Binomania - Repair of vintage binoculars (1 Viewer)

I check in on the Binomania site from time to time, and there is a new
article on the repair of vintage binoculars.

It is very interesting, and it gives the position of many companies in Europe
and what they can do.

Some of the discussion is about fungus in optics. That can afflict many models
and not just the old ones.
I have experience with a recent top of the line binocular, that needed a cleanup.

Jerry

NDhunter said:

I check in on the Binomania site from time to time, and there is a new
article on the repair of vintage binoculars.

It is very interesting, and it gives the position of many companies in Europe
and what they can do.

Some of the discussion is about fungus in optics. That can afflict many models
and not just the old ones.
I have experience with a recent top of the line binocular, that needed a cleanup.

Jerry

Click to expand...

Hi, Jerry:

Do they have an all-English site? :cat:

Bill

Jerry,

Thanks for the link, great info.

Bill,

I just translated it by clicking the right button on my mouse. Interesting responses, I did not know it can spread I only thought it was in moist environments, since I keep my glass enclosed in a dry space when not used.

A.W.

dries1 said:

Jerry,

Thanks for the link, great info.

Bill,

I just translated it by clicking the right button on my mouse. Interesting responses, I did not know it can spread I only thought it was in moist environments, since I keep my glass enclosed in a dry space when not used.

A.W.

Click to expand...

Mayday; mayday:

I’m about to say more than I KNOW, again. But I have a memo floating around at Corning right now and will make those findings know when available. But, for those who simply must have something optical to worry about (of substance, or not) ... here goes. The story I once heard was:

Carbon dioxide from a car’s exhaust can mix with the moisture in the trunk to for carbonic acid which will merge (on a microscopic level) over time with the magnesium fluoride in most AR coatings to form hydrofluoric acid which has been known to etch glass since the late 18th Century.

Ed, Gijs, Henry, Ben or whoever else, please pipe up to verify or deny! I’m certainly not saying a REAL problem exists, even if the above story were true. However, if it is true observers should be aware. :cat:

Bill

WJC said:

Hi, Jerry:

Do they have an all-English site? :cat:

Bill

Click to expand...

They have an easy site for translation, as there is a box on the left
to select what language you want to use.

I hope you can find it.

Jerry

WJC said:

Mayday; mayday:

I’m about to say more than I KNOW, again. But I have a memo floating around at Corning right now and will make those findings know when available. But, for those who simply must have something optical to worry about (of substance, or not) ... here goes. The story I once heard was:

Carbon dioxide from a car’s exhaust can mix with the moisture in the trunk to for carbonic acid which will merge (on a microscopic level) over time with the magnesium fluoride in most AR coatings to form hydrofluoric acid which has been known to etch glass since the late 18th Century.

Ed, Gijs, Henry, Ben or whoever else, please pipe up to verify or deny! I’m certainly not saying a REAL problem exists, even if the above story were true. However, if it is true observers should be aware. :cat:

Bill

Click to expand...

Bill,

From my previous life experiences (working career), I'm afraid your heads-up warning information is absolutely...True!

Natural gas production that contained higher CO2 content (1-3% by volume) would mix with the wet gas (saturated with water vapor) and produce Carbonic Acid that could quickly attack steel piping, valve components and steel ASME boiler coded separation\pressure vessels. Untreated, the CA would cause pitting, loss of inner steel linings\wall thicknesses and potentially, component failures. We spent a lot of $$$ and resources to mitigate these effects using special coated internal part compositions (Chrome and Inconel linings, Carbide and high Stainless Steel content parts, etc.) and treatment chemicals that were periodically re-applied to coat\protect normal steel usages.

I can't speculate how this natural phenomena (exhaust+moisture+optic coatings) could negatively affect binos stored in trunks, but as you eluded to, be aware and err on side of caution!

Or...send your top-best-high dollar binos to me for long-term SAFE storage (promise not to use them, cough cough)!! :king: 3 B

Ted

What is interesting from the Binomania company discussions is that they seem to confirm that keeping optics that have fungus near clean optics is very bad.
I have discussed this many times with my chemist and lens expert friend and we have not found a scientific explanation for fungus hopping off one bad optic to a good optic.
But experience here is more important than so called theory.

My procedure is to keep separate fungus optics and clean optics.
I don't open optics with fungus. If I do open it I clean it.
I am not sure if any internal fungus can easily escape to contaminate the air.

The temperature must be above 13C and humidity below 60% for storage.
Optics in cases and sealed drawers is not a good idea.
I tend to leave a case open but dust free.

Leaving furniture, or worse optics in a typical unheated British garage is the same as throwing it straight in the garbage, Don't do it. Deterioration takes place straight away in most conditions.
Attics can be better, but not much.

Fungus and mold affects optics, furniture, cases, clothes, lungs. In fact most things.

I have seen many hundred optics with fungus. I used to clean some, but now it is too much normally for me.

Glasses are of so many types that they have vastly different tolerance to fungus.
Coatings both anti-reflection and mirror coats are affected.
I have seen brand new waterproof binoculars with internal fungus.

Old Olympus lenses seem to attract fungus.
Old Nikon lenses seem to be internal dust magnets.

Old glass can devitrify and become opaque, particularly flint elements.
Some 1800s lenses are completely unaffected. having very stable glass.
Stained glass windows can be fine after hundreds of years.

Some $10,000 dollar lenses have such exotic glass they must be multicoated as soon as they are made to stop immediate deterioration. But once coated they can be fine for decades.

Some top firms will not in principle touch fungus optics. However, they make exceptions and do fine jobs if they choose to do so.

A complex subject.

In some climates fungus is rarely seen. In the tropics it may be part of life.