Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Scopes and Optics => Topic started by: MountainWalk on August 15, 2008, 01:24:44 AM

Title: High end glass care
Post by: MountainWalk on August 15, 2008, 01:24:44 AM: You guys with the high end glass..how do you clean your lenses? I want to keep my swaros as nice as possible. Other than wiping with a good cloth, what do you do?
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: thinkingman on August 15, 2008, 10:21:38 AM: buy a can of compressed air with the trigger mechanism and a straw for blowing off dust.
Any small amount of dust, especially what gets kicked up from driving dirt roads and windblown dust is like fine sandpaper....NOT the stuff you want to rub off even with a microfiber cleaning cloth.
If you need a microfiber cleaning cloth, I have plenty and will send you one.
Also, Cabelas, Leupold, and Nikon make lenspens, which look like a thick pencil, which have a retractable fine brush on one end and a special cleaning pad on the other.
Easy to stow, easy to use.
I keep one in my range bag for scopes and gear bag for hiking/hunting.
All of these are available at Sportsmans, Cabelas, or camera shops.
Nice 'nocs!
Glad you're taking care of them.
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: MountainWalk on August 15, 2008, 10:25:43 AM: I appreciate the response. I have, or rather, had a lens pen(s). My hunters always end up keeping them. So, the same stuff you clean a keyboard with will work well? Thank you sir.
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: jjhunter on August 15, 2008, 10:53:51 AM: I have Swarovski Binoculars, spotter, rangefinder, several scopes, etc. I use the cloths provided (nicest made) and the swarovski lens pen. You can get the cleaner and lens pen in a kit at Sportman's. I think they are about $15 bucks, but well worth it. The lens pen works great at removing fine dust. Also, use the lens covers as often as possible. This will keep most of the dust and other foreign objects off the lenses. I use them religiously and they are pretty quick to get on/off. I bought my spotter in 2001 and my 10x50's in 2004 and both are like new after hundreds of days in the field. Hope this helps.....
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: MountainWalk on August 15, 2008, 10:56:24 AM: Yes, it does. I also use the lens covers at almost all times. The eyepiece covers have a bad habit of wanting to come off too easily though.
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: BC CHASER on August 15, 2008, 11:03:08 AM: I hook one of the little spuds lens cloths to my binos. I bought a lens cleaning kit from Cabelas and it seems to work great. I have a Swarovski 20-60x80 sts and take it to a camera shop to have it cleaned. Would rather them muck it up and face the consequences than I. My buddy has swaro binos and has the same problem with the caps staying on. You think they would have a little better system.
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: MountainWalk on August 15, 2008, 11:07:15 AM: Thats a bonny idea, taking it to a camera shop. Never thought of that. Yeah, you would think they would devise a better way to do it. Im glad I got these, as I am tired of using my hunter's glass. When a client shows up, and sees the forest green and the silver eagle, they know that I know my business. I want to keep them as pristine as possible.
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: jjhunter on August 15, 2008, 11:23:23 AM: The eagle does say a lot about the hunter (in most cases). The first year I went to MT on a trespass fee hunt, the outfitter had instant respect when he saw my optics. I buy nothing but Swarovski except for a couple of Nightforce scopes on long-range rifles! Mountain walk, what kind of outfitting do you do?
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: Ridgerunner on August 15, 2008, 11:28:06 AM: I agree why they can't figure out how to keep the lens caps on better I won't understand. Great glass but come on. My only compliant with mine.
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: MountainWalk on August 15, 2008, 12:04:59 PM: Sir,
I (we) do pack in elk and mule deer hunts, and also a few lodge hunts and cat hunts. I myself only do the pack in deals. Indian Summer Outfitters. There is a website.
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: Slider on August 15, 2008, 03:11:03 PM: I use one of these.

http://www.opticsale.com/nikon-cleaning-accessory-7073-optics-maintenance-kit-binocular-accessories.html
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: popeshawnpaul on August 15, 2008, 03:18:17 PM: I use my shirt.

When I'm cleaning my dslr sensor I have to use these ridiculous sensor swabs with E2 solution.
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: high country on August 15, 2008, 07:49:16 PM: I have not a scratch on my leica's that I have had since 95'. I keep butler creek caps on them and that keeps a ton of dirt off them. I use a lens pen, creek water, spit, what ever I can come up with that is non abrasive. many folks do not know that a little spit helps woth the fogging. if you have ANY dirt on the cloth you use you are at risk. get lens caps and use them religously. I have broke at least 6 of them..........that has saved me many days w/o my bino's.
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: MountainWalk on August 15, 2008, 08:00:30 PM: I did know about the spit thing. Did that when I dove and snorkeled. I dont think I'll be spitting on my swaro's anytime soon though.
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: Blacktail135 on August 17, 2008, 03:48:21 PM: After purchasing my high end glass (prior to a sheep hunt) I Googled on way's to clean the glass and I too use air and brush for dust/dirt and then the manufacturer recommended cloth. During Googling I also remember reading that one of the worst thing's you can do is to let chlorinated tap water dry on the lenses.
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: littletoes on September 27, 2008, 08:44:31 PM: First off I use covers, the first line of defense, and works great, then I use a lens pen, with disposable cleaning cloths that never get used again, wetted with cleaning solution. I also use an expensive anti-fog cleaning solution on some of my Luppy's, but not on the S & B glass.
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: 300rum on September 27, 2008, 09:11:17 PM: I use a sheet of dry papertowel that I have in my pocket. I haven't found anything better yet. I also carry two other sheets inside my jacket in case one gets too water logged. I hate caps because they fog and then when the caps are up they snag and when the caps are down they make noise when you need them. Pens take too long and when it is raining I need something to dry the lenses so I don't like pens. :dunno: I hunt late season with more snow/rain/mud/sneaks so I am constantly cleaning/drying dirty glass. I haven't noticed any scratches but at the end of the day I have never worried about a scratch here or there.
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: ZRS-8x42 on September 27, 2008, 10:15:47 PM: As many other suggested, Lens cleaning pen is one of the best tools to care for the glasses for lens, binoculars or scopes.

Always use the brush side to dust off the loose particles first before you apply the graphite pad. Otherwise, the particles will rub against the glass and damage the anti-reflection coating. If there is some tough smudge that is hard to clean, try to breathe on the glass and then use the cleaning pad in gentle motion.

Below is a picture of the instruction manual we put together for cleaning binoculars. Hope this helps.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zen-ray.com%2Febay%2FLens-pen-1.jpg&hash=1795d1b241e6aa26fd3b0b2952092fd39eac8488)
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: PolarBear on September 27, 2008, 10:18:40 PM: A loogie and the corner of my shirt. :P
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: ICEMAN on September 28, 2008, 05:02:17 AM: Quote from: PolarBear on September 27, 2008, 10:18:40 PM
A loogie and the corner of my shirt. :P

Nice..... :chuckle:
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: columbiaman on October 09, 2008, 10:34:41 AM: Quote from: PolarBear on September 27, 2008, 10:18:40 PM
A loogie and the corner of my shirt. :P

cannot beat that!
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: stumprat on November 09, 2008, 03:48:59 PM: Quote from: Ridgerunner on August 15, 2008, 11:28:06 AM
I agree why they can't figure out how to keep the lens caps on better I won't understand. Great glass but come on. My only compliant with mine.

Try using Butler Creek flip open scope covers. They work great and come in all sizes. For the eyecups I like the deep ones that the strap threads through. :tup:
Title: Re: High end glass care
Post by: 7mag. on November 23, 2008, 01:50:20 PM: I hook one of the little spuds lens cloths to my binos

+1 and my spotter too.