Thanks Simon, will do.
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Vintage and Classic Binoculars (14 Viewers)
- Thread starter Simon S
- Start date
Thanks Simon, will do.
Tantien
Well-known member
My New Vintage Binoculars
Hello Vintage enthusiasts!
I just found these two pairs of binoculars that were my fathers many years ago. The first is a Zuiho 8x30 that is in beautiful condition (kept in the case, even had the original caps).
They have a very good quality of view for their age (which I don't actually know), really bright and clear, but they have a really far (~25 Ft.) close focus.
The little guy next to it, I remember toying with it when I was a kid. I thought it was a pair of opera binoculars. They are a pair of miniature reverse porro binoculars by Star 7x18s (missing their formerly screwed-on eye caps) that I have no information about. When folded down, they are 3.25" across and 2" tall, ocular to objective. They have individually focusing oculars and are in otherwise pretty decent shape.
Even the guy at miniaturebinoculars.com does not have a pair of these and I am curious if anyone has any clue about the origins of either of these?
Hello Vintage enthusiasts!
I just found these two pairs of binoculars that were my fathers many years ago. The first is a Zuiho 8x30 that is in beautiful condition (kept in the case, even had the original caps).
They have a very good quality of view for their age (which I don't actually know), really bright and clear, but they have a really far (~25 Ft.) close focus.
The little guy next to it, I remember toying with it when I was a kid. I thought it was a pair of opera binoculars. They are a pair of miniature reverse porro binoculars by Star 7x18s (missing their formerly screwed-on eye caps) that I have no information about. When folded down, they are 3.25" across and 2" tall, ocular to objective. They have individually focusing oculars and are in otherwise pretty decent shape.
Even the guy at miniaturebinoculars.com does not have a pair of these and I am curious if anyone has any clue about the origins of either of these?
Attachments
Hi, I like to ZUIHO bins, although they do not seem particularly sought after. I believe ZUIHO made binoculars in Kogaku Japan prior to and throughout WW11 and many found their way to the west after being taken from Japanese officers after the war, the 7x35 version seems to be most common, I think ZUIHO then continued binocular production while under allied occupation into the 1950s, and later, if they have a mark, like JB 25 that will be one of the quality control marks introduced by Japan from the 1960s for all export binoculars, so that would help put them as being made from 1960s on, but that's about all I can offer really. I too would be interested if anyone knows more.
Last edited:
Tantien
Well-known member
Mark Ohno from miniaturebinoculars.com gave me a bit more history about them after I contacted him:
So since there were no other markings at all, these are Pre 1953 miniatures! Amazing little work of technology, even if they are less than practical today. Thanks to Mark Ohno for his gracious time in evaluating them.
Tantien
Well-known member
Thanks Bencw! I will check to see if they have a mark. I'm pretty certain that these are pre 1960 and my Dad originally is from Indonesia, when/where he probably acquired these--but I am speculating. Thanks to your research I will look for more information.
Binuxit update
Well, having taken a look inside the Binuxit I could see it has 2 damaged prisms anyway, so I have gone ahead and stripped it down, one prism was badly chipped, another chipped and with a bad stain on it.
Going to have to search suitable replacements now, any ideas welcome.
Ben.
Well, having taken a look inside the Binuxit I could see it has 2 damaged prisms anyway, so I have gone ahead and stripped it down, one prism was badly chipped, another chipped and with a bad stain on it.
Going to have to search suitable replacements now, any ideas welcome.
Ben.
It looks like the Bakelite on the Binuxit eyecups is breaking down.
It seems there are a lot of similar-sized eyecups on Japanese binocs
from 1947-1958 that have very nice Bakelite. My strategy might be
to get some cheap binocs with nice bakelite eyecups, and if the internal
threads don't match, use a Dremel tool and/or epeoxy putty to match
diameter (unthreaded) and just slide-fit or lightly glue the eyecups on.
If you're lucky there are ones with matching threads.
You could fill and shape the damaged part, then paint,
but the problem is the material is getting crumbly.
It seems there are a lot of similar-sized eyecups on Japanese binocs
from 1947-1958 that have very nice Bakelite. My strategy might be
to get some cheap binocs with nice bakelite eyecups, and if the internal
threads don't match, use a Dremel tool and/or epeoxy putty to match
diameter (unthreaded) and just slide-fit or lightly glue the eyecups on.
