WW1? Binoculars - I got and advice on repair please

[condronjames]

Hello all

 

I was given these binoculars for Christmas and was wondering whether anyone could give me any information re date, maker, usage etc.?

 

Also, one of the front lenses is loose and rattles around, which means the view through it is blurred. Could anyone advise on how I might fix it back on to give a clear view please?

 

Thanks

 

James 

[MikB]

The 'M G' probably means 'Ministere de la Guerre' (Ministry of War) and signifies that they were made in France to military spec., probably before 1910. They were imported to Britain to help resolve the critical shortage of optics in 1914 - 15, where they received the Broad Arrow and the 'S.4' classification, which means second-grade Galilean binoculars.

 

The 2 objectives don't look the same. It might just be a trick of the light, or an element of one of them might be missing - which would explain the blurred view. Looseness, unless it's severe, usually wouldn't. Looks plain that the objectives have been dismantled, from the loose and apparently cross-threaded retainer rings. There are quite a few similar glasses about, but you'd have to be lucky to find one that could be cannibalised for any missing parts. It would likely be a lot of work, and you'd need to be prepared to put in the time and possible cost.

 

Not very optimistic, I'm afraid.

 

On second thoughts, there are outfits like these:- 

https://www.opticalrepairs.com/

...who probably have stocks of odd parts and might be able to repair you glass and/or match any missing parts.

 

I haven't used any such, and I'd have to say that the costs of doing so are unlikely to be justified by the practical utility of these binos.

Edited 6 January , 2019 by MikB

[condronjames]

Thank you for your reply. I think the reason they don’t look the same is that the left hand lens in the second picture has slipped back into the binocular as it is not affixed. Short of carefully gluing it in place I’m out of ideas. 

 

As you say, the cost of getting it professionally done are likely to be far higher than the cost of the binoculars (£30). 

 

James 

[MikB]

You might be able to unscrew the retaining bezels at the objective ends, depending on how badly they've been jammed on. A bit of WD40 or penetrating oil plus some rubber gloves for grip might help there, but obviously be gentle and don't use a vice, pipe-wrench etc.

 

Then you could compare the two objective assemblies and see if you have a missing lens element. You could also count the number of reflections you get from a single light-source to try to detect that - a typical achromatic doublet would normally reflect 4 images.

[Gunner Bailey]

Mismatched pair? The left (normal viewing) lens looks to be longer and of a slightly different diameter.

[condronjames]

I fear the poor objective replacement job is down to me. I took them apart to take a look inside. The lenses appear to match, I just need to find a way of reaffixing the left hand one so that it doesn’t slide backwards and forwards within the binocular.

 

@Gunner Bailey the reason they look mismatched is because the left objective lens has slipped backwards making it appear smaller. 

 

Thanks

 

James

[MikB]

13 minutes ago, condronjames said:

...

I just need to find a way of reaffixing the left hand one so that it doesn’t slide backwards and forwards within the binocular.

...

 

Thanks

 

James

 

Why doesn't the other one slide back and forth? Is there a stop ring or shoulder or something, that's missing on the LH one?

[jay dubaya]

These look very similar to a pair I dismantled last year, all brass and no markings that I recall, £1 from the Samaritans shop. It was the optics I wanted and yes I do remember a threaded brass ring which is as fitted internally to keep the optics in place, I’ll dig out the bits later

[condronjames]

Thanks all. Due to my absolute lack of knowledge on binoculars I hadn’t appreciated that maybe there should be two pieces of glass in each. Having unscrewed them again a lens is  clearly missing from one, so must have been taken out. Thank you very much for your help.

 

James 

[MikB]

Sometimes kids get to play with old optical instruments, and the adults around rarely know how to reassemble them. I can remember my approx. 4-year-old self playing with what I now think was a military telescope, either Signalling or Scout Regiment, finding I could unscrew lots of components, and wondering why the grownups were so cross with me when I'd been so clever and found lots of magnifying glasses inside ...

 

Despite their incompleteness and the poor opinion of their quality by WD inspectors, these glasses are undoubtedly of WW1 vintage and very likely to have seen service.