Grease for Kershaw bino service

[lguise]

A friend has been given a pair of 1940s Kershaw binos. He wants to service them and has asked me to recommend a grease for the focusing mechanism and inter pupil adjustment. This is not something I have done so I said I would ask the SGL forum for any thoughts.

Any info on Kershaw binos also appreciated.

Many thanks,

Linton

[Alien 13]

Cant help with specifics but it ought to be the same grease that is used on camera lens helical focusers, might make an internet search easier.

Alan

[wulfrun]

I've relubed camera focus helicals with a light, lithium-based cycle grease (readily available from cycle shops, Halfords etc). It's likely to be suitable for this application too.

[Peter Drew]

I would recommend a grease like superlube, you need a fairly heavy/sticky grease on these movements to impart a good solid feel to the movement.  I have my late father's Kershaw 12x40  "Monarch" binocular.  A good glass in its day.    🙂

[Rusted]

Off topic [as usual] but I could do with a solvent for the hardened grease in my pair of Optolyth 8x56 [rubber armoured] binoculars.

[Dr_Ju_ju]

In no particular order:  D-Limonene, Evo-Stick Adhesive Cleaner, Isopropyl Alcohol....  But be careful as some of these are VERY volatile & will quite happily rot away other parts !!

[Rusted]

3 hours ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

In no particular order:  D-Limonene, Evo-Stick Adhesive Cleaner, Isopropyl Alcohol....  But be careful as some of these are VERY volatile & will quite happily rot away other parts !!

Many thanks.
I bought them from a flea market for not much money.
Because, as I pointed out, the hinge wouldn't move nor would they focus.
I can only assume they had been baking in hot sunshine for years.
So the solvents [?] in the grease had evaporated. Just a guess.

[markse68]

I use lighter fluid and an old toothbrush for grease dissolving, and  Nye damping grease for the focusers- it’s synthetic so won’t dry up probably ever

Mark

[Louis D]

I bought a pair of vintage binoculars form a professional restorer, and he used NyoGel to lubricate them.  I assume it was one of the heavier damping varieties like 774H.

Edited June 13, 2021 by Louis D

[Rusted]

I have an update: With apologies to the OP for blatant hijacking of his thread.
The information is still relevant however.

First I tried odourless paraffin [lamp oil], then cleaning benzine [petrol] and finally acetone.
Hoping to find a solvent for the thickened grease in my Optolyth 8x56 binoculars.

The first two seemed to do nothing when applied with a small, [cheap] water colour brush to the hinge joints.
While the acetone took some time but eventually freed up the hinge as I flexed the hinge back and forth.

I then used acetone on a clean rag to clean off the disassembled focuser and eyepiece components.
This still took some time before the rubbery grease began to stain the rag brown.
The binoculars are now functional after years of remaining unused.

Sadly I am now [probably] too old to enjoy their 7mm exit pupil.
The image appears bright and sharp but not up to the standard of my Nikon Monarch 5 8x42s.
Which is both much brighter, much sharper, very much lighter, more relaxing to use and has a much larger field of view.

The Monarch 5s are also so light that I walk for hours with them around my neck.
BTW: I sewed the long strap tails to the inside of the original traps, from new, to save them dangling.
As a wildlife enthusiast I prefer a short strap with my binos high on my chest.
This saves them bouncing or getting in the way.

 

[lguise]

Many thanks to all for your suggestions, including those that are off the original topic may prove very useful.

Linton