Does use of WD-40 to loosen "frozen" brass harm glass in old brass lens?

[jp]

They WHAT? You are in Zimbabwe, North Korea or some lunatic dictatorship in full denial of the existence of AIDS? I would have thought that in any civilized place syringes and needles would by now be easily obtainable, no questions asked, just in case you are a secret i.v. drug addict.

Needles used to be more available, but our local problem with needles is that drug users were also serious litterbugs. It'd be less fun to step on a needle than a dog poop, and littered needles present an attractive nuisance to walking children.

I used to get allergy shots, so I had a big box of needles. I think they got tossed or given away. Diabetics have plenty of needles too.

[cdholden]

They WHAT? You are in Zimbabwe, North Korea or some lunatic dictatorship in full denial of the existence of AIDS? I would have thought that in any civilized place syringes and needles would by now be easily obtainable, no questions asked, just in case you are a secret i.v. drug addict.

Any time I've been questioned, I just tell them it's for managing diabetes. No one has ever given me trouble beyond that.
Syringes are great for precision application like this where you want it on the threads but not the lens.

[Doremus Scudder]

I've only recently got syringes, both with and without needles, for measuring small amounts of chemistry from a local pharmacy in Central Oregon. I simply told them what it was for and had no problems, and no third degree. Try again somewhere, and good luck.

Best,

Doremus

[bobherbst]

Try using ordinary automotive brake cleaner. It is designed to cut grease (or old lubricant) and evaporate without residue. Will it affect cement at the edges of cemented lenses?...possibly, but it evaporates so quickly, that I do not believe it has time to act on the cement. I sprayed brake cleaner into a plastic film can and applied it to the helical threads of a 100 year old Cooke 13" Soft Focus lens with an eye dropper. The old grease/lubricant dissolved and poured out after multiple treatments and freed the soft focus helical threads. Remove the front and rear elements and flood the threads with the brake cleaner. Repeat multiple times and attempt to turn the threads each time until they break free. Eventually the brake cleaner will pour out clear. I'll use compressed air to blow out the threads, add one or two drops of a silicone lubricant to the threads on opposite sides, and work the threads back and forth to distribute the lubricant. The silicone lubricant carrier will evaporate eventually leaving pure silicone for lubrication. One could also use a Teflon based lubricant. I have seen no degradation of the cement around the periphery of the glass after a year or so. I learned about this approach from others on this forum and it has worked for me.

I was reading a post this morning where a member used WD-40 to soak an old brass lens to free up the stuck brass and then be able to remove the glass. Does WD-40 harm the glass? Does anybody have any experience with this approach to free up old stuck brass lens? I have used the rubber straps etc to free up the glass or brass lens hoods, but have not tried WD-40. Thoughts? Suggestions?

[indy_kid]

WD-40 will attract dirt and grime, so while you may "unstick" it in the short-term, it will gunk up in the long-term, not to mention all the unknown side-effects mentioned above. Alcohol sprayed into crevices with a syringe (buy one of those cheapo inkjet cartridge refill kits to get a big ol' syringe) may help to wash out any gunk. Have the crevice tilted downhill so any gunk drains right out.

My 2 cents!

[Steven Tribe]

Any low molecular weight hydrocarbon with low viscosity will penetrate - and evaporate quite quickly afterwards.
Canada balsam has its own light/heavier fractions of hydrocarbon - called turpentine. Straight hydrocarbons are nowhere as agressive solvents as things like zylene and "paint stripper" are.

[Jon Wilson]

Any low molecular weight hydrocarbon with low viscosity will penetrate - and evaporate quite quickly afterwards.
Canada balsam has its own light/heavier fractions of hydrocarbon - called turpentine. Straight hydrocarbons are nowhere as agressive solvents as things like zylene and "paint stripper" are.

So Steve, are you recommending the use of turpentine to loosen "frozen" brass? If you are, that is great for it will allow me to put the alcohol to a better use.

I appreciate everyone's posts. Thanks and keep them coming.

Jon

[rdenney]

From the smell of Kroil, I suspect it's mostly a light oil, maybe like diesel fuel. I doubt it would do much damage.

Brake cleaner will definitely eat some plastics. Ask me how I know.

The traditional, and best penetrating oil is a mix of automatic transmission fluid and acetone. I definitely do NOT recommend this for lenses!

Kroil can be bought from Kano Labs directly. I usually buy it a case at a time.

Rick "who likes their Microil product for lubing stuff on reassembly, too" Denney

[John Schneider]

A few more bits of info: any remaining residue from WD-40 can easily be wiped off with xylene, toluene, MEK, acetone. Not a bit deal, but keep these solvents away from plastics; test first with paints.

Syringes in many sizes can be bought from lab supply places like Small Tools. What's nice about these sources is that they sell flat-tipped needles, which are both better for any application other than penetrating the epidermis, and safer to handle also.

[Leigh]

Thr MSDS for Kroil says:
Severely Hydrotreated Petroleum Distillates
Light Petroleum Distillates
Aliphatic Alcohols
Glycol Ether
Proprietary Ingredients

So there's lots of good solvent-type stuff in it, plus up to 15% "proprietary ingredients".

- Leigh