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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13181 |
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Windex with ANY cloth will over time harm coatings on Leupold scopes (among others). However, if you use Windex you will probably end up sending the scope in for repairs before there is severe damage to the coatings simply because I would expect WIndex to destroy the seals in the scope faster. ILya
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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Ghillie308, are the streaks on the glass visible when using the scope or just when looking at the objective and ocular lenses not in actual use?
Rustic, your posts surprise me again. You do indeed love to generalize and extrapolate ( the "everything in Windex--ville is Windex" was priceless), don't get upset when your particular form of lunacy gets called out. If Koshkin says one thing (regarding optics and probably everything else) and you say the opposite, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Yet another few reasons I don't buy Leupold products.
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Freedom is something you take.
Respect is something you earn. Equality is something you whine about not being given. |
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300S&W
Optics God Joined: January/27/2008 Location: Burlington,WV Status: Offline Points: 10592 |
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I've been doing some reading online about what to use as a liquid cleaner on multicoated lenses. ALL I've read says to stay away from ANY containing ammonia. Ones that recommend something mention Zeiss.
My son's company provides them with pre-moistened wipes for in the field cleaning of their survey equipments lenses. The Zeiss or B&L Sight Savers. So far I've had GOOD results with both. I don't have any of the Zeiss right now but the B&L packet notes that "While our products are safe,it should be noted that some coatings are fragile and will wear off over time regardless of the cleaning regimen used." I'm guessing they're meaning the more often you physically touch the lens to clean it the sooner the coating will wear off.
One more thing. The B&L box says their product has been tested independently by COLTS laboratory and has been found to meet their performance requirements as tested. I haven't been able to locate that test but will continue to look when I'm able to.
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"I ain't got time to bleed!"
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GHILLIE.308
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/24/2012 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 22 |
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Ghillie308, are the streaks on the glass visible when using the scope or just when looking at the objective and ocular lenses not in actual use?
No you cant see the streaks when the scope is in use. But when you look at the lense from a side angle with the right light you can see it. and I like my glass to be clean. |
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13181 |
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You may be able to carefully clean those streaks off using a proper cleaner and microfiber cloth. Windex and other cleaners not designed for coated glass leave streaks. The coating underneath may or may not be damaged. Depends on how much it was abused ILya
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rustic
Optics Master Joined: September/30/2011 Status: Offline Points: 1461 |
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I must be crazy then... calling Leupold(among others) to ask what they RECOMEND to clean their lens in THEIR scope... THEN taking THEIR(you know... the scope manufacturer ;) word for it!!! Should I call their competition on what use for lens cleaning??? I'm not sure but, looks to I am not the only one guilty of "brand" loyalty. ;) I will save everyone some time and call myself "out" --- I like leupold products! ;) |
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GHILLIE.308
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/24/2012 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 22 |
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GHILLIE.308
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/24/2012 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 22 |
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Good news guys! I just got off the phone with the supervisor at Leupold and he went to go ask the Optical Engineer and she told him that Windex will not hurt their lens coating at all. The only thing it will do is leave streaks she said. But to be safe I bought some Zeiss lens wipes.
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Sparky
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: July/15/2007 Location: SD Status: Offline Points: 4569 |
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Interesting. I too just got off the phone with Leupold's tech support and the individual I talked with also asked others in tech support as well as an optical engineer and they said absolutely no on using Windex. It leaves too much goop on the surface, is hard on the coatings and seals. What is up with Leupold? Some say one thing and others say something else. They said to use 90% or greater alcohol or go to a camera store and use the cleaning supplies they offer. |
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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OK, last time I am doing this, so pay attention.
This is idiotic, no way around it. I could argue that Croucho Marx and Carl Marx were the same guy because you never saw them in a picture together - that would actually be smarter than what you say above.
Again, idiotic: you claim to have asked about windex, then extrapolated to "use any brand." And, for clarity: who were the companies that said windex is OK? Please refrain from generalizations and extrapolations. Ghillie, glad you got the answer you wanted, hope the coatings are OK. Rustic, Zeiss and S&B are known for some of the best glass in optics, Leupold, not so much. That Zeiss and S&B recommend against Windex is fairly telling, and that Leupold says it is fine is also insightful. What did BSA and Countersniper say? I would guess they said, "no problem!" |
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Freedom is something you take.
