Cleaning a lens mount

[cbretteville]

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What is a good way to clean light dirt (like old finger fat) off a lens mount? Dry micro fiber cloth would be a guess, but if you had to do some whet cleaning what would you recommend?

 

I'm trying to see if the fading yellow feet markings on a lens is just dirt or if it is colour fading or paint loss.

 

Thanks,

Carl

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[jc_braconi]

I use lens cleaner and dental rolls beginning from the center of the lens and making a spiral to the edge next I take the dental roll upside down and dry in the same manner

[cbretteville]

JC, for cleaning the mount or the glass? I wish to clean the mount.

Carl

[UliWer]

It depends on the material of the mount. Black painted or anodised mounts are easier to keep clean than older ones in chrome. There is cleaner for chrome parts of cars which I havn't tried. I tried cleaner for Ceran cooking plates (ceramic stove top ?)with some success using a dental roll as described by JCBranconi. You have to use it very sparingly, going sure that nothing gets on the lenses! It is a lot of work as the surface is not even but has many small edges and corners.

[gravastar]

In the past I've cleaned the chrome and paint mounts of used lenses with Isopropyl Alcohol and a fiber cloth or fine brush for serrations. Sometimes you also have to use a cloth that is slightly dampened with a 50:50 mixture of alcohol and water. Avoid paper tissues which disintegrate when wet. If the paint in engravings is worn, discolored or missing it can be replaced with paint from a paint lacquer stick from MIcrotools, they also have a USA division. You can easily remove excess paint with a cloth slightly dampened with Isopropyl Alcohol. For stubborn dirt in hard to reach places I use a dampened sharpened matchstick.

 

Bob.

[jc_braconi]

JC, for cleaning the mount or the glass? I wish to clean the mount.

Carl

OK Carl in fact it was not clear for me so : FOR THE MOUNT :

Q tips or dental rolls and lighter fluid.

[dkCambridgeshire]

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If you wish to remove engrained dirt from the mount try dabbing some Blu-Tac onto the mount which should adhere to any muck and lift it out of the grooves. Then use iso propyl alcohol on the mount to remove any residual surface tackiness. A toothbrush dipped in iso propyl alcohol can also be used to good effect provided it is not used too wet and provided care is taken not to allow any fluid to penetrate under the aperture ring or the focusing helicoil.

 

My local Chinese supermarket sells iso propyl alcohol for less than £3 per litre. Good for use with vinyl record cleaning machines too.

 

Please note this is only suitable for the lens mount and under no circumstances should this method be used on the lens elements.

 

dunk

[cbretteville]

Thanks all for you tips. I'll try some 50/50 isopropanol (2-propanol) and water on a q-tip to see how that works. The Blu-Tac tip is great, I'll see if I can't find some.

Cheers,

Carl