What do you use to clean your optics?

[PATH]

What do you folks do to keep scopes and binocular optics clean?

[ArmaLube]

The secret is to keep the lenses capped whenever the instrument is not in use. Never touch lenses with fingers. Remove dust, if necessary, with a quality lens brush.

In the event of a smudge, use lens tissue or clean, soft cotton cloth moistened with a very light touch of alcohol.

[clown714]

i use a nikon lens pen.

lens tissue if really bad,then the pen.

clown

[2002gti]

lens pen here too. got it from ebay
for $10

[PATH]

Pardon my ignorance but what pray tell is a lens pen?

[Corolla]

http://www.lenspen.com/

[k in AR]

For a really good cleaning I use the stuff that you buy at a "really good" camera store (after all, are not our scope optics a camera quality lens?). This is also recommended by most MFG.

For a quickie I use the Leupold Lenspen, does a real nice job.... but be forwarned, get any grit off of any lens before you start rubbing. Anything you can use to clean your scope glass will scratch it if you have grit on the lens already. So just do like us "professional photographers", brush or blow off the grit first then clean with a real lens cleaner ( that's not Windex <L>).

[Watch-Six]

Leupold lenspen. Watch-Six

[Double Naught Spy]

I like to use a Lens pen and/or a microfiber cloth. The microfiber cloth does a great job even without the presence of alcohol.

The thing about using a lens pen or repeat use cloth (cotton, microfiber, whatever) of some sort is that the cloth really needs to be clean, very clean. What most folks don't realize is that such items can become contaminated quite easily. Also, most don't realize that regular papertowels or tissue can scratch glass. They may know lens paper is better, but not why. So how can tissue and papertowels scratch? They contain phytoliths. Phytoliths are microcrystals produced by plants. These are a waste product of the plant. The can be found in the raw wood material used to make paper. Lens paper is supposed to be highly refined and no phytoliths present. When phytoliths are present, they scratch the lens when the paper is rubbed against the lens. The phytoliths are often of harder minerals such as quartz, hence are much harder than glass and therefore cause the scratching. Over time, repeated use of the wrong type of paper will result in a frosted appearance as the surface is repeatedly and irregularly scratched by the phytoliths. On coated lenses, the phytoliths destroy the coating and that will affect the viewable image.

[Dr. Van Van Mojo]

At Leupold, we blow off the lenses with clean air (you could probably substitute "canned air", like people use to clean computer keyboards) and then clean them with a synthetic-fiber brush and lab-grade acetone.

Quite possibly out of range for home use, but that's how we do it there.

[Naphtali]

What do the armed forces use in the field in Afghanistan to clean binocular or scope sight ?

[LAK]

For scopes, binoculars, camera lenses, etc I use those squeeze blowers, lens brushes, microfibre cloths and ocasionally the better lens cleaners like the Zeiss proprietary stuff when it is necessary. These are handy because they come in small sealed foil packets and a few of them can be carried in with other kit. I also made a habit a long time ago of keeping them covered at all times when not actually in use.

[Johan]

I'll tell you what works the best for me and I'm sorry if I'm re-peating any thing. Quick easy way is the brush or lint free cloth. But for NVG's, or other optics that I use, I'll rinse them in fresh water blow dry then take lense paper dip it in acetone clean the lenses then cover the lenses for the next op -- Later

[rwilson452]

I use a lens pen and lens paper with pure grain alcohol ( EverClear)

[cedarsavage]

Micro-fiber cloth and a lens cleaner called "optyl-7". That cleaner can also be used on cd's, dvd's, scanners, and all sorts of stuff. You can get it for around 4 bucks for 8ozs from a goofy outfit called "American Science & Surplus". They have a website >www.sciplus.com<. Hellava mix of cheap parlor tricks, military stuff, precision tools, crummy tools, etc....
Check out item #33412 - 21' Bungee Cord, govt surplus - goes for $2.75 and lord knows what the govt paid for it when they bought it - it is an antenna - never used! Take it between a couple trees and hook up the shortwave/fm/am radio!

taa, cs

[PATH]

I will be ordering a lens pen presently! Thanks gang!