Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/08/19

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Subject: [Leica] Content-Type: text/plain
From: "Hoyen Tsang" <hyt3636@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1998 11:01:54 PDT

>From: "Robert G. Stevens" <robsteve@istar.ca>
>Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1998 12:31:34 -0300
>Subject: [Leica] acetone to clean lenses

>Contrary to most opinions, acetone is used to clean lenses by 
>professional repair persons.

Exactly.  PROFESSIONAL repair persons who have the safety knowledge to 
handle the stuff.

>It is suggested to be used carefully, or for cleaning lens element
>when the lens is stripped apart.

How many people strip their lenses apart to clean them?

>Anybody that says it should not be used is not well educated in this 
>aspect of photography.

And anybody who says it should be used is not well educated in health 
hazards.

>I have seen an article in the last year or so in one of the photo
>magazines that listed acetone as the best solvent, but suggested
>only to use it as a last resort because of health concerns.

I rest my case.

>It suggested isopropyl alcohol as an alternative.

This is a good suggestion.  Robert, I am new here to the LUG, and may 
well be overstepping seniority here, and I do apologize if I sound 
offensive in any way.  However, I used to work extensively in an organic 
chemistry laboratory, and I would NOT recommend anyone other than 
trained professionals use acetone to clean anything.  If you heard the 1 
hour safety lecture and the read the hazards posters over the acetone 
dispensers in my lab, you'd understand why.  Nail polish remover cannot 
be compared to this because it's usually been diluted to some extent.  
Anyway, even though I have the training to use acetone properly, I still 
avoid it.

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