Bausch & Lomb 7 x 50 U.S. Navy ship's Binoculars

[Joe Myerson]

While cleaning out my late mother-in-law's apartment here in St. Petersburg, FL, we found a pair of US Navy Mark 1 7x50 ship's binoculars (Mark 1, Model 2) left over from husband #3, a retired 4-striper. Lynne's family generously gave them to me.

Does anybody know where I could find a set of lens caps for them? I plan to use them aboard my boat, although they are heavy, they're in beautiful condition.

Thanks,
--Joe

[tjr818]

I would start with a call to Bausch &Lomb. After that any good camera store will have a variety of lens covers.
Neat remembrance. Best of Luck.

[Jim Walsh]

Nice binoculars, Joe. They weight three pounds so they are on the heavy side compared to modern stuff but they are generally acclaimed as one of the better war era binoculars and said to be close in quality to their German counterparts. Nice memento.

[John Stone]

Try Robert E. White Instruments in Medfield MA. They specialize in traditional navigation instruments and they might could help or perhaps point you in the right direction.

[Joe Myerson]

Try Robert E. White Instruments in Medfield MA. They specialize in traditional navigation instruments and they might could help or perhaps point you in the right direction.

Thanks,
I should have thought of White. I'll give them a call.

[Joe Myerson]

Well, Robert E. White was the place to call ... they sent me to Baker Marine in San Diego, who answered my question immediately:

Navy optics from World War II never had lens caps. "They just shipped 'em out in the hard case," I was told.

I do know what happened to the original hard, leather case: It rotted away long ago.

So, now I've gotta see if some after-market lens caps will fit. The chances of getting spray on them from a ship's bridge were slimmer than from the bridge deck of a CD 25D.

Thanks, everyone, for your suggestions.

--Joe

[Emil Maurer]

Check out Sugru, self-setting rubber at http://www.sugru.com.
If you can't scrounge some lids you can make them pretty easily with this stuff and a couple of plastic discs.

[Joe Myerson]

Check out Sugru, self-setting rubber at http://www.sugru.com.
If you can't scrounge some lids you can make them pretty easily with this stuff and a couple of plastic discs.

Thanks, Emil,
I'll check it out.