Preservative Or Dressing For Rubber Scope Eyepiece?

Hi All. Very glad to have found this forum. Have a few of the usual common milsurps and may now have some time to fix them up a little - touch up the blueing, polish the bright metal and refinish the wood. These aren't valuable collectables, these are just shooters...

Just picked up a Romanian PSL and it has a rubber eyepiece and a rubber front cap on the scope. These were both covered in a white powdery looking coating that I washed off with soap and water. Anyone know what that is/was?

Rubber is in good condition but I am interested in some sort of dressing or preservative that will help preserve the rubber, improve the dull appearance and maybe slightly lubricate the rubber so it wont feel so 'sticky'.

Any input or advice will be appreciated.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by American

a white powdery looking coating

---

- could have been talcum powder.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by American

some sort of dressing or preservative that will help preserve the rubber, improve the dull appearance and maybe slightly lubricate the rubber so it wont feel so 'sticky'.

---

A car-restorer friend suggests a smear of hydraulic brake fluid.

Patrick

Armor-All works well for this. Perhaps even a light rubbing with vaseline or something similar.

LS, there was a study done with armor all. We used to use it on motorcycle seats, dashboards etc. It is mainly an ultra violet blocker and doesn't really regenerate the plastic/leather/rubber it is applied to. There was even speculation that it actually damaged the items it was applied to. That was thirty years ago, they may have changed the formula in recent years.

One product that seems to rejuvenate leather, rubber/plastic, is "Ballistol". It certainly removes oxidation. I've used it on some binocular eye piece rubber guards that had gotten distorted and hard. After about a month, of light, gentle applications of Ballistol, they started to soften up and regain their original shape.

Google Ballistol, It was developed, close to a hundred years ago as a preservative, water proofer and several other things, for wood,leather, plastic and rubber. By the way, it smells awful.

One of the things it's used for today, is a light lubricant for industrial sewing machines. It is great under all temperatures as well. We had a tent with a leaky roof this fall. A quick spray with Ballistol and the leak was solved.

I'm in the "smells awful" camp. but not everyone seems to think so.

There is an old thread that discussed many uses of this substance. I will see if I can find and link...

Here's one:

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=12050&highlight=ballistol

You are not going to believe this, but KY jelly is the best to keep rubber from deteriorating. Don't believe me, call Aberdeen Proving Grounds...
They buy it by the 5 gallon bucket, and you should have seen the looks at procurement. Also good for tank tracks with rubber pads or rubber tracks like on a half track..

Not related to milsurps but I have a pair of binoculars and and some of the plastic is all sticky so this thread has given me some ideas , thanks.

Aerosol silicon sprays such as the ones sold to lubricate automobile window tracks and seals should work as well.

Above all, remember that Vaseline deteriorates rubber. Do not apply to anything rubber you wish to preserve.

A bit late but we are using glycerin to make rubber soft again. It works without any damage. Best is to put the rubber into a bath with glycerin for some hours and it will be like new.

Thanks much to all!

Still haven't done anything to it, but guess I'll go ahead and try the glycerine soak as that makes most sense to me.

Another important thing to remember is that rubber and UV light don't mix. This was big problem with butyl rubber diving masks. Problem was solved with intro of silicon rubber in the late 70s

Keep vaseline away from butyl rubber, as well as silicon sprays. KY sounds like a natural.....if it won't dissolve your condom, its probably safe with you rubber eyepiece, even though the eyepiece is likely butyl rubber vs latex.