Respect is something you earn. Equality is something you whine about not being given. |
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300S&W
Optics God Joined: January/27/2008 Location: Burlington,WV Status: Offline Points: 10592 |
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Seems the Zeiss are your safest bet. I've used B&L to with no problems.
Actually what you needed to know from Leupold is if the Windex with ammonia is safe to use. They also make ammonia free glass cleaners. Their 2012 catalog says to use pure alcohol,pure water,or a high grade glass cleaner.
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"I ain't got time to bleed!"
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GHILLIE.308
Optics GrassHopper Joined: June/24/2012 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 22 |
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mike650
Optics God Joined: May/14/2006 Location: West of Rockies Status: Offline Points: 14569 |
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I've used the Swarovski optics wipes, much like Zeiss brand , and they work great!! |
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“A hunt based only on trophies taken falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be.” – Fred Bear
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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I guess I can go back to 8000 grit sandpaper, now...
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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300S&W
Optics God Joined: January/27/2008 Location: Burlington,WV Status: Offline Points: 10592 |
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Only on the ones you've found NOT to be bullet proof please.
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"I ain't got time to bleed!"
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Skylar McMahon
Optics Jedi Knight Capt. BlowHard Joined: April/05/2011 Location: TEXAS Status: Offline Points: 6082 |
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Dan, are you wetsanding????
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300S&W
Optics God Joined: January/27/2008 Location: Burlington,WV Status: Offline Points: 10592 |
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I'm sure. I'd think any of the cleaners offered by the major optics manufacturers would be safe.
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"I ain't got time to bleed!"
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Sparky
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: July/15/2007 Location: SD Status: Offline Points: 4569 |
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Not arguing with you. I just posted what they told me. Like I said some say one thing and others say something else. It an 800 number so call again and see what they say this time. |
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Bigdaddy0381
MODERATOR Georgia peach Joined: February/27/2007 Location: Georgia Status: Offline Points: 13682 |
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he spit sand's. His spit can take acid rain off a car hood and is safe for all rubber trim and is almost environmentally safe. |
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P&Z Firearms , Pro gun cleanings and gun repair and wood refinishing.
Ecclesiastes 10:2 |
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RifleDude
MODERATOR EVIL OPPRESSOR Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 16337 |
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I find the frequent "is (fill in the blank chemical concoction) safe for cleaning lenses?" questions rather perplexing given that there's no shortage of optical lens cleaners specifically designed for that purpose available everywhere.
While there are probably multiple liquids that will work fine for lens cleaning without damaging lens coatings, one thing's for absolute certain... optical lens cleaning solutions (as the label seemingly implies) are totally safe and effective for that purpose, since they were specifically designed for that purpose. Curiously, the stuff actually does a good job at cleaning lenses with no damage to delicate coatings too! Who'da thunk it? The same can be said for the chamois lens cleaning cloths that are often included in the box with new optics. Which kinda begs the question... why worry about whether Windex, acetone, paint thinner, WD-40, diesel, goat's milk and whatever else is safe for lens coatings? Why take unnecessary risks on your expensive optics when lens cleaning wipes/solutions are so inexpensive and readily available? I could understand the urge to search for alternatives if the lens cleaning products were prohibitively expensive and/or only available by mail order, but neither is the case. There's nothing magical about the word "Zeiss" on the Zeiss wipes / spray, since Zeiss doesn't manufacture it, except for the fact that, by putting their logo on the packaging, they obviously endorse its use on their optics. The same solution is sold under different brand names (Nikon for one). The reason the Zeiss wipes and lens spray is frequently recommended is not because it has "Zeiss" on the label, but the fact it's so readily available and it's inexpensive. You can even get it at Wal-Mart. Because I can pick up some more at the same time I'm buying spaghetti sauce, socks, and AA batteries, I too use the Zeiss wipes almost exclusively for cleaning optics these days. I'm honestly not trying to be flippant here; I just don't get why anyone would take unnecessary risks with questionable products and spend time calling optics manufacturers to see which chemicals their lens coatings will withstand when a readily available, cheap solution is specifically designed for the task at hand. Edited by RifleDude - June/27/2012 at 15:01 |
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Ted
Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle. |
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