How To

How to Repair a Broken Eyeglass Frame

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By eHow Contributing Writer
(41 Ratings)
Repair a Broken Eyeglass Frame
Repair a Broken Eyeglass Frame

With the help of an inexpensive eyeglass repair kit, you can perform minor repairs on eyeglass frames. The kits are sold at drugstores and hardware stores.

Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  1. Step 1

    Examine the cause of the problem with a magnifying glass. Is the hinge stretched out? Is the screw loose or missing? Did the hinge break off?

  2. Step 2

    If the hinge is stretched out, cover the tips of a pair of pliers with masking or duct tape to avoid scratching the frames and then use the pliers to bend the hinge gently back into place. Or slide an orthodontic rubber band (available from dentists) or a small rubber ring (an eyeglass repair kit may include this) over the loose hinge to hold it in place.

  3. Step 3

    If the screw is loose, tighten it with a tiny screwdriver from the eyeglass repair kit. The tip of a paring knife will serve as a screwdriver in a pinch.

  4. Step 4

    If the screw is lost, replace it with one of the screws from the kit, or slip a miniature safety pin into the screw hole and close it. If the repair kit's screw does not fit into the hole, do not force it, as that might strip the threads inside the frame.

  5. Step 5

    Dab a tiny bit of clear nail polish on the hinge screw once you've tightened it to hold the screw in place. Let dry.

  6. Step 6

    If the metal hinge has broken off the frame, wash both surfaces and scrape away any paint or old glue. Then use a toothpick to dab fast-bonding glue to the break. Hold the pieces in place for 60 seconds to allow the glue to dry.

  7. Step 7

    If the earpiece keeps slipping off the frame or has broken off, re-adhere it with fast-bonding glue. If you get the glue on your skin, wipe it off with acetone-based nail-polish remover.

Tips & Warnings
  • Ask your optometrist about making regular eyeglass adjustments to prevent breakage from wear and tear. In this process, the optometrist disassembles, cleans and tightens the glasses.
  • Do not use fast-bonding glue to hold your lenses in place. It will make it impossible to remove them in the future.
  • If fast-bonding glue gets into your eyes or mouth, seek medical attention at once.

Comments  

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barryj said

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on 6/18/2009 Shyjohn is right none of these are solutions. and titanium can be repaired you just have to take it to someone who knows what there doing. I would suggest http://www.asterixeyewear.com as i have had very good work returned after many said it couldn't be done

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on 5/2/2009 Take care in what type of metal frames you buy. Titanium is a material frequently used for eyeglasses frames. It is light, but the downside is that it easily breaks and CANNOT be welded or soldered back together.

rolanyang said

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on 4/27/2009 Do's and dont's for fixing a snapped thin wire frame: Do not try to weld a broken frame together with a mini torch. I did that and the frame turned into a round blob of metal in less than one second. Do set the lens into place, clamp the frame lens together (I used a mini c-clamp). Drop some super glue between the frame and the lens, then spread a few beads of hot melt glue at the point where the frame snapped - to hold it all into place. If you have time, some epoxy would be strongerA snapped frame is pretty much ready for the garbage can, but this should hold you over a while.

Shyjohn said

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on 11/8/2007 I am 52 years old, and have been wearing glasses since first grade. NONE of these repairs work, for any length of time. I have tried every adhesive, and have found ONLY ONE that will stick to the kind of plastic. Watch for my upcoming article, "REPAIR PLASTIC FRAME GLASSES THAT LASTS FOR A YEAR" by Shyjohn.

Shyjohn said

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on 11/8/2007 None of the above suggestions will work, for any length of time. NONE. Have been wearing glasses since grade school, and I'm 52. There is ONLY ONE adhesive that will glue that kind of plastic. Watch for MY upcoming article on LASTING REPAIR FOR PLASTIC GLASSES FRAMES, by Shyjohn. My repair will last for a year at a time.

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