How to Restore Old Binoculars? (Complete Method)

In the previous guide, we talked about the worth of old binoculars and we told you they are very good assets if present in good condition. Chances are high that you will find antique binoculars in very bad condition. Are you thinking of storing them but confused about how to do that?

How to restore old binoculars? Cleaning is the most important step when you’re restoring binoculars. Dismantle and unscrew all the nuts and bold to ensure that all the components can be cleaned with proper chemicals. Use microfiber cloth during the restoration process. 

In this guide, we will give you every ins and outs of restoring old binoculars. So, stay connected and get in-depth details. 

Also Read: Swarovski NL Pure 10×42 WB VS Swarovski EL 10×42 Binoculars

In-Depth Guide to Restoring the binoculars

Have you found binoculars that are not in working condition but you are willing to store to keep the old memories alive? Or you don’t have the budget to buy new binoculars and want to restore abandoned optics to make them usable. 

First of all, you will have to dismantle and unscrew all the nuts and bolts to get their components separated from each other. 

Once all the components are dismantled, now clean every small component like the eyepiece, lenses, and focus knob. Even all the nuts and bolts should also be clean with the usage of proper chemicals. Make sure to remove all the rust if there is present. 

Note: If rust is present then put the rusty component in hot water to get their rust out of them. 

Once all the rust is removed, use a microfibre and clean all the components, nuts, and bold to ensure that no contaminants are left on them.  Lenses can get small scratches if you start using any hard cloth to clean them.

The whole can go useless if you screw all the nuts without cleaning the contaminants so be very careful during the cleaning process. Once it is done, now it is time to screw back all the components. 

This process can take a few hours or even a day as you will have to go through all the processes stepwise. The removal of rust can take more time. So, be patient and complete the process with due diligence. 

Are you still confused about how to restore the binoculars? Yes, you can be as this process is not very easy and special efforts with patience are needed to complete it. Small mistakes can damage the whole effort. Here is the video that will guide you about the storing of old binoculars

Material Required for Store the Old binoculars

Restoring binoculars without having proper tools is totally foolish. It is important to be prepared and have all the tools that are required for restoration. A slight mistake in the process can affect your process badly. Here is the list of the material you will need for restoration. 

• Gloves
• Screw drivers
• Microfiber cloth
• Lens pen or canned air
• Lens cleaning solutions like distilled water

How to identify vintage binoculars?

Identifying the old binoculars is very easy as every brand that produces optics prints their logo, brand name, and specification on the body of binoculars. But most people find it difficult to locate it because their binoculars have got rust. 

If you have found vintage binoculars that don’t have rust on them, you should clean the dust and check the printed logo, brand name, and specification which will help in identification. In the past, companies used to print their logo in very small places. It will take some time to find the printed markings. 

However, another possibility is that your optics have got rusty which is stopping you from seeing the model name and specification. So, you will have to remove all the rust first. It is noteworthy that using a harsh approach while removing the rust can take the print off.

The best practice for removing the rust is to leave your binoculars in hot water for a few hours. Due to hot water, your binoculars will start leaving the rust off. After a few hours, take a brush and start cleaning the binoculars gently. This will remove all the rust and eventually you will be able to see the printed brand name, model, and specification.

Why Do People Restore Old Binoculars?

There are different reasons behind the restoration of old binoculars. Some people find it their hobby to restore old and abandoned products. The restoration itself is fun. There is no doubt that those products have lost their value with time and can have our feelings attached to them. So, restoring them refreshes all your old memories. 

Some people restore the products and showcase them in different museums to get some value. However, it is a worldwide very popular hobby to restore old and ancient products and keep old memories alive. 

Few poor mates find it difficult to buy a new product due to tight budgets. It is a universal truth that not all of us have the same financial freedom to spend on binoculars. So, prefer to choose the restoration of their old, abandon binoculars instead of spending money on buying new pairs.

Will Restored Binoculars perform equally well as new ones?

The answer is no! Although they will be in good shape to give you a decent viewing experience, they cannot be as good as new optics. Keep in mind that you will restore a product that has got a lot of problems with its lenses and other optical components. So, restoring all the components cannot be as ideal as a new one can be.

Most of the time, restored binoculars perform very badly and the person who restores them feels like he wasted his time. However, if you are lucky enough and the restoration process goes right, they still won’t be perfect compared with the new one. 

Conclusion

There is no doubt that new binoculars are the first choice and they should be bought instead of choosing old binoculars to restore. If you’re one of those hobbyist people and want to take on a new challenge of restoring old binoculars then we have explained it to you.

We hope that our guide “How to restore old binoculars’’ will add value to your life and help you get over all the restoration steps. With this hope, we are signing off!