Spotting scopes deteriorating

[RedRiverII]

Shocked to find my spotting scope (rubber body?) ( plastic body?) sticky.  I opened my spotting scope,  Konus,  that I had not used for a few years.  It was sticky and at first I thought I had spilled a Coke on it.  I tried to clean it off with solvents,  soap and water and finally realized the rubber had rotted?  It isn't a dry rot,  there rubber just smeared.  Contacted Konus and received this response: 

Good morning,
to solve the proble we suggest to follw the following instructions:
1) cover the optical part of the scope with a paper.
2) use a transparent matt spray on the sticky parts.
3) Let the spray dry.
4) remove the paper from the optical part

Thank you and best regards,
KONUS ITALIA GROUP SPA
Export Dept

 

Have you had similar problems with your optics?  I'm about to buy more optics and spend way more than I paid for the Konus but,  I don't feel like getting some crap rubber or cheap plastic in the body.  Any suggestions?

 

Edited August 26, 2019 by RedRiverII

[unforgiven]

Now that you mention it my cheapie Barska is also tacky hmmm. Is it cause it's stuck in what I think is a vinyl pouch ? 

[RedRiverII]

Went online to other sites and found many different optics displaying the same degradation. I have a pair of Steiner Binoculars from a photographer that had access to Nixon and other biggies during the 60's.  No sign of material breakdown.  Go figure.

[Sisco]

I have a set of binoculars with the same problem. As far as Steiners, those are top of the line, wouldn’t expect them to have that problem. Mine got exposed to heat, as in baking in a hot car. Seemed to have caused a molecular change in the rubberized coating.

[Armed Eye Doc]

The only thing I have noticed breaking down like that is the rubber flap in my commode after using bleach tabs.   What type of cleaners have you used on it?

[jtallen83]

1 hour ago, Armed Eye Doc said:

What type of cleaners have you used on it?

That has been the issue I saw. About 15 years ago or so I got a Tasco scope that had some sort of rubberized finish on it, it was fine until I got some Hoppes on it and tried to wipe it off, every bit that saw the solvent turned sticky.

[Albroswift]

My Stieners did the same thing, started sticking leaves and brush to it to keep from getting the residue on my hands but its 80% gone now, once it starts it never stops. Started as a little patch about the size of a quarter,  I would get this black greasy stuff on my hand didn't know where it was coming from. Looking at the Sig Kilo 3000 bdx but can't get my arms around the price tag. 

[Lonewolf McQuade]

13 hours ago, RedRiverII said:

Shocked to find my spotting scope (rubber body?) ( plastic body?) sticky.  I opened my spotting scope,  Konus,  that I had not used for a few years.  It was sticky and at first I thought I had spilled a Coke on it.  I tried to clean it off with solvents,  soap and water and finally realized the rubber had rotted?  It isn't a dry rot,  there rubber just smeared.  Contacted Konus and received this response: 

Good morning,
to solve the proble we suggest to follw the following instructions:
1) cover the optical part of the scope with a paper.
2) use a transparent matt spray on the sticky parts.
3) Let the spray dry.
4) remove the paper from the optical part

Thank you and best regards,
KONUS ITALIA GROUP SPA
Export Dept

 

Have you had similar problems with your optics?  I'm about to buy more optics and spend way more than I paid for the Konus but,  I don't feel like getting some crap rubber or cheap plastic in the body.  Any suggestions?

 

I haven't seen this, i pray I never Do! My Leupold spotting scope is rubberized,  but replaceable.  My Lieca rangefinder binoculars are rubberized also but @ $2500-$2800, NOT REPLACEABLE!  That $hit starts deteriorating....somebody gonna die!

[Sisco]

18 minutes ago, Albroswift said:

My Stieners did the same thing, started sticking leaves and brush to it to keep from getting the residue on my hands but its 80% gone now, once it starts it never stops. Started as a little patch about the size of a quarter,  I would get this black greasy stuff on my hand didn't know where it was coming from. Looking at the Sig Kilo 3000 bdx but can't get my arms around the price tag. 

Wow! Would not have expected that from Steiners. Sounds like rubberized coatings are not chemically impervious.

[Albroswift]

The steiners are over 20 years old, breakdown started 7, 8, maybe 9 years ago. Slowly spread.  Never cleaned or exposed to solvents,  but they do spend a fair amount of time on the dashboard.  Maybe a uv thing

 

[Lonewolf McQuade]

1 minute ago, Albroswift said:

The steiners are over 20 years old, breakdown started 7, 8, maybe 9 years ago. Slowly spread.  Never cleaned or exposed to solvents,  but they do spend a fair amount of time on the dashboard.  Maybe a uv thing

 

Wow,  That sucks!! Flex seal?

