Microscope marking objective

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

I have just bought a small job lot of microscope related bits on ebay and this unusual objective was amongst them.

Made by Carl Zeiss of Jena, it is marked OBEKTMARKIERER  PLANOBJEKTIVE TUBUS with an infinity symbol. The tip looks like carbide and is not dead sharp, but has a tiny radius, and it can be offset from central to about 4mm diameter, calibrated in 0.25mm steps. The whole lower part can rotate and has a rest position and cams downward about 0.5mm when turned. A specialised tool for marking metal surfaces with a ring, it is not sharp enough to mark glass without breaking it

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

Interesting!

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

VERY nice !

… I have a Nikon one, but it uses ink and is nowhere near in that league.

MichaelG.

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

I’ve no idea what I would do with it, the first photo shows a thin red ring showing when the tip is extended for marking.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I have just found its twin listed here:

https://www.ebay.de/itm/284579952041

 

MichaelG.

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

I hardly think it is worth a fraction of 130 euros, the market will be tiny.

[peak4Participant @peak4]

I wonder if it should be sharp, and has been rounded by misuse/wear, or is a blank awaiting sharpening?
Here’s an example with a diamond point, intended for marking cover slips on slides, so the observer can find something of interest again later.
https://microscope-antiques.com/watsonom.html

Bill

 

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

That Watson with the diamond point is spring loaded, the CZ is not, and would be hazardous if a brittle surface was touched. I will have a look at the tip at about 20-50X and report on the exact profile.

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

Having considered why the CZ tip was fixed and the watson sprung, I pressed the objective against a block of wood, and at about 1Kg force, the tip moved in. I have dismantled the tip and cleaned it andwith a spot of light oil, it is moving as designed. The tip profile is a tiny radius which shows no sign of damage. The tip has a movement of about 2mm with a spring force of about 50 grammes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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