If you're lucky there are ones with matching threads.
You could fill and shape the damaged part, then paint,
but the problem is the material is getting crumbly.
Pinewood
New York correspondent
Hello Optic Nut,
This fellow in the UK fabricates replacement eyecups. I am not sure if the price for each one or for the pair but you can ask him.
I read that I already posted this information on this thread, sorry.-edit
Happy collecting,
Arthur Pinewood :hi:
Last edited:
Hi, thanks for that, I did actually get a pair of eye cups from that guy and they are pretty much perfect, as original. The binuxit is coming on, I rubbed down and re-sprayed the objective caps and front prism plates and they have come out good, the Jenoptem rear (larger) prisms may fit, I have a damaged one and measured them, it is about 2mm shorter on the long face, but otherwise ok.
Last edited:
Awesome leather job.
I would love hard plastic replacements for all the rubber, vinyl, and silicone eyecups.
Different profile, of course. Setscrews where the notch is to hold the flexible/aging stuff.
Tapered, ribbed, threaded bakelite should have never gone away.
I would love hard plastic replacements for all the rubber, vinyl, and silicone eyecups.
Different profile, of course. Setscrews where the notch is to hold the flexible/aging stuff.
Tapered, ribbed, threaded bakelite should have never gone away.
Hartmann Polerim 6x30 - black specks?
I have a really nice vintage Hartmann 6x30, cosmetically near perfect, good glass, but when viewing there are black specks, which can't be seen when looking through the objective end. I removed the oculars and sure enough the specks are on the inside of the ocular lens. After a little wetting and cleaning carefully with alcohol most have gone, it is much better but I notice that two or three little flecks keep reappearing in different places, like little black fibres, each time I clean, a few specks can be seen but never in the same place, as though something is getting onto the lens from around the edge, and I can only see them after re-assembly and viewing through the binocular, not with the naked eye or magnifier. I have been unable to remove the lens completely from the ocular eye piece as I can't see how it removes, there is no screw in type holder as you would usually find, but I can easily get to all of the lens faces without doing so.
I just cant seem to eliminate these specks, I get them off and new ones keep appearing. Any idea's welcome.
I have a really nice vintage Hartmann 6x30, cosmetically near perfect, good glass, but when viewing there are black specks, which can't be seen when looking through the objective end. I removed the oculars and sure enough the specks are on the inside of the ocular lens. After a little wetting and cleaning carefully with alcohol most have gone, it is much better but I notice that two or three little flecks keep reappearing in different places, like little black fibres, each time I clean, a few specks can be seen but never in the same place, as though something is getting onto the lens from around the edge, and I can only see them after re-assembly and viewing through the binocular, not with the naked eye or magnifier. I have been unable to remove the lens completely from the ocular eye piece as I can't see how it removes, there is no screw in type holder as you would usually find, but I can easily get to all of the lens faces without doing so.
I just cant seem to eliminate these specks, I get them off and new ones keep appearing. Any idea's welcome.
Attachments
Last edited:
. Dear Ben,
is it the paint coming off the inside of the eyepiece barrel or cell or the edge blackening of the lens elements?
with Kelner type eyepieces the field lens is often in focus or nearly in focus.
With classic draw tube telescopes dust is also in focus and it is amazing how much dust there is probably by opening and collapsing the telescope. It is often necessary to disassemble old telescopes to clean them thoroughly.
is it the paint coming off the inside of the eyepiece barrel or cell or the edge blackening of the lens elements?
with Kelner type eyepieces the field lens is often in focus or nearly in focus.
With classic draw tube telescopes dust is also in focus and it is amazing how much dust there is probably by opening and collapsing the telescope. It is often necessary to disassemble old telescopes to clean them thoroughly.
Thanks Binastro,
I guess it could be paint or something from the edge of the lens, unusual to get blackening at the ocular end? I wondered if there is some kind of felt on the lens edge that is decomposing, it is one or two minute black spots and sometimes a minute tiny strand like you would get from the soft part of velcro, it's not really like fungus and when I clean it off more does seem to be coming from the edges. I can't see a way to take the lens out, the smaller lens at the eye side of the ocular cell unscrews fine and I then can get to the back and front of the other lens, but there is no retaining ring, logically there must be a way to take it out but it seems fixed. I had thought of soaking the the whole ocular cell in a small jar of alcohol to try to soak out anything coming from the edges, worth a try, unless it might damage something? I think it should be ok as ocular lenses are normally single lenses so no danger of separation?.
