Cleaning Optic Lenses.......?

[kamlooky]

What is the safest way to get a slime off scope lenses.
Going through my artillery and found a couple scopes that got
hit with spray gun lube.
I tried spraying a lense rag with eye glasses compound and wiping,
but it sure didn't work all that well.
I thought maybe some alcohol on a clean cloth, but I gave meself a
wack up the back side of me tete.

What do yu'all use?

 

[sheephunter]

Pre moistened optic cleaning towelettes.

 

[HKMark23]

lens cleaning solution, Q-tip, light touch & patience.

 

[Paatz]

Have you ever used one of those lens pens?
They're pretty cool and seem to work.

 

[AP]

steps:
1) with rubber "bulb" blower blow dust off lens surface
2) repeat 1)
3) repeat 1)
4) Use Isopropyl alcohol as pure as you can find and dilute with distilled water to about 90% alcohol
5) Use photo lense cleaning paper rolled up around a Q tip with a taper of lense paper extending from the soft end of the Q tip (it is this taper that is used NOT the cotton of the Q Tip) and "moisten" the taper very slightly.
6) Starting in the centre of the lense work in a circular motion to the outside of the lens (note too much fluid and it wil penetate the retaining rings - not desireable) ... be GENTLE
7) Using a microfibre lense cloth (or a well washed piece of SOFT chamois leather - as preferred by many Leitz lens technicians) breathe a little on the lense surface and gently - with the folded over corner of the cloth - wipe the lense in a circular moton from centre to edge. This will remove any residual streaking from the alcohol that may be left
8) repeat 5, 6, 7 as necessary

9) an acceptable expedient is Vodka (as high a proof as you can find) ... I have used this to remove pine resin from a scope quite effectively fwiw when nothing else was available

(BTW - do not apply Q Tip cotton directly to lense as they can and often do contain fibers that can scratch a lense coating)

 

[kamlooky]

Have you ever used one of those lens pens?
They're pretty cool and seem to work.

I have two of those and they do work well, not for oily lenses though.
So, dilute Isopropyl alcohol. I have two bottles out in the shop.
Find a whiskie jigger and nine drops of alcohol and one drop of water?
Is this what I'm reading?

My first thought was to take them into my optometrist.
He would laugh, but the gals might start a kerfuffle.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[AP]

9 drops to 1 will work fine. most isopropyl alcohol is better than 94% ..... most optics damage is done by pre existing dust/grit or using a cleaning material (hanky, Kleenex, shirttail) that contains hard fibre. Go slow and easy. personally I like leather chamois BUT they need to washed until there is no residual oils in the leather then softened by rubbing between clean hands. a 6 inch square is more than enough! Wash to clean occasionally. the alcohol goes on the paper or microfiber but not the chamois....chamois is used for final step to remove streaks

edit to add .... if this doesn't remove oil/lubricant marks .... the chemical may have already damaged coating. if so it it is probably just cosmetic and will likely NOT interfere with the target image .... it won't help resale value though if severe unfortunately

 

[Kernel Panic]

steps:
1) with rubber "bulb" blower blow dust off lens surface
2) repeat 1)
3) repeat 1)
4) Use Isopropyl alcohol as pure as you can find and dilute with distilled water to about 90% alcohol
5) Use photo lense cleaning paper rolled up around a Q tip with a taper of lense paper extending from the soft end of the Q tip (it is this taper that is used NOT the cotton of the Q Tip) and "moisten" the taper very slightly.
6) Starting in the centre of the lense work in a circular motion to the outside of the lens (note too much fluid and it wil penetate the retaining rings - not desireable) ... be GENTLE
7) Using a microfibre lense cloth (or a well washed piece of SOFT chamois leather - as preferred by many Leitz lens technicians) breathe a little on the lense surface and gently - with the folded over corner of the cloth - wipe the lense in a circular moton from centre to edge. This will remove any residual streaking from the alcohol that may be left
8) repeat 5, 6, 7 as necessary

9) an acceptable expedient is Vodka (as high a proof as you can find) ... I have used this to remove pine resin from a scope quite effectively fwiw when nothing else was available

(BTW - do not apply Q Tip cotton directly to lense as they can and often do contain fibers that can scratch a lense coating)

Good advice except for the rubbing in a circular motion. That can cause a piece of grit to be ground into the lens over and over again . Wipe from one side to another. I learned that from having really expensive camera lenses.