German Hunting Scope Surface Refinishing?

[jillandsam303]

I've now got 5 German scopes that came on my drillings, Hensholdt-Wetzlar, Steiner, Leupold, Kahles, etc.Some really could use a refreshed finish. Any suggestions of firms that you trust to recondition them? The optics all are either great or OK.

Thanks

Sam

[mike ford]

Sam,
I have no way of knowing how bad the scopes are, but they would have to be pretty bad, if they were mine, to justify refinishing them. Depending on the type of finish, you can touch them up with a black china marker, or a good quality cold blue. The scopes are "after market" and touching them up shouldn't hurt them. As always, others may have differing opinion.
Mike

[Diz]

Sam, the only scope guys I know and trust are Parsons Scope Service in Ohio. They do optics and refinishing but the wait could be a year or more. I believe their number is 513-867-0820. Mike's are good suggestions as well but stay away from anything that you have to bake on. Good luck, Diz

[mike ford]

Sam,
I sent one of mine to "Iron Sighters" or something like that, for repair. The wait was over a year and I believe the minimum cost was either $100 or 125. If you go that route, only have one gone at a time, I lost one due to the death of the shop owner and didn't know it due to the long lead time.
Mike

[jillandsam303]

Mike, I just bought a china marker. That seems like the safest solution. Thanks.

Parson's doesn't even touch German scopes (except Weatherby?).

Thanks!

Sam

[mike ford]

Sam,
There are a couple companies that will work on German scopes, but they are hard to find. Also, they may work on some German scopes, and not others. It's just that considering the time and cost, I only go through the "drill" to do internal repair to get one operational again.
Mike

[jillandsam303]

Mike, let's see how your China Marker does.

Sam

[mike ford]

Sam,
Use it in anodized alu. scopes. It might work on steel scopes, but I would use Oxphoblue(?) from Brownell's.
Mike

[jillandsam303]

Mike, the china marker does the trick on my Hensholdt! Thanks.

Sam

[Kiwi_bloke]

Hensoldt is/was owned by Zeiss. Why not ask Zeiss in Germany if they can fix it? Likewise Kahles in Austria may still do such work. I recently was reading about someone doing just such work in Europe for one or perhaps all of these companies. Fixing stuff of all vintages. But sorry I don't offhand recall exactly where I saw that. I'm not even sure it was in English.

The barrel of some Kahles scopes seems to be blued steel. I have had a Kahles-made blued steel scope reblued in one instance, by someone who took it apart, did the job and reassembled it. I don't know if Richard Wilhelm in Christchurch, NZ, would still do such a job, but you could ask. If you sent a Kahles scope back to Austria as a repair, it might be easier to get it in and out of US and German/Austrian Customs.

Something to keep in mind is that different steels take bluing differently. So finding that guy in Europe, whose seen it all before, is perhaps the safest way forward. Likewise, some aluminium parts can be re-anodised or stove-enamelled. Another option is to look over Ebay in Germany, (Ebay.de), and try and get a scope of the same period, but in better condition. I sorted out a Hensoldt scope this way when the old one had a lens full of fungus. I got the exact same scope, but it was marked "Zeiss", not "Hensoldt". We, (meaning the gunsmith that fitted the new scope rail to my claw-mounts), bore-sighted it on a house across the lake, it must have been several miles away. When I went to the range, the first shot was nearly on the money.

[Kiwi_bloke]

Hensoldt is/was owned by Zeiss. Why not ask Zeiss in Germany if they can fix it? Likewise Kahles in Austria may still do such work. I recently was reading about someone doing just such work in Europe for one or perhaps all of these companies. Fixing stuff of all vintages. But sorry I don't offhand recall exactly where I saw that. I'm not even sure it was in English.

The barrel of some Kahles scopes seems to be blued steel. I have had a Kahles-made blued steel scope reblued in one instance, by someone who took it apart, did the job and reassembled it. I don't know if Richard Wilhelm in Christchurch, NZ, would still do such a job, but you could ask. If you sent a Kahles scope back to Austria as a repair, it might be easier to get it in and out of US and German/Austrian Customs.

Something to keep in mind is that different steels take bluing differently. So finding that guy in Europe, whose seen it all before, is perhaps the safest way forward. Likewise, some aluminium parts can be re-anodised or stove-enamelled. Another option is to look over Ebay in Germany, (Ebay.de), and try and get a scope of the same period, but in better condition. I sorted out a Hensoldt scope this way when the old one had a lens full of fungus. I got the exact same scope, but it was marked "Zeiss", not "Hensoldt". We, (meaning the gunsmith that fitted the new scope rail to my claw-mounts), bore-sighted it on a house across the lake, it must have been several miles away. When I went to the range, the first shot was nearly on the money.

[Kiwi_bloke]

I should add that, if you decide to get the exact same scope but in better condition, keep in mind it really must be "exact". European mounts are often hand fitted and if your scope has a slightly different size objective bell, you might have quite a job to fit it to the mounts you have, if you can at all. So measure it in millimetres with a metric calliper and get the very same thing, if you go down this route.

[jillandsam303]

Kiwi, thanks! All good advice. I've found a guy selling old scopes on eBay and am working with him to find a replacement in good condtion.