Anonymous
Unregistered
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Hi everyone, well, i finally got a pretty decent first view with my new binos, the oberwerk20*80s are really nice. Anyway, I was wondering with what liquid can you use to clean the optics. Theres a very small smudge on the left objective and the inlcuded cloth just seems to be "moving" the smudge around, not taking it off. I know better than to use ammonia(windex)or am i wrong and its okay?. Anyhelp would be appreciated. Im guessing plain old water? thanks everyone..
john
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 12601
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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do a search on all forums for cleaning. Set time period to all. Seems to me they talked about cleaning solutions over in the equipment forum a few weeks back.
edz
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
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Erik D
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/28/03
Posts: 2570
Loc: Central New Jersey, USA
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John,
I purchased the lens cleaning kit from Orion ~$16 a while back. It includes a small bottle of cleaning fluid, two packs of super soft lens tissue, soft brush and compressed air. You can get a 3 oz bottel of Zeiss cleaning fluid from <eagleoptics.com> for $4.95. I am not sure if these specialty fluids are better than what you can mix your self using distilled water+ ? I just feel safer that way. You may be able to find lens cleaning kits if you have a well stocked camera store near you. Most mail orerds operations have minimum shippping charge. It may be better for you to purhase it locally.
It's best to clean multi-coated optics as little as possible. I always cap my optics when I am not using them. A little dust does not hurt performance but spreading tiny abrasives around with tissues or cleaning cloth not desigened to do the job will.
Erik D
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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wow, thanks for the replies guys.. I was kinda freaked out because I am militant with my optics and I still have no clue how the smudge got there (still can stand to admit it might have been me!) but, ill look into these solutions.. Thanks so much for the help guys.. Ill make triply (word?) sure i keep caps on and fingers off ALL the time 
Cheers
john
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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<Possibly misleading comments retracted and deleted by poster>
Edited by Ken_K (02/25/04 12:34 AM)
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nemo
sage
Reged: 06/09/03
Posts: 388
Loc: Eugene,Oregon
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Ken,
One of the better articles that I have read can be found at this link-http://www.companyseven.com/library/clean.html I hope that I am not breaking any rules by doing this. In any case this article does in my opinion a very good job of telling you how to clean optics and what to use.
Dan
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"Humility is not thinking less of your self-it is about thinking of yourself less."
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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John,
Seems to me that I read DO NOT USE the cloth that comes with binoculars on the optics here on CN. As I recall, the thread stated that such cloths were best limited to cleaning the body of the binoculars but NOT the optics. If, on the other hand, the package that the cloth was in is labeled, "Optics Cleaning Cloth", then it may be safe.
The link that Dan suggests is excellent. I would follow those instructions, especially with respect to any oil or grease that may be on the optics.
Good luck. Nick
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Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 16419
Loc: Brooker, FL
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Sam's Club now carries Zeiss lens cleaning wipes - I think it's about $9 for a couple hundred. They have only isopropyl alcohol; I suspect they're safe - I've used 'em on cheap optics, and they work fine. I crumple them up and whisk the optics - very little pressure.
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N11GPS Fastar
TOA-130S
MK66 Std
Vintage C5
Megrez II 80mm ED Triplet APO
SolarMax 40
NJP Temma II
Sirius EQ-G
ST8XE/CFW-8(LRGBHa)/AO-7/DF-2/STV Dlx/ST237a/350D (Unmodded)/Mallincam Color Hyper Plus/DSI III Color/DSI II Pro
Two not-spoiled Golden Retrievers - Maggie and Casey
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering. - Arthur C. Clarke
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Hi guys, hopefully someone can help me out here again, im having a terrible time. I tried lens cleaning solution on my optics but to no avail, in fact, it left a residue.. I then just used some soft lens tissue, which brought the residue away, but now i have all these swishy streak marks and im on the borderline of having a heart attack.. I read the link a few posts up and they suggested using acetone if detergent doesnt work.. has anybody here ever used acetone? Im scared!! thanks, im at a total loss and everything i try seems to be making it worse..
john
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10163
Loc: Lancashire UK
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Hello John,
I really sympathise with you in your predicament.
It sounds to me like it was a GREASY deposit causing the smudge in the first place , and you simply succeeded in removing some of the grease but not all of it , some of which is still forming the "streaks".
Not being an expert on either coatings or lens cleaning I am not prepared to put YOUR binocular objective AT RISK by advising anything -- but I know how to get rid of grease from glass surfaces -- I do it every day as part of my profession !
Have you considered asking Kevin at Big Binoculars ?
He will know more about the actual coatings and might even be able to advise you on the best course of action.
Just a thought --Kenny.
