Sticky binoculars

[Plevier]

I have a pair of binoculars, the stubby ones with built in compass. Mine are Tasco but same are/have been sold as Seago, Talamex, Force4 etc.
They were lovely to handle at first but now a few years old the soft feel outer layer on the body has gone sticky. It doesn't come off on your hands (yet!) but holds fingerprints and feels horrible. I'm not referring to the ribbed rubber grip pads but all the rest of the casing such as the rings round the objective lenses. I've seen the same happen before e.g. on a SkyTV remote control that had the same soft feel finish.
Does anybody know a solution to this please? Don't say chuck them, they are about £100 and optically pretty good!

 

[Boathook]

This has been asked quite a few times in the past, and I seem to remember that there is no real way of stabilising the material apart from removal or wrapping with insulating tape. Talcum powder seemed to work for short periods according to some.
Could try some inflatable dinghy paint ?

 

[Blueboatman]

Duct tape
… or Sikaflex smeary ‘ paint job’ for a real bodge ?- that would work too
Available in white as well ?

 

[Porthandbuoy]

There's something else that works we've probably all got in the house . . . . Hand sanitiser gel.
I've now used it on binoculars and a hand bearing compass where the rubber coating had gone sticky.

 

[Plevier]

Thanks all.
Presumably it's the alcohol that does it. I have seen IPA suggested elsewhere. Will try it.

 

[morgandlm]

I sorted out this problem on my cheapo binoculars ( and an expensive Pure radio) using oil / grease removing hand wipes. As you say it must be the solvent that does the trick. Worked for me anyway.
David Morgan

 

[KAM]

My sticky binoculars are now no longer sticky. Whatever was happening has now stopped of its own accord. It should be possible to speed up the reaction by storing them in a warm place. The other problem which occurred on mine was the magnetic material on the compass card disintegrated and became detached causing the card to jam. I tried to buy a spare compass but was unsuccessful. The place that makes these seems to offer any colour and logo that you want if you're making a quantity order $58 a piece. I got mine in Aldi quite a long time ago for about £50 and despite these problems I thought they were pretty good value. Still trying to work out how to fix the compass.

 

[ltcom]

Sticky label remover - the stuff that removes the stickiness after u have removed a sticker may help. Or paint over it with rubber paint or latex or something?