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Re: [OM] Four Years & A Rubber Ring

Subject: Re: [OM] Four Years & A Rubber Ring
From: Ken Norton <image66@xxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 04 Feb 1999 08:49:11 -0600
>(Are there replacements?) What would cause this rapid rubber 
>deterioration, when the rest of the lens looked great? What can be done 
>to keep the rubber in good shape? I certainly don't want the rest of my 
>collection looking like THAT, if at all possible.

Kelton, welcome back into the fold.  We'll be gentle.

Now about the deterioration of the rubber--this one is easy.  Rapid and
extreme destruction of the rubber is caused by bug repellent containing
Deet.  Yes, Virginia, there is an evil side to that stuff.  If you use a
Deet based repellent you must clean it off your hands otherwise the rubber
focus rings and anything else rubber based will be eaten alive by the
stuff.  Evidently there is a chemical breakdown that causes the rubber to
expand, dry out and get brittle.  Wildlife photographers, for years, used
to blame it on heavy use in extreme conditions, but that definitely isn't
the case.  I am told, but haven't tested it yet, that petroleum jelly
(Vasaline) can cause similar problems too.  (I know that Vasaline and latex
do not go well together, but that's another story altogether that probably
shouldn't be discussed here on the Olympus list--well, with all the
offspring happening lately, maybe we should! <g>)

Ken

Kenneth E. Norton
Image66 Photography

image66@xxxxxxx
(515) 791-2306

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