Dirty, dirty lenses

[model 70]

Just cleaned my rifle and it's all ready for the range...almost. i realized the one part of my deer rifle i neglect the most is the scope lenses. so much dust and gunk built up.

what's the best way to clean them without running out to the store and buying a bunch of special stuff?

[Jack]

It's a 2 stage process. First, you gotta get the grit off. But, if you rub the lens with a tissue or something, you rub the grit on the lenses, scratching them.....
So, your first step is a lens brush to gently brush the grit off. You can get compressed air cans in a camera shop to do this, too.
(DO NOT use your shop compressor- that isn't filtered sufficiently, you'll blow grit ON the lens)
OK, stage 2 is to get the film, grease, etc, off. Leupold and Burris (and I'm sure others) sell a lens pen with a brush on one end and some solvent you can use on the other end. Or, go to a camera shop and get some lens cleaning tissue and lens cleaning fluid. Put a drop of fluid on a tissue and GENTLY wipe the lens. If the fluid doesn't evaporate by itslef you can wipe GENTLY with a dry tissue.
Some lens cleaning stuff you see for cleaning eyeglasses will work, too

[Evan03]

my shirt sleave and some spit works when im in the feild.

[fabsroman]

Okay, I haven't tried this on a scope lens yet, but it works really well on the viewfinder of my digital camera.

Take a piece of clear Scotch tape and press it onto the lens. It removes the grit and the oil that can accumulate on the lens. It even removes finger prints from my digital camera's viewfinder.

[Dan in the Delta]

Clean loose dirt and grit off with a soft brush and canned air. Then use acetone on a qtip to clean what's left. Acetone is the only thing I've ever used that doesn't leave some kind of residual film on the lens.

[Jack]

FWIW, the lens cleaning fluid used for cleaning camera lenses, and other multi coated optics, is a mixture of glycerine and distilled water. Don't know the proportions.....

[jonthedogman]

i myself am always worried about scraching the glass so i stay away from canned air. unless all i see is dust.
once i blow the dust off. then i use the same stuff that i cleam my eye glasses with. it comes in a small pump bottle you can get it at wolly world or any place that sells glasses. if there is built up grime this will loosen it up and then you can gently wipe off with a optic cloth(again avail @ any place that sells glases ) some scopes come wiith one.
once they are cleaned i pollish with a priduct called opti pen. as the name say it's a pen with a felt point that is made for optics.
it realy works. you can make a cheapy tasco look like a leo.
i also have experamented with a anti fog cream. you can get that at any hd cycle shop. works for me.
hope this helps.
dogman

[model 70]

picked up a generic pen at walmart. brush on one side, flat, felt pad on the other. worked like a charm. thanks all.

[Evan03]

come on now.

i know more than one of you has used your shirt sleave, not the best idea in the world but works in pinch.

scope covers are must they make world of difrence. been useing them on my 220 and the glass is clean still.

Evan

[papi]

you have to be very careful not to scratch when using a cloth.i use a can of canned air and blow the stuff out. i then clean with a good lens cleaner.a cheap way to keep it from getting dirty is to use a scope bra

[Evan03]

odvialsy none of you alls have been in the feild with muid on your lens.

what r you gona do????? leave it till you get back to your compressed air and lens pens. no you promply dunk the scope in creek let the current carry the mud off then dry it with your shirt sleave.

ive actualy done this.

i do known when rifle is used enough it made to work as tool. and in pinch if you cant see through the glass you either unsaddle and go home or wipe it off with whatever handy. maybe tp from your pack. or maybe you wear glasses and keep eyeglass cleaner on your body at all times.

ive cleaned lenses with lense pesn and wipes desinged to be best on glass surfaces such as rifle scopes. but when it comes down to it. im doiung this at home. buit ounce in the feild the conditions are dusty wety dry horsesweat. i think horsweat is the worst to clean off a lense.

i dont pack any cleaning supplies. gota use whats handy.

also good glass will hide alot of dirt and grime thats on the lenses. put a quarter on the end of a leupold scope and look through it. you wont see the quarter evern though its covering up alot of glass.

kay im now to point were im gettn good scope covers on all my scopes. i do a good cleaning at home flip the covers shut then head to feild. this keeps my glass much cleaner and longet between cleanings.

but this still didnt help the fact that i dropped my 220 this last weekend with the caps open while i was blwoin on my coyote call and got some dirt and mud on the lense.

stuff happens and in pinch youl scratch lense and be glad you did. if the scopes are cheaper then you may realy scratch a lense.

ive got 4.5-14x40vxIII leo. both lenses are all scratched. but to look through the scope you couldnt ever tell.

one good reason for getting good glass.

Evan

[papi]

i have had just about everything on my lens.i carry a small container of glass cleaner and some wipes.not true about it taking up space. all together it is about the size of a cigarette packagethe other person ask how to keep them clean and you only said in the field.good glass is a must. scratches will indeed cause problems if bad enough.it will cause a haze in certain area.i also have good glass. i have a x-111 leupold,3.5010x50. it has a ill german #4 dot. also have a swarovski 4x12x50.they are both good glass.the same goes for binocs.i have the leica 12x50 binocs

[jon lynn]

alsy none of you alls have been in the feild with muid on your lens.

Yeah in fact I have! I was climbing in to a nice hi-seat and my sling came unbuckled, and I was relived to find my rifle fell in to some bushes and grass to cusion the blow, but the weight of the rifle (it was a CZ combo rifle/12ga) sunk the scope in to a puddle of water that was under the vegitation.

Before screaming profane words (just to teach my German host some new and interesting english words), I was relived that it only seemed to be mudded on the occular bell.

The entire bell was covered in muddy slime. I always carry some water on me (dehydration is an ugly thing) so I just was hopeful that the waterproof claim was true. I simply poured water over the slime to rince, and then pointed my barrel up and actually fanned the scope with my hat until dry, seemed fine.

A bout twenty minutes later I got caught in a down poor, and for the safety of the group of beaters they called the hunt. So my German friends did learn a few words of english after all.

But the water seemed to work, and the next day I ordered sets of flip up covers for all my scopes. But please keep in mind that 13 years ago Butler-Creek plip ups were almost unheard of here...................Jon

[Brithunter]

Hi All,

Hmmm acetone does not sound like a good idea, as it might damage the coating on the lens. I carry little packets of 4 ply tissues, one of these dampened will remove dirt if used carefully with out damage. About once a year I used a little liquid soap in the same manner to remove any built up oily residue and a wet soft cloth or one of the tissues to wash it off seesm to work for me