Lens Pens
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Re: Lens Pens
US Optic's manual tells me to use acetone to clean the lens but that seems crazy to me.
I've always used Pancro and lens tissues on my camera gear and I use it on my scopes as well. Pancro is a lens cleaning fluid used by folks in cinematography. If it's good enough for $100k movie cameras, it's good enough for my cameras and scopes.
I've had a few lens pens and they're all made by one company. Other companies simply silkscreen their logo on them. I don't know what's on the felt applicator but it's some weird black crap if you ever blotted it on a sheet of paper. I give them away.
US Optic's manual tells me to use acetone to clean the lens but that seems crazy to me.
I've always used Pancro and lens tissues on my camera gear and I use it on my scopes as well. Pancro is a lens cleaning fluid used by folks in cinematography. If it's good enough for $100k movie cameras, it's good enough for my cameras and scopes.
I've had a few lens pens and they're all made by one company. Other companies simply silkscreen their logo on them. I don't know what's on the felt applicator but it's some weird black crap if you ever blotted it on a sheet of paper. I give them away.
Re: Lens Pens
When I worked on a laser system, we cleaned the optics with acetone and a lens tissue. Do not scrub but lay the tissue on the optics, add one drop of acetone, and pull the lens tissue across the glass/mirror. If you scrub, you will remove the coatings. Tread lightly.
For my hunting/shooting optics, I use lens pens. Use the brush to remove the grit before scrubbing with the felt. Otherwise you are scratching the coating. The brush is for dust, the felt is for fingerprints.
When I worked on a laser system, we cleaned the optics with acetone and a lens tissue. Do not scrub but lay the tissue on the optics, add one drop of acetone, and pull the lens tissue across the glass/mirror. If you scrub, you will remove the coatings. Tread lightly.
For my hunting/shooting optics, I use lens pens. Use the brush to remove the grit before scrubbing with the felt. Otherwise you are scratching the coating. The brush is for dust, the felt is for fingerprints.
Re: Lens Pens
Did you use off-the-shelf consumer acetone or did you use some sort of reagent grade or high purity acetone?
Did you use off-the-shelf consumer acetone or did you use some sort of reagent grade or high purity acetone?
Re: Lens Pens
I'm very leery of lens pens. If they happen to pick up some material that will scratch your lens... <span style="font-weight: bold">BAD </span> things will happen to the lens/coatings.
I'm very leery of lens pens. If they happen to pick up some material that will scratch your lens... <span style="font-weight: bold">BAD </span> things will happen to the lens/coatings.
Re: Lens Pens
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cesiumsponge</div><div class="ubbcode-body">US Optic's manual tells me to use acetone to clean the lens but that seems crazy to me.
I've always used Pancro and lens tissues on my camera gear and I use it on my scopes as well. Pancro is a lens cleaning fluid used by folks in cinematography. If it's good enough for $100k movie cameras, it's good enough for my cameras and scopes.
I've had a few lens pens and they're all made by one company. Other companies simply silkscreen their logo on them. I don't know what's on the felt applicator but it's some weird black crap if you ever blotted it on a sheet of paper. I give them away. </div></div>
Where do you get the Pancro?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cesiumsponge</div><div class="ubbcode-body">US Optic's manual tells me to use acetone to clean the lens but that seems crazy to me.
I've always used Pancro and lens tissues on my camera gear and I use it on my scopes as well. Pancro is a lens cleaning fluid used by folks in cinematography. If it's good enough for $100k movie cameras, it's good enough for my cameras and scopes.
I've had a few lens pens and they're all made by one company. Other companies simply silkscreen their logo on them. I don't know what's on the felt applicator but it's some weird black crap if you ever blotted it on a sheet of paper. I give them away. </div></div>
Where do you get the Pancro?
Re: Lens Pens
I use lens pens with success, but mind you, I'm super careful.
First off, I have my caps down whenever possible, to minimize my glass's exposure to crap.
I rarely clean my glass. We're talking once a year, or less - as my shooting environment rarely gets crud/crap on my glass.
When it IS time to clean the glass, I do my damndest to remove everything I can without touching the glass - compressed air, breathe on the glass - more compressed air etc.
Once I'm convinced everything thats gonna come off with the air, has... I use the lenspen, but initially only make contact with the glass with the edge of the tip, and only bring it into full contact with the glass with a swiping motion, to prevent debris from getting between the tip and the glass. Once in contact, I apply LIGHT pressure, and move in circular motion from inside out.
