Help me identify what is wrong with a lens I purchased.

[Radost]

works on safari

 

[Steve906]

If the front is a cemented doublet acetone may well separate it if left for a day or so ! I would suggest no more than a few hours to see of anything is happening. Diamond at any grit size is very aggressive as it is not friable, I would recommend cerium oxide if attempting a light polish.
(edit) also polish should idealy be applied on something like a pitch lap cast to the curvature of the lens.

 

[Radost]

Left for a day in acetone. Next day after it evaporated there is no change.

 

[M-88]

Nah, there'll be no change, because acetone won't simply "sneak through" the whole balsam. Had similar issue and in the end I pried the lenses apart. By force. Risky business. It was a doublet with thick sides so I "grabbed" two elements with two mini-vises (лещата) and very carefully pulled them apart by rotating at a same time. But mine was some random lens, not a Leitz, so not much was at stake, if everything would go wrong.

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[Radost]

I will put it aside and wait to find a broken lens with a good front lens

 

[busrider]

I will put it aside and wait to find a broken lens with a good front lens

Did u try using it?

 

[Radost]

Nope. it is too damaged.

 

[Steve906]

Nah, there'll be no change, because acetone won't simply "sneak through" the whole balsam. Had similar issue and in the end I pried the lenses apart. By force. Risky business. It was a doublet with thick sides so I "grabbed" two elements with two mini-vises (лещата) and very carefully pulled them apart by rotating at a same time. But mine was some random lens, not a Leitz, so not much was at stake, if everything would go wrong.

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Yes it does 'sneak through' thats how we separated lenses for re-cementing where I worked, sometimes 1/2 days sometimes 1/2 weeks. These were £1-3k+ lenses so NO pliers or vices involved!!!

 

[Joel_L]

I don't see a problem, looks like a perfectly fine soft focus lens to me

 

[busrider]

Nope. it is too damaged.

The mount is damaged too ?

 

[Don_ih]

From the look of it, it would take better pictures if you left the lens cap on.

I will put it aside and wait to find a broken lens with a good front lens

You should probably sell it. You're not likely to ever find a broken lens with a good front element - what else breaks on those lenses that can't be easily fixed? Someone might buy it to fix the front element.

 

[Radost]

The mount is damaged too ?

Everything but the front glass element is in pristine condition

 

[busrider]

I don't see a problem, looks like a perfectly fine soft focus lens to me

Same here, only lens too damaged to try is a broken lens mount.