Old B&L spotting scope.

[.455 Webley]

I was recently given an old Bausch & Lomb spotting scope. It is of all steel construction and was not built to be gas filled at all since it has no seals and i can take it all apart. I took it all down as far as i dared and cleaned 40 odd years of dust and gunk off of the lenses using rubbing alcohol and q-tips. I have it all back together and am wondering what else i should do before i use it? I am not an optics expert by any means should i have use some other method to clean it? Any steps i can take now to keep it from fogging up at the range.

Any advice is appreciated.
.455

[country gent]

Not meant to be an endorsement here but Rain-X makes an anti fog coating for auto windows that a wipe down of the lenses inside nd out might help stop fogging in it. Ive used it on cars and it helps alot there. Im sure there are others out there also.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I don't know the model or details of its construction, although I do know they are good. Their 1950s external-adjustment sporting scopes are marvellous.

If there are loosely sliding parts in the focussing arrangements, there probably isn't very much, although I have seen someone produce pretty good seals on a drawtube scope with black heat-shrink tubing, as used to insulate bundles of electrical wiring. But if there is no way from the outside to the inside except the threads, you can lubricate them with Vaseline. It is probably best to leave it dissembled but vaselined in a hot, dry place for an hour or so, just in case anything volatile is added to it by the makers.

I don't know Rain-X at all, but it may well work, and should be easily removed if it doesn't. There might be similar products for diving masks, which are immediately in front of your eyes, and sometimes have an optical prescription lens ground into them.

[.455 Webley]

Good ideas, thanks guys. The only way in is via the threads, i will open it up and give the Vaseline a try. I just remembered that i have a small tub of something called Cat C r a p. I have seen it used on the outsides of rifle scope optics with good effect in the past. Now that i have the glass clean i may give it a rub down with some of that and see what happens.

[30calflash]

Congratulations on your acquisition, B&L made great scopes. I believe that no spotting scopes are filled as most were set up for interchangeable eyepieces of different magnifications

[samari46]

Maybe try using a good heavy type of silicone grease?. Frank