Metzger
Well-Known Member
Does glass degrade over time and use?
Does glass degrade?
- Thread starter Metzger
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lancetkenyon
Well-Known Member
If the glass gets scratched, or you lose a seal, yes.
More than likely, over time, the EYES get worse, not the glass.
More than likely, over time, the EYES get worse, not the glass.
Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
Coatings do. they wear from being cleaned, etc. This can make it appear it is the glass.
D
Deleted member 103481
Guest
Technically yes, but extremely slowly. In reality the coatings wear or the glass is damaged or your eyes degrade
Hand Skills
Well-Known Member
I have a friend who used to run a lense coating lab for eyeglasses. Super high tech, and fascinating stuff - not well understood by we lay people.
According to him there are a few ways lense coatings can deteriorate.
-abrasive wear (scratching - only use microfibre not a t-shirt or scouring pad)
-chemical reaction (use of inappropriate solvent or detergent. Some coatings react with oxygen)
-fungus (some fungi like to eat lense coatings)
-photo degredation (some hooey about photons giving the electrons to the coating)
I think many of these challenges have been largely overcome, and the discussion is primarily academic given the state of the art.
I have a couple of old zeiss scopes made in the early 80's - still very usable. Coatings have come a long way since, but as long as the glass is ground and aligned correctly the things should be serviceable as long as they stay sealed.
According to him there are a few ways lense coatings can deteriorate.
-abrasive wear (scratching - only use microfibre not a t-shirt or scouring pad)
-chemical reaction (use of inappropriate solvent or detergent. Some coatings react with oxygen)
-fungus (some fungi like to eat lense coatings)
-photo degredation (some hooey about photons giving the electrons to the coating)
I think many of these challenges have been largely overcome, and the discussion is primarily academic given the state of the art.
I have a couple of old zeiss scopes made in the early 80's - still very usable. Coatings have come a long way since, but as long as the glass is ground and aligned correctly the things should be serviceable as long as they stay sealed.
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Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
Hunting in a very dusty environment, and hastily improperly cleaning lenses, has ruined some good optics for me over the years. Now older and smarter, everything has lens caps with a good seal, and they stay on until actually getting ready to shoot.
D
Deleted member 107796
Guest
+ on the scratching comments. Most lens coatings can take a cleaning from 100% acetone or isopropyl alcohol.
After one trip or exposure in dusty conditions, that first cleaning swipe is critical and ideally, a clean air duster, can be used to get rid of grit, but it should never be a dry wipe. I like the comment about the eyes going first...
After one trip or exposure in dusty conditions, that first cleaning swipe is critical and ideally, a clean air duster, can be used to get rid of grit, but it should never be a dry wipe. I like the comment about the eyes going first...
S
shaughn
Guest
Old scopes like the Mechanical (Unertl/Lyman/Litshert etc) have an issue with the glues failing and allowing the lenses to separate.
Some early coatings would yellow or attain a off color, had a couple mid 80's era scopes do that...but I can't remember who made them.
I carry a lense brush and a small can of dust off and it seems to do the job, a company offered one use lense cleaning wipes for optics came 100 to pack, just like alcohol wipes.
Butler Creek style caps live on most of my scopes now, even found ones that will fit some of the offbeat sizes ww2 military scopes are know to have.
Some early coatings would yellow or attain a off color, had a couple mid 80's era scopes do that...but I can't remember who made them.
I carry a lense brush and a small can of dust off and it seems to do the job, a company offered one use lense cleaning wipes for optics came 100 to pack, just like alcohol wipes.
Butler Creek style caps live on most of my scopes now, even found ones that will fit some of the offbeat sizes ww2 military scopes are know to have.
The Oregonian
Well-Known Member
I keep everything capped unless I am looking at game through the scope or ready to shoot. I also bought the NF lens cleaning kit - probably a rip off at $50 but it gives me peace of mind that I am using the right cleaners and right cloths, and it does have an anti-fog spray which i would need to buy anyway. And I can pack it easily as it is compact and I take it with me to any camp, and can take it into the field if conditions warrant (dusty, foggy, etc).
Like i said, probably a marketing gimmick and a ripoff but with 3 ATACR's I am not going to take a chance and will gladly pay $50 to know I am using the right stuff.
Like i said, probably a marketing gimmick and a ripoff but with 3 ATACR's I am not going to take a chance and will gladly pay $50 to know I am using the right stuff.
