Whether you’re an optics enthusiast or a weekend warrior, maintaining your optical systems should be a top priority. Often, many people are saving for months or even years to purchase that top-shelf piece of glass to complement their kit. These rifle scopes, binoculars and spotting scopes keep getting more expensive by the year; but maintaining them properly will help them last a lifetime.
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Prevention
Prevention is the first step to maintenance and might be one of the most easily overlooked steps you can take in maintaining your optical system. What is better than knowing how to fix something? Knowing how to keep yourself from needing to fix it in the first place. A lot of higher-end optics are becoming more bombproof as each new generation comes out, but there are a few key rules to follow to extend the lifespan of your optics.
Few things are worse than wrecking your scope; but wrecking it before even getting a chance to use it would be heartbreaking. Not properly mounting a scope is a leading cause of physical damage, especially to the scope tube. Over-torquing the scope rings is surprisingly common and can quickly ruin an otherwise perfectly good scope. This won’t just cosmetically ruin a scope, but it can limit and even completely impede the function. As not all scope tubes are created equally, so try to locate a torque specification for your particular scope. The torque specification for most scope rings will be printed on the packaging and, in some cases, it will also be printed on the ring. Not using a torque wrench or torque limiter of some kind is one of the worst things you can do to your rifle scope. If you do not have the required tools or knowledge on how to properly mount a scope, seek the assistance of a trained professional.
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Before each expedition, confirm your scope’s turret covers and battery cover are secure to avoid any headaches. The use of lower-quality batteries is a regular problem with the battery cap. This is because there is no official standard dimension for the watch-type batteries that are frequently used in illuminated reticle rifle scopes. The battery cap may experience problems with tension as a result, and it may even become loose and fall off. Conversely, top North American brands have standardized their size, and using them is definitely worth the few extra dollars they cost.
Many of us fancy ourselves to be fairly handy and like to work on fixing our own problems. If you do damage your optical system, do not try to fix it yourself. Rifle scopes, binoculars and spotting scopes are not meant to be serviced by adventurous do-it-yourselfers. The screw on the magnification selector ring is a good illustration of this since as it should never be loosened. Loosening the screw would allow the purge gas to escape the scope or binocular tube, and this gas is what is used to prevent internal fogging of the optic’s glass.
Preventing lens damage has been made easy with the constant development of better lens caps and fully encompassing bino harnesses. The use of lens caps, especially on the skyward-facing lens when carried in a hunting situation, can be the difference between damage and years of peak optical performance. Alternatively, a scope cover that covers the entire scope body and not just the lenses can be a more affordable option. It is a great idea to make use of one of these options during any rifle cleaning operations as well, to prevent solvent overspray from landing on the lenses.
Cleaning
Many of us are guilty of using our shirt sleeves to clean a smudge off the ocular lens of our scope when out hunting, but are we actually doing more harm than good? Unfortunately, the answer is often yes. The use of a sleeve or tissue is too abrasive for use on the glass in your optical system. As little as one use can cause irreparable damage to the coatings or even the glass itself.
If you find yourself in a situation where you have larger pieces of debris or more than just a smudge on the lens, you need to take extra caution to get the loose chunks away from the lens first before you clean the lens itself. This can be a bit of a delicate process, but one of the best tools out there is compressed air or some variation of it. This can be as simple as blowing on it with your mouth or using a can of compressed air commonly found in electronic stores. Alternatively, there are manually operated blowers out there common in the photography industry that have a rubber bulb attached to a nozzle. These offer a highly portable and nearly silent option for those stealthy situations in the field. Use caution if you are going to use a compressor; if not regulated properly, the pressure can be too high and potentially cause damage to your optical system.
If a more hands-on approach is required, the use of a soft bristle brush can be a great aid. This can be found on tools such as a LensPen or similar lens care tools. A LensPen is a pen-shaped cleaning tool that has a microfibre padded cleaning tip on one end and a retractable brush on the other. This tool offers unrivaled cleaning versatility that aids in keeping your optical system running at peak performance. When using the LensPen, the cleaning tip has an invisible carbon cleaning compound on it that helps to remove the oils from fingerprints, as well as other stains. The cleaning tip is often a small circular shape that aids in getting the tough-to-clean junction between the outside edge of the lens and the scope or binocular body clean. The LensPen works best as a finishing tool after the use of a cleaning solution of your choice and a microfibre cloth. It is imperative that the lens is already clean of any large debris, as the cleaning tip is meant to be used in a small circular motion with light pressure. If there is a small piece of hard debris caught between the cleaning tip and the lens, the outcome will not be favourable.
If you are unfortunate enough to have something larger stuck to one of your lenses, start simple and escalate from there. One of the simplest tools is hot breath to help lift the stuck debris off the lens. This method will need to be used in conjunction with a soft-bristled brush or canned air, but it can be a great alternative to physically rubbing the debris off of the lens.
Stains on the lenses can appear from many different substances. Everything from water, oil, grease and fingerprints can leave stains that not only impair the use of the optical system, but also can lead to damage if left unchecked. When removing stains, remember to start with the simplest method first. Many companies offer a cleaning solution and microfibre towel to remove stains and often this is all you need. Double this effort with something like a LensPen and you will take care of 99 per cent of stains you come across. For stubborn stains that require more effort to remove, chemicals like pure rubbing alcohol or medical-grade acetone can be used with caution to remove stains from the lenses. Make sure to reference your manufacturer’s guidelines, as not all will recommend chemicals such as acetone to be used on their lens coatings.
Although less fragile than the lenses, the body of your optics needs to be cleaned and maintained periodically. A properly anodized scope body will benefit from a high-quality CLP product being applied and then wiped off with a microfibre cloth or blue shop towel. Armoured optics bodies commonly found on binoculars and spotting scopes are best cleaned with a mild detergent.
While the basic rules for cleaning and maintenance remain the same regardless of brand, different cleaning procedures may have varying effects on the lenses and coatings of various companies. Today’s market offers a wide range of quality levels, and what can be considered a typical procedure for one manufacturer may harm the coatings of another. When in doubt, please refer to the cleaning instructions provided by the manufacturer of your specific optic.