eyepiece rubber giving off black smudges

Spanik

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Feb 4, 2012
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I have a problem with the rubber around the eyepiece. It gives a lot of black smudges on the inside of the bag and after a day I look like I have been in a barfight.

Anybody an idea about a way to treat this?
 
Most likely it's shot...I could be wrong but if it's rubbing off it's deteriorating...maybe try rubbing alcohol to see if that dries it out...does it feel real spongie, oily and a bit sticky...??? Not sure there's much you can do when it gets like this...
 
Was it ever exposed to notable heat or high temperature? Solvents? Sounds like petroleum leaching out of the eyepiece (if it's synthetic rubber). I'd chuck it and get a new one, unfortunately.
 
It isn't sticky and I have no idea how old it is. It came with the Mamiya when I bought it second-hand 3 years ago. It's a FK402 with serial CQ1295, so I guess it's from 1995.

No idea if I could get a replacement.

Avoid suntan lotion as this could affect the rubber.

Suntan lotion? In Belgium? LOL
 
In the UK it helps the rain run off ;)

:D yep, it's now the wettest drought since the 1980's ...

... I belive natural rubber in the old days was a compound of latex and sulphur in a process called vulcanisation, over time the sulphur will be lost as a gas and the rubber will start to "rot" and go sticky or brittle ... iirc sunlight will speed up the process but I don't think there is any way to re-cure the stuff once it's gone off
 
I suggest covering it with something.
Perhaps you could cut a piece of closed cell foam off a foamie sheet
from a craft or fabric store. Elmers Tacky Glue is miraculous stuff.
 
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