I have yet to scratch any glass.
If at any time I feel I may have "contaminated" the felt tip with dirt/debris, I ditch the pen.
I use lens pens with success, but mind you, I'm super careful.
First off, I have my caps down whenever possible, to minimize my glass's exposure to crap.
I rarely clean my glass. We're talking once a year, or less - as my shooting environment rarely gets crud/crap on my glass.
When it IS time to clean the glass, I do my damndest to remove everything I can without touching the glass - compressed air, breathe on the glass - more compressed air etc.
Once I'm convinced everything thats gonna come off with the air, has... I use the lenspen, but initially only make contact with the glass with the edge of the tip, and only bring it into full contact with the glass with a swiping motion, to prevent debris from getting between the tip and the glass. Once in contact, I apply LIGHT pressure, and move in circular motion from inside out.
I have yet to scratch any glass.
If at any time I feel I may have "contaminated" the felt tip with dirt/debris, I ditch the pen.
Re: Lens Pens
I use lens pens for field cleaning and acetone for bench.
I rarely ever need to do more than blow then brush them. If I have had them out in the rain for a couple weeks, then I may actually. Lean the lenses.
It's often the guys who are anal about cleaning who screw their stuff up.
I use lens pens for field cleaning and acetone for bench.
I rarely ever need to do more than blow then brush them. If I have had them out in the rain for a couple weeks, then I may actually. Lean the lenses.
It's often the guys who are anal about cleaning who screw their stuff up.
Re: Lens Pens
Yep. Cheap and easy. Get some cotton balls and q-tips from the drug store and you are all set.
Yep. Cheap and easy. Get some cotton balls and q-tips from the drug store and you are all set.
Re: Lens Pens
You can find it anywhere you can get fingernail polish remover, but caution, I stole my wife's then realized after it wasn't work worth a crap, it was the non-acetone containing kind. But the real deal is $1 at most places.
You can find it anywhere you can get fingernail polish remover, but caution, I stole my wife's then realized after it wasn't work worth a crap, it was the non-acetone containing kind. But the real deal is $1 at most places.
Re: Lens Pens
I would NOT use fingernail polish remover. They like to put colors and scents and other crap in there.
GET ACETONE FROM THE MAN STORE. The one where they sell tools and wood and stuff. Don't worry going in there will automatically counteract the testicular shrinkage that occurred when you touched your wife's cosmetics.
I would NOT use fingernail polish remover. They like to put colors and scents and other crap in there.
GET ACETONE FROM THE MAN STORE. The one where they sell tools and wood and stuff. Don't worry going in there will automatically counteract the testicular shrinkage that occurred when you touched your wife's cosmetics.
Re: Lens Pens
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LoneWolfUSMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I would NOT use fingernail polish remover. They like to put colors and scents and other crap in there.
GET ACETONE FROM THE MAN STORE. The one where they sell tools and wood and stuff. Don't worry going in there will automatically counteract the testicular shrinkage that occurred when you touched your wife's cosmetics. </div></div>
Agreed. Stick to the real stuff. The less additional ingredients. The better.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LoneWolfUSMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I would NOT use fingernail polish remover. They like to put colors and scents and other crap in there.
GET ACETONE FROM THE MAN STORE. The one where they sell tools and wood and stuff. Don't worry going in there will automatically counteract the testicular shrinkage that occurred when you touched your wife's cosmetics. </div></div>
Agreed. Stick to the real stuff. The less additional ingredients. The better.
Re: Lens Pens
That was actually funny
I was unaware that there were scents and what not add to off the Wally world shelf stuff. I usually only use it for adhesive removal
That was actually funny
I was unaware that there were scents and what not add to off the Wally world shelf stuff. I usually only use it for adhesive removal
Re: Lens Pens
Pancro is just methanol and expensive methanol at that
Pancro MSDS
I would follow the manufacturers advice. Just because someone uses a product on a 100k movie camera doesn't mean it is compatible with the coatings on a riflescope. IIRC USO warns about this in their literature.
Pancro is just methanol and expensive methanol at that
Pancro MSDS
I would follow the manufacturers advice. Just because someone uses a product on a 100k movie camera doesn't mean it is compatible with the coatings on a riflescope. IIRC USO warns about this in their literature.
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