# Magnifying Glass... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 10, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnifying-glass/602520 "2011-11-10T17:46:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnifying-glass/602520/1 "2011-11-10T17:46:12Z")
I just spent a frustrating hour looking for a replacement magnifying glass. What I want is: - Large. Not some wimpy little thing…I want a BIG lens damnit! - Does not have that annoying little ‘second’ magnifying lens taking up space. I want one big lens. - _This is important_ I have a lens now which I like. I found it online. It works great…except…it scratches too damn easily. I have to replace it every couple months because little scratches appear on it even though I try to take good care of it. I swear it grows scratches while stored. Anyone know where I can find one online? All stores I look at seem to have the same stuff over and over. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnifying-glass/602520/2 "2011-11-10T18:12:21Z")
I have been told, but can’t personally say, that there are large, _high_ quality lenses to be found inside even old photocopiers. Sometimes, broken down machines are available, at a very low cost, for ‘parts’ or even as scrap, with the lens just waiting to be salvaged. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnifying-glass/602520/3 "2011-11-10T18:35:01Z")
It looks like Amazon has a crapload of large magnifiers without “that little magnifier.” Won’t any of them do? How about [bigmagnify.com](http://www.bigmagnify.com/) or [seeitbigger.com](http://www.seeitbigger.com/)? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnifying-glass/602520/4 "2011-11-10T18:40:38Z")
I’ll bet that the one you have now is a plastic or acrylic lens. If it’s made of glass, it should scratch much less easily. And some I found in [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) were glass lenses. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnifying-glass/602520/5 "2011-11-10T18:50:46Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I’ll bet that the one you have now is a plastic or acrylic lens. If it’s made of glass, it should scratch much less easily. And some I found in [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) were glass lenses. That’s my thought as well. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnifying-glass/602520/6 "2011-11-10T22:15:57Z")
> [@BlinkingDuck](#): > > I have to replace it every couple months because little scratches appear on it even though I try to take good care of it. I swear it grows scratches while stored. Is the lens so fat that it rests on the drawer bottom when stored? If so, maybe add to the rim thickness somehow. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnifying-glass/602520/7 "2011-11-10T23:15:29Z")
Deutsche Optik company. ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnifying-glass/602520/8 "2011-11-11T00:03:54Z")
You could also take more care to avoid scratches – setting it down on a soft cloth, covering when not in use, cleaning under running water. Hay, when you find something you like, that meets exacting specifications like yours, you gotta take care of it. That just comes with the territory when you’re being so particular.