KOWA TSN-821in need of repair (1 Viewer)

[scottishbirdman]

Hi there

I'm in the UK and have an old TSN 821 with 32x eyepiece. There's some sort of fungal growth (I think) on one of the internal lenses which is making the scope almost impossible to look through now. Is it worth getting it repaired, and if so, is there anywhere in the UK, preferably Scotland, that you can recommend that does repairs?

As far as I can see KOWA don't have a UK base now so the 'scope would have to be shipped to Germany and I've seen reports that it's unlikely that they'd repair it given its age.

Thanks

Stuart

 

[PYRTLE]

There are few independent skilled technicians left who could carry out this type of service I'm afraid and it could well be that it is not at all cost effective. Drop an email or contact East Coast Binocular Repairs to see if it is plausible, ( Gary Hawkins ). email [email protected]

Used to be a wonderful guy at Glasgow Binocular Repairs, now under a different name ( A J Johnstone & Co. Ltd ) but he may now be retired.

 

[scottishbirdman]

There are few independent skilled technicians left who could carry out this type of service I'm afraid and it could well be that it is not at all cost effective. Drop an email or contact East Coast Binocular Repairs to see if it is plausible, ( Gary Hawkins ). email [email protected]

Used to be a wonderful guy at Glasgow Binocular Repairs, now under a different name ( A J Johnstone & Co. Ltd ) but he may now be retired.

AJ Johnstone are still there, but to my knowledge they don't do any binocular or scope repairs like GBR used to do (they were upstairs from AJJ).

Will contact the address above for further advice. As you've suggested, I suspect that it won't be cost-effective to repair. Not sure whether KOWA's warranty would cover it - I should have a receipt somewhere in an old filing box!

 

[dipped]

Hi scottishbirdman

It's not that hard to take your scope apart. It sounds like the nitrogen filling and seals are compromised anyway.

It depends if you feel happy to wield a screwdriver or two. I have a Kowa 824 which broke and I have since repaired though it's not now nitrogen filled.

There is a thread somewhere about repairing these old Kowa's.

 

[Binastro]

Unfortunately Dougie, I think, at Glasgow Binocular Repairs passed away perhaps two years ago?

He did a wonderful job on my Amplivid 6x24.


If the fungus is really bad it may have etched the glass.
But it may just clean off.
I don't know if this Kowa has fluorite crystal, or if this is the element with fungus.
I have never cleaned fungus from fluorite crystal, but would be very careful.

B.

P.S.
The Kowa 821, I think, is a non fluorite scope so cleaning should be straight forward if the fungus hasn't etched the surface badly.