Trying to restore the silver mirror in the leitz dry condenser 0.80 .

[Sabatini]

kind regards
I am in need of information more exactly a photo of the mirror that is on the outside of the condenser leitz dry dark field 0.80.
The question is that the cap was stuck to the inside of the condenser and when trying to remove the mirror paint peeled off. I managed to recover it with the chemical silvering procedure which consists of silver nitrate, ammonium, potassium hydroxide and glucose.

The problem is that when trying to wash the glass with nitric acid so that the silver will stick properly to the glass the acid fell to the outer part of the mirror and also damage it, now I had to go back also to try to replate that outer part but as it was an unforeseen I could not keep a record of the exact location of the mirror if anyone has this condenser and can take a picture to the part where it is located outside the condenser, you should only remove the outer casing.

Thanks.

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I still have to clean and delimit the silver mirror as it is scattered all over the condenser.
This is easy to accomplish with a cotton swab moistened with nitric acid.

[Sabatini]

I found this...

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But also looking at it horizontally I can clearly see the delimitation given by the shape of the glass.

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[MicroBob]

Hi,
I can't help, but can you explain in a bit more detail how the silvering is done? This might help to restore some people's microscope parts.

Bob

[Hobbyst46]

That is a formidable task. I hope you are using eye and hand protection with those substances.
The silvering works well if the glass surface is initially very very clean.

[Sabatini]

Thanks.
I am making now my mess here as best I can and I am already silvering the exterior part, let's see how it looks like and I will explain how the procedure works.

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[apochronaut]

There needs to be a new forum category. Alchemy.

[Sabatini]

There needs to be a new forum category. Alchemy.

Apocronaut
Could you please tell me if the external mirror width diameter is exactly as it is in the diagram.

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[Sabatini]

Hi,
I can't help, but can you explain in a bit more detail how the silvering is done? This might help to restore some people's microscope parts.

Bob

I am sending a link with the instructions to perform the chemical silver plating.
[youtube]https://youtu.be/w9ptDqjEdoQ[/youtube]
As explained by hobbyst46, it is extremely important to clean it with nitric acid very well so that it adheres properly.
I have not yet been able to do the outer edge because of the thinness of the strip, it is very difficult.
But I love these challenges, until I get it right.
The inside is super beautiful, just like new.
Use latex gloves...my fingers got stained with the silver nitrate.
It could be used for damaged mirrors that over the years are stained or peeled in older models, I will try it with my Zeiss Amplival mirror, is quite damaged and see what happens, it would not be like a first Surface mirror, because you have to protect the silver surface with a lacquer or a paint that protects it because it comes off very easily then it would be left behind ... but at least it would be the original .

[dtsh]

Thanks for including the process. An alternative is the more modern aluminizing, but it is less DIY friendly (you need a vacuum chamber). Some aluminizers will take on the odd small part here and there for very little as they put it in with a bigger batch.
Any chance you could coat the parts you don't want silvered in wax; assuming the process doesn't disolve the wax?

[Hobbyst46]

... I will try it with my Zeiss Amplival mirror, is quite damaged and see what happens, it would not be like a first Surface mirror, because you have to protect the silver surface with a lacquer or a paint that protects it because it comes off very easily then it would be left behind ... but at least it would be the original .

If the Amplival's is a flat mirror, I would buy a first-surface mirror and cut it to size; on the long run, it will be more stable and less prone to damage than the silver-coated glass. And no need to protect it with any other layer.
Have to find my previous post about this.
Found:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5995&p=54031&hilit=dental#p54031

[Sabatini]

... I will try it with my Zeiss Amplival mirror, is quite damaged and see what happens, it would not be like a first Surface mirror, because you have to protect the silver surface with a lacquer or a paint that protects it because it comes off very easily then it would be left behind ... but at least it would be the original .

If the Amplival's is a flat mirror, I would buy a first-surface mirror and cut it to size; on the long run, it will be more stable and less prone to damage than the silver-coated glass. And no need to protect it with any other layer.
Have to find my previous post about this.
Found:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5995&p=54031&hilit=dental#p54031

This would certainly be the most convenient and practical option.
thank you