cannot remove screw to clean inside

I need to clean the lenses but am having trouble removing this screw to get inside the binoculars.
They are fairly old so am wondering if the metal is just weak, it keeps breaking when I try to unscrew it.
Not sure whether it is the small eye lenses with dirt on them or the prism.

http://www.sidekicker.net/a.jpg

qwertyjjj wrote: I need to clean the lenses but am having trouble removing this screw to get inside the binoculars. They are fairly old so am wondering if the metal is just weak, it keeps breaking when I try to unscrew it. Not sure whether it is the small eye lenses with dirt on them or the prism. http://www.sidekicker.net/a.jpg

qwertyjjj wrote: I need to clean the lenses but am having trouble removing this screw to get inside the binoculars. They are fairly old so am wondering if the metal is just weak, it keeps breaking when I try to unscrew it. Not sure whether it is the small eye lenses with dirt on them or the prism. http://www.sidekicker.net/a.jpg

If do get inside, polishing with 400 grit sander paper and acetone for lubricant should put an end to your problems.

 OR just send them to Kickboxer.

lucytuma wrote: If do get inside, polishing with 400 grit sander paper and acetone for lubricant should put an end to your problems.

The dirt is on the inside so how else am I supposed to clean them?

http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/optics/cleaning_optics.aspx

Perhaps you overlooked the most important sentence:

Followed by:
However, this won't be cheap. In fact, it may actually cost more than your instrument is worth.

What is the issue with opening it up? It's an old pair, I'd like to clean and do it myself. I already opened up the objectives and cleaned it, no issue, I just need to get the ocular open as that is the part with the dirt, which I can see move when I twist them round.

Speaking as someone who used to service and clean Microscopes with 200-400X capability.  Unless you are use a full laboratory clean room and very expensive lint free cleaning materials you will introduce hundreds of times more contaminates than you will remove trying to clean it yourself!!!

Edited by budperm - November/18/2010 at 13:58

There are big black dots in the oculars, it can;t get worse than that.
I appreciate the concern but I'm not going to pay for it for some 50 yr old binoculars when I can give it a go cleaning them or buy some new (and better) ones.
So, any idea son how to open it when the screw seems to be damaged as in the picture? There is a screw at the other end but doesn;t seem to do much.

Oy Yeh!!!

Well, I guess you were serious after all, so I herby retract the troll comment.

Good advise Steve.

qwertyjjj wrote: So, any idea son how to open it when the screw seems to be damaged as in the picture?

Any ideas on how to open it then?

lucytuma wrote: Good advise Steve.

On these, if I unscrew the screws on the faceplate, it looks like the oculars are secured on top of that though.
On the left one, if I adjust the ocular focus, the dirt doesn;t move, on the right one it moves so does that mean the left one has the dirt inside or possibly on the prism?

OK, finally got you picture up.  You may well have to loosen that center screw.  Look for a small screw somewhere in the ocular that looks like it might attach the eyepiece to the tube coming up from the faceplate.  If that comes out, you may have to get the screw in the picture out and the ocular assembly might lift free.

Edited by Klamath - November/20/2010 at 14:46

Hi quertyjjj,

Just came across this thread. If it helps, Deutsche Optik has Field Manuals that are helpful.
http://www.deutscheoptik.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=78
http://www.deutscheoptik.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=80
Note that these show tools that you probably do not have.
Also note that the position of the lenses relative to one another may be critical, so mark the edge of the optical assembly with a marker before taking anything apart.