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Separation of the rubber armor from binos body (1 Viewer)

andrea86bert

Well-known member
Hi guys,
On my swarovision 8,5x42 and on my ATM HD 65 i've noted that in some parts, there is some "empty space" between rubber armor and the magnesium body.. In particular, in the swarovision, these zones are in the Lower face of the binos (where there are the thumb shapes). Pushing gently, I have noted this.

This did not happen With my former swarovision 8x32 or with my leica 8x32 and 8x42 hd.

Do you have any experiences with this?

Andrea
 
The rubber cover over my 10x32 EL SV's fits a bit loosely in the area of the oculars (eye pieces). I'd post a pic, but every one I've seen (including 8x32's) are the same. A bit of a gap shows in that area, but I can't imagine that it is a problem.

John F
LV NV
 
I noticed something similar on EL SV 8,5x42 in summer when temperature rise to 35+ °C. It was caused by different temperature dilatation of rubber armor and magnesium alloy housing. But when temperature fell, everything was ok, and empty space disappear, it was an elastic deformation. Maybe if binocular stays on hot day in car or behind window, where temperature could reach higher value that is specified by manufacturer as storage temperature it is possible that armor get small plastic deformation which cause permanent gap between housing and armor. If you not exposed it to bigger temperature than storage temperature maybe manufacturing process of armoring was not proper.
On the other hand Docter Nobilem has permanent empty space between housing and rubber armor, but I not found it as big trouble.
 
. If you get an airspace between rubber armouring and the outside of a binocular body wouldn't this be likely to result in fungus growth or deterioration of the body or the rubber armour or both.

I ask because I just have been trying to fix a rubber armoured binocular.
There is no obvious airspace but on receipt the binocular arrived with a very musty smell as soon as I opened the package. there is however a small split in the armour near the objective on one side and moisture could get in there.
So although the binocular is meant to be waterproof I do not want to totally immerse it in liquid.
I discussed this with a friend and put some fairy liquid in hot water and with a clean new duster I washed the binocular body as best as I could and then I dried it off with another new duster.

Not that one can measure it but it now smells less than half as badly as before.
In addition I'm leaving it in the sun hoping that the ultraviolet might help. but there is not much sunshine around at the moment.

Further, the soft strap which might actually be a floating strap smelt very bad as did the thick rubber rain guard.
I soaked both in a basin of hot water with fairy liquid and it and it didn't seem to help much with the strap but maybe more so with the rubber rain guard.

As a last resort as I was going to write off the strap I again got a basin of hot water and made a very strong solution of Dettol which supposedly kills 99.9% of germs so they say in the adverts.
afterleaving them in this mixture for an hour both the strap and rain guard smelt of Dettol despite rinsing.

So I left both in a further basin of fairy liquid solution. and then I rinsed them again.

Miraculously, this worked and both smell now like new.

But I'm loathe to wash the actual rubber armour coating on the binocular with a cloth full of Dettol solution in case this does permanent damage to the rubber coating.

Does anybody know whether washing with Dettol is safe for rubber armour or is there another way of getting rid of the musty smell?

I seem to be winning with fairy liquid solution and may be sunlight but it might take quite a while.

I wonder sometimes how previous owners store or use their binoculars as I certainly wouldn't treat them that way to leave them with a foul musty smell.
 
. If you get an airspace between rubber armouring and the outside of a binocular body wouldn't this be likely to result in fungus growth or deterioration of the body or the rubber armour or both.

Seems to me like it would be exactly the other way around - air gap would allow for drying. At any rate, not a factor in my neck of the desert.

John F
LV NV
 
. It was suggested that Dettol might be safe for rubber armour.
I took the plunge and using a 50% Dettol/water solution I washed the whole body of the binocular.
The liquid evaporated but I left it to stew for two hours and then washed it with a fairy liquid solution.

It seems in good condition. But too soon to say. I hope it will be okay, at least it smells better.

It's like the man who fell off a skyscraper and said as he was passing a twenty second-floor window.
So far-so good.
 
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It seems in good condition. But too soon to say. .

Actually it is soon enough to say. If your 50% solution had been detrimental you would have seen the results very quickly: rubber shrinking, rubber expanding, rubber surface becoming tacky and distorted.

Sounds like you are out of the woods. Make sure you have rinsed it well and Bob's your uncle.

PS Who the heck was Bob and how come he stuck his nose in every family?

Lee
 
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