lenses) and use the soft brush on the lens pen, rinse all the grit off, shake well and soak the remaining droplets with the cleaning cloth.

Use a top quality lens cleaner (Zeiss or other) and gently wipe clean with proper lens cloth.

 

Done this for years on all scopes and bins, never a problem.

[Redfox]

I'm with Kal on this, like camera lenses only touch when you have to.

If you go into any camera shop you can buy a little device called a blower brush, you puff any dust/ grit away with it and then gently stroke with the very soft brush.

If it gets wet buy the proper lens tissues which have no gunk impregnated into them ( the anti mist have silicone which ruins the coating and can not be removed) and gently soak the water off dont rub at all.

The alchohol is propanol ( isopropyl alchohol) which wont hurt the coating, but you only need that if you have stuck greasy fingers on the lens as it is a degreaser, much better to use distilled water as tap water has chlorine in it which again may affect some coatings.

Redfox

[craigyboy]

I am afraid to touch scope lens myself, though I did buy a swarovski scope lens kit but havent done it yet, Bruce potts wrote a god article on it in shooting times, I think its still on there site soemwhere. I aways cleaned cheaper scopes suppose I wasnt so botherd about them, first I blew the dust off the lens with the diving tank from the air rifle, then went round the very outside edegs with a coton bud as I found this is where most dirt was after I was sure there was no more loose dirt I started lightly witht the cloth and fluid, as I say though I am afraid to touch my more expensive scopes, I would rather them dirty than marked.

[Orka Akinse]

Thanks all

 

I use the blower thingy and the lens brush on all my glass and wont usually touch them unless I really have too but just lately I have been getting out in the rain and getting marks on the lenses and they need cleaning and thought I'd check with you guys.

 

Thanks.

 

RedF Do I need to ask for a particular lense tissue, how do I make sure they are not impregnated with silicone? Is it as easy as reading on the packet?

 

Cheers

[Redfox]

Yes, if you buy from the camera shop they should be plain anyway as they are aware of the problem, but if in doubt ask them directly as it is their problem then if they are wrong.

Many people dont know that the silicone molecules are so small, that they permeate into the glass whose crystal structure is quite open and there is no known way to get it out ( applies to car windscreens too).

Redfox

[Orka Akinse]

So if you got silicone in the glass its knackered?

 

How do you know it has silicone in ti does it mist up or something?

[Redfox]

No, any moisture or water, beads up and tends to run off, which might seem desirable but in reality it actually cuses smearing of very fine droplets of water and with any light falling on it you cant see a thing. Quite a few of the anti-mist products for glasses have silicone in them still, which I dont use, I just use a micro cloth and rinse under the tap with a little washing up liquid ( fortunately I still only need glasses for reading small print)

I bought a new Landrover discovery in 2002 and the L/R dealer decidied to give a free "No polishing for 3yrs" treatment with it, this in reality was to saturate the vehicle in silicone , which I found out the first time it rained as I couldnt see to drive it. After a little hassle they replaced the vehicle with another one, as I had not asked for it and it is illegal to treat the front and rear screens with any silcone products since I think 1998, also it rendered the vehicle unrepairable in the event of a scrape or bump as it would reject the paint for at least 3 yrs ( it does eventually leach out of the paint), the thing is that it takes seconds to wash the screens anyway and a decent additive in the washer bottle works fine!, silicone has some very good uses but is wierd stuff and not to be taken lightly in its effects.

Redfox

[Orka Akinse]

Ooooooh Blimey I need to be careful, its just plain easier to take more care of my kit me thinks.

 

Thanks RF

[eldon]

Interesting post redfox, I knew there were issues with silicon and paint but not to the extent of your detail and knowledge.

 

As always some good info on here guys

[baldie]

I always remember my father kicking my arse up and down the road, because i had done some painting on a scooter with hammerite.The hammered finish is achieved by silicone in the paint, and it gets in the atmostphere when used, settling on the eaves in the garage, and gets blown back off as the next car is sprayed....causing "fisheyes" in the paint or laquer.

The entire garage had to be stripped and cleaned. He wouldn,t allow hammerite anywhere near the place after that.

Silicon is bad s**t, under a microscope, its jagged, and once inhaled, sticks permanently, and its poisonous.We always wore masks when adding it to the steel in the foundry.

[Redfox]

The kicking might have been for messing with poofy scooters

Your right it gets everywhere and is very persistant. Not too good when your trying to blue things either, a right pain with chalk and wire wool and hot detergent and water does it eventually.

Redfox