I had black shreddy specs that kept showing up on the lenses.
In my case it turned out to be crumbs of "crumbling" black grease.
Not sure if it was graphite grease or just the aging. Better than
turning to "yellow glue", not very lossy or hazy overall, but still annoying.
Mainly around the diopter threads.
I cleaned off the old grease with a little WD-40, applied new
(unfortunately I don't have thick stuff yet), and cleared the lenses
with a little WD40, 2-3 drying swab ends, and then the usual 91% isopropyl
damp-cleaning.
This only happend once out of about 45 pairs.
Other than aesthetics, take comfort that a few very dark spec-like items cause
little disruption to the optics. Unless it's on the field lens...then it's
almost in focus and drives you crazy. Field lenses need a super cleaning.
Hard to say what the solution to your lens ring issue is.
I have seen slots in rings hidden by grease/dust until I wiped the
ring with a swab. That made slots reappear.
In my case it turned out to be crumbs of "crumbling" black grease.
Not sure if it was graphite grease or just the aging. Better than
turning to "yellow glue", not very lossy or hazy overall, but still annoying.
Mainly around the diopter threads.
I cleaned off the old grease with a little WD-40, applied new
(unfortunately I don't have thick stuff yet), and cleared the lenses
with a little WD40, 2-3 drying swab ends, and then the usual 91% isopropyl
damp-cleaning.
This only happend once out of about 45 pairs.
Other than aesthetics, take comfort that a few very dark spec-like items cause
little disruption to the optics. Unless it's on the field lens...then it's
almost in focus and drives you crazy. Field lenses need a super cleaning.
Hard to say what the solution to your lens ring issue is.
I have seen slots in rings hidden by grease/dust until I wiped the
ring with a swab. That made slots reappear.
Last edited:
Well, they are very clean apart from these specks, no hidden slots, all the old grease has been cleaned off. I tried soaking the whole ocular cell in a jar of 91% isopropyl and the right side lens is now ok, but the diopter side still shows little tiny microscopic black strands like fluff when viewing, and it is definitely coming from the edges of the inside optical lens, each time I clean I can see little curls of it reappear at the edges. Guess I will have to just keep cleaning it until either it gives up appearing or or I give up trying !!
Wow, that's persistent. Field lens, possibly swab fibers?
The fibers can look black if they are translucent. Maybe a light cleaning with
paper towel wipe, not swabs? (Including the slots on the rings)
I think 'Kim-Wipes' were used in the lab in these parts. They don't scratch anymore.
I had some fibers in a full-up Plossl ocular after a lengthy sand restoration last night
(AMC extra-wides). I'm just going to leave it be for a while. Fibers can be hard to
see by eye and they get huge next to the field lens. I had already put blue LocTite
in the focuser clamp. Meh...another day.
Sometimes I wonder about a tiny flame touch before assembly,
to fry fibers. Propane...a clean flame. Anyway, that's all I can think of...snagged fibers.
The fibers can look black if they are translucent. Maybe a light cleaning with
paper towel wipe, not swabs? (Including the slots on the rings)
I think 'Kim-Wipes' were used in the lab in these parts. They don't scratch anymore.
I had some fibers in a full-up Plossl ocular after a lengthy sand restoration last night
(AMC extra-wides). I'm just going to leave it be for a while. Fibers can be hard to
see by eye and they get huge next to the field lens. I had already put blue LocTite
in the focuser clamp. Meh...another day.
Sometimes I wonder about a tiny flame touch before assembly,
to fry fibers. Propane...a clean flame. Anyway, that's all I can think of...snagged fibers.
THANKS, that did it!! used some zeiss paper tissue wipes, took a few times but fingers crossed, all clean, re-assembled, smooth focus and lovely, only 6x but comfortable easy viewing, perfect round image, super crisp and sharp Hartmann optics, crystal clear right to the edge now, brilliant just now in the evening half light. I was intending to clean up and sell on but I really like it now so a keeper.
