Talk:Canada balsam

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The article states that Canada Balsam does not crystallise with age, but also that it does dry to a yellowish amorphous mass. I have noted in the discussion under achromatic lenses that I have old binoculars where the doublets have developed a golden concentric crazing of the adhesive - now assumed to be balsam.

The balsam is said to be dissolved in xylene: but dry to an amorphous mass once its essential oils have evapourated. Now, has the adhesive in my optics lost its xylene: or its 'essential oils'? Thus, if I soak a lense in xylene, will the balsam pick this up and become transparent again, or do I have to have 'essential oils' too?

Interesting, Spamlet 15:17, 29 September 2007 (UTC)