Working with fiber optics (sights)

[Danno]

I need help. After much research (apparently not enough). I bought a new sight this winter. I bought the cobra sidewinder 3-pin with .029 pins and added 2 .019 pins. Well, I have broken fiber in both the .019 pins. I'm about to come to the conclusion that they are too fragile and/or exposed for a hunting application. Anyway, there is plenty of fiber there to repair it, but I'm not sure of the best way to go about "fixing" the end after I rethread the needle. Do you heat it with a soldering gun or a match? I want to try it to fix it once anyway. Then I might try something different. Thanks

 

[Crockett]

I held a bic lighter about a inch -inch and a half away from the fiber end. Worked great! Just be careful as it does not take much heat to melt the ends!

 

[paktermite]

The best way I have found to fix broken pins on the cobra sights without discoloring the end of the fiber too much is this... get the fibre threaded thru the pin, extend it out about 1/16" and heat the end of a flat bladed screwdriver with a torch or lighter, then touch the heated end of the screwdriver to the fibre material... melts it perfect, and the flatness of the screwdriver creates a large enough area of melted fibre where they will not pull out again.

 

[TallTines]

I did the same thing as pak but right before I put the screwdriver to the fiber I put the screwdriver to a bench grinder on the metal brush side to take the blackness off from the torch.

When i just took it from the torch to the fiber it wasn't very clear but after I brushed the screwdriver the sights were bright and clear. good luck
TT