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If everyone is thinking the same thing , no-one is thinking - General George S.Patton
Zeiss 7 x 42 BGAT
Captain's Helmsman 7 x 50
Nikon 10 x 42 Superior E
Swift Audubon Kestrel 10 x 50
Helios 15 x 70 Observation
Strathspey 20 x 90
Televue 76 APO
Zeiss 85 Diascope
Helios 102 f5 refractor
Various eyepieces barlows tripods mounts etc.
Panasonic Lumix DMC - TZ5 digital camera
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Tom L
Reged: 01/07/04
Posts: 29817
Loc: Sunny Oregon
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You could always go to the Optics Shop Forum located in the vendor section here and ask AlM what to do...If anyone will know, it will be him.
Good luck!
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Tom 
Tele Vue 102mm f/8.6 on an EzTouch
Vixen 80mm f/5 A80SSWT on a grab-n-go mount
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Hey guys, thanks for the replies.. Well, I finally got em clean as a whistle. I figured if it was going to be that tough to get off, its probably some stubborn grease. I used a diluted formula (very diluted)of regular dishwashing detergent (dawn) and spring water, strained through a coffe filter for debris.. It worked like a charm!! Probably not an ultra safe thing for the optics, but it couldnt be any worse than what was on there..Either way they came out looking great, so thanks again for all your help .. and by the way, got my copy of "Nightwatch" yesterday, and am really enjoying it so far.. Im REALLY a beginner so its right up my alley.. Bye guys!! Happy Hunting 
Edited by flipnap (02/27/04 05:23 PM)
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10163
Loc: Lancashire UK
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Flip,
I'm DELIGHTED for you.
If you happened to read one of my posts on this topic on another CN forum a few weeks ago you would have found what you did is PRECISELY what I advised.
I did not exactly get "praised" for my suggestion -- but HEY -- I've been using ( and cleaning )binoculars for close on 40 years !
That must count for SOMETHING.
Enjoy your "crystal -clean" 20 x 80s :-)
Clear skies -- Kenny.
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If everyone is thinking the same thing , no-one is thinking - General George S.Patton
Zeiss 7 x 42 BGAT
Captain's Helmsman 7 x 50
Nikon 10 x 42 Superior E
Swift Audubon Kestrel 10 x 50
Helios 15 x 70 Observation
Strathspey 20 x 90
Televue 76 APO
Zeiss 85 Diascope
Helios 102 f5 refractor
Various eyepieces barlows tripods mounts etc.
Panasonic Lumix DMC - TZ5 digital camera
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sftonkin
sage
Reged: 02/25/04
Posts: 395
Loc: Kent, UK
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Glad to hear that you got them clean. An option to consider for the future is stuff called <i>OptiClean</i>. You paint it on; it hardens; you peel it off with the gunge. Expensice, but very useful. Especially on eyepieces whose eye-lenses are smaller than teh disc on the <i>LensPen</i>.
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Stephen
Hindsight: The only truly diffraction-limited system
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Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 16419
Loc: Brooker, FL
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Dawn is effective and benign (it's what is used to clean wildlife coated from an oil spill). The only thing I'd add is to use distilled water.
--------------------
N11GPS Fastar
TOA-130S
MK66 Std
Vintage C5
Megrez II 80mm ED Triplet APO
SolarMax 40
NJP Temma II
Sirius EQ-G
ST8XE/CFW-8(LRGBHa)/AO-7/DF-2/STV Dlx/ST237a/350D (Unmodded)/Mallincam Color Hyper Plus/DSI III Color/DSI II Pro
Two not-spoiled Golden Retrievers - Maggie and Casey
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering. - Arthur C. Clarke
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wilash
Fairy Godmother
Reged: 09/30/03
Posts: 5746
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Quote:
Dawn is effective and benign (it's what is used to clean wildlife coated from an oil spill). The only thing I'd add is to use distilled water.
I agree with Rusty - do not use spring or mineral water. They contain minerals which can leave residue. Distilled water is a 2:1 mixture of hydrogen and oxygen only. You should be able to get a bottle at a pharmacy.
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Erik D
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/28/03
Posts: 2570
Loc: Central New Jersey, USA
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The only thing I'd add is to use distilled water.
- do not use spring or mineral water. They contain minerals which can leave residue. Distilled water is a 2:1 mixture of hydrogen and oxygen only. You should be able to get a bottle at a pharmacy.
We use distilled water in our steam iron at home. I get it at K/W Mart for ~0.69/Gallon. Never have to worry about steam vents clogging up. Remember to cap it after you are done to keep our airborne dust after you are done.....
I find it easier to buy specialty lens cleaning fluid from Orion or Zeiss for my optics. I use the $2.99 Walmart lens cleaner for my eye/sunglasses only. Save the $5 Zeiss fluid for my bino/scopes. I have no idea if the Zeiss is any better. Just make me feel safer using it..... I noticed the 3 oz. Zeiss bottle says: Especially formulated for Carl Zeiss Optical, by Nanofilm, Cleveland Ohio. It's a US product after all.
ERik D
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