[Albroswift]

I'll stick some dry leaves to them when I get back out to the woods, like a mini gillie suit. At least it keeps the goo off every thing else. 

[RedRiverII]

Never used any cleaners.  The scope sat in a canvas bag supplied with the scope. I should take a picture.  Anyway I used Dawn soap and water which did nada.  I tried a small amount of Goof Off in the small yellow can.  Nada.  My initial post is the response from KONUS.  Use a transparent matt spray and let it dry.  Hmm.

Albroswift,  did you ever ask Steiner about that damage?

[98Z5V]

It's UV deterioration, guys.   The only people that have (kinda) figured this out are car manufacturers.  It affects everything, and people that have dirtbikes or quads know all about it.  As soon as your badass grips get sticky, they're gonna start leaving black poop on your hands or gloves.  Then you get new grips before the next ride.

Not saying you can just "get new grips" for these things, but it's the breakdown of the rubber over time, mainly from UV, and partly from the acids in your sweat. 

This is the very reason I stopped using any of the MagPul "+" grips, the rubberized ones.  First time I had one get "sticky" on me, I knew what was happening.  Been through enough dirt grips to know what was up. Maybe I'm just an acidic sweaty bastard, or I leave my stuff in the sun too much - but that's it. 

[98Z5V]

Just went out to the garage to show you guys. 

These grips need to be replaced.

[98Z5V]

We already know that you have acids in your sweat - some more than others.  On that note, if some of your equipment has been exhibiting signs of this "deterioration..."

 

 

 

 

...Don't leave your dick in the sun too long...  

[RedRiverII]

The End.

[Albroswift]

7 hours ago, RedRiverII said:

 

Albroswift,  did you ever ask Steiner about that damage?

No, didn't ask. Wish now I had of when it first started. 

I'm thinking it's a little too late now for masking tape and matte sprat paint anyway.

[RedRiverII]

I bought cam duct tape and that soft wrap.  I'll give it a try and get back to you.

1 minute ago, Albroswift said:

No, didn't ask. Wish now I had of when it first started. 

I'm thinking it's a little too late now for masking tape and matte sprat paint anyway.

 

[RedRiverII]

Yep that Steiner is beyond tape.  It still should not have fallen apart like it did.  My optic feels like someone spilled sticky soda all over it.  The plastic lens covers are fine.  The control knobs are fine,  as well as all other parts except the body.  That is inexcusable.  Let me go find my 50 yr. old Steiners and show you well but stuff.  The lenses may need changing,  but the body is terrific.

[Sisco]

8 hours ago, 98Z5V said:

We already know that you have acids in your sweat - some more than others.  On that note, if some of your equipment has been exhibiting signs of this "deterioration..."

 

 

 

 

...Don't leave your dick in the sun too long...  

Don’t leave your condoms in the sun too long. Makes for a surprise after beach blanket bingo.

The UV makes sense. I bought my binoculars for a trip to Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and Cape Horn, about the time of the notorious “ozone hole” down there which let in excess UV to Earth’s surface. It happened almost immediately. I thought maybe it was a chemical in the sunscreen on our hands, but it was good ole UV apparently.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Sisco

[98Z5V]

14 hours ago, Sisco said:

 I thought maybe it was a chemical in the sunscreen on our hands, but it was good ole UV apparently.

Combined with you, you acidic bastard...  

[98Z5V]

Even your car steering wheel will do it over time, if it was a "rubberized-kinda" steering wheel, and it's an old car.  Last 20 years-ish, car manufacturers figured it out, so it's not as common, unless it's an OLD car.  Tractors - forget about it. Grab the wheel on an old tractor, that lives it's life parked out of the barn - same shiit as those grips I posted above... 

It's chemical composition more than anything - does it resist UV, and does it resist the acids in oils from your skin...  If not, it's gonna be like old tractor steering wheels and MX grips... 

[Matt.Cross]

I used to work in chemical plant, nothing sells better in the plastics industry than UV resistance modifiers. Good UV modifiers were rare in polymers until about 10 years ago. Good modifiers aren't quite quite as rare as they used to be, but they're also not as cheap as they could be, so they tend to be underused in most applications.

[Sisco]

12 hours ago, 98Z5V said:

Combined with you, you acidic bastard...  

You are on to me.