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1949 Kodak lens cement- balsam?

Dan Daniel

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Joined
Jul 4, 2009
Messages
3,141
Location
upstate New York
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Anyone know what kind of lens cement Kodak was using in the late 1940s? I have a doublet with some minor separation and might use it as learner for recementing. But I'll need to get it apart first. Thanks.
 
Almost certainly Canada Balsam. Epoxy was pretty new stuff that long ago (invented in the 1930s and amber colored at that time).


You should be able to free the elements with carefully applied heat and/or a solvent like xylene (read the label warnings, liver damage is bad).
 
If you have hair dryer, you can use it to try to loosen it up and get them apart.
 
In water on stove at low setting worked for me when I tried to see if I could separate a lens. Don't boil.
 
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