Cleaning marks on eyepiece

[Alien 13]

I gave up using any cleaning fluids on optics it just spreads any grease marks over a larger area and will take hours of rubbing to completely remove, instead a single wipe with a lens pen removes any mark completely I even use them on my camera sensor.

Alan

[Charic]

You've just reminded me of something that I need to upgrade?

My Nikon Fresnel got dirty/contaminated so  I tried to clean it  but damaged it further, I then took it to a 'dealer' whilst in Tenerife, who  ended up scamming me big time. He was good!

Having the right tool at the time would have helped the situation,  I have also found it so much easier to remove the screen for easier cleansing, or just requiring a different finder reticle .

[StarryEyed]

Lens paper are used to remove by absorbing what ever is on the lens. The fluid breaks down and lubricates the lens paper. Consider that the lens paper acts like a sponge and once full can't absorb any more. So the trick is to roll the paper as you wipe. the obvious thing is to use you finger for this which is a mistake as you finger is producing sweat and greese constantly. So.... my favorite method is to ball a lens micro fibre cloth and then cover it with a lens paper which is held at each end either side of the micro fibre cloth with thumb and for finger. I add a little fluid to what will be the leading edge and as I wipe I role the cloth and paper which then present a clean section as I progress. I do still get some streaks but like Olly says they ain't worth the risk.

I would add that I fold a dry paper and run the edges of the lens cell just to soak up any fluid and lift out anything living in there. This is typically were mould ends up and if watered will start eating your coatings. 

Having worn glasses all my life and paid plenty for them I always instinctively use the least amount of pressure when cleaning. Coatings can vary in hardness.  On glasses I have seen new coatings come of in weeks because they didnt put a hard coating on top of the anti glare coatimg and some last for years with plenty of abuse. Telescope lens are a complete unknown in this respect so assume they very soft softer than your glasses if you wear them.

My goal for cleaning is good enough not perfect. Its risk management the more you mess with them the more likely you are to mess them up.

Edit..

What I have to add here is I have learnt that storage is key warm dry conditions stop things from sticking. If you find yourself needing to clean you optics ask yourself If you are storing them properly. Its tempting late at night just to close things down and get in doors.

[John]

This is what Tele Vue have to say about cleaning eyepiece optics:

http://www.televue.com/engine/TV3b_page.asp?return=Advice&id=103

Edit: I've just realised that the above link has already been posted in this thread by Charic. I must take more time to read through a thread completely before posting

Sorry about that.

[Dave In Vermont]

On 12/8/2016 at 05:33, rockystar said:

if it helps, I purchased one of these kits: http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-in-1-Professional-Lens-Filter-Cleaning-Kit-Cleaner-For-Canon-Nikon-DSLR-Camera-/272064755691?hash=item3f5852b7eb%3Ag%3AlfAAAOSwLzdWRiT9&_trkparms=pageci%3A6086e92c-bd31-11e6-a12f-005056b2415e%7Cparentrq%3Addfc3cb51580a78574b5d0d4ffdca4a7%7Ciid%3A4

it has everything I need in it: Blower, brush, cloth, spray bottle + a couple of things I've never used

That's a very good price for that! I'd jump on it - if I needed same & was in the UK.

Great catch, Rock!

Here's a method I've used on a oily, streaked corrector on my 150mm Maksutov. OPT in California has the assembled kit - but without Ammonia (you can find it easily) as it's not allowed in international mails. I've used many different ways to clean lenses, mirrors, eyepieces, etc. - but this was the best! It made my things cleaner than out-of-the-box new:

http://arksky.org/asoclean.htm

And the kit from OPT:

https://www.optcorp.com/opt-doc-clay-s-cleaning-kit-complete.html

Dave

[rockystar]

1 hour ago, Dave In Vermont said:

That's a very good price for that! I'd jump on it - if I needed same & was in the UK.

I'm pretty sure it came from China, so I'm sure they'll ship to US, though I'm guessing you have all the bits you need