Do it Yourself Sunglass Repairs

How to get sunglasses working & fitting better than new

Adjustments:

Hinge Adjustments: Hinges should be tight enough that a gentle shake of the sunglasses while holding the lenses does not cause the arms to move. They should also be loose enough that they don't break or strain when opening and closing.
Overtime sunglass hinges wear and the screws work themselves out. Loose hinges generally imply a looser fit and higher probability the sunglasses will fall off your head or slip when you are wearing them.

To Tighten: Determine if you have phillips or standard screws. It's important to get proper screwdrivers and having a few quality screw drivers around the house will pay for themselves over time. I would spend the $10-$15 over buying the cheap ones. They don't work well and frequently strip screws.
Generally a firm grip of the sunglasses and a slight turn, about 5 degrees, is all it takes. After each turn do the shake test again until the arms don't move but they close smoothly.
Once both arms are adjusted I would suggest a coating on the screw head and screw bottom (if exposed) with clear nail polish.

Frame Adjustments: Plastic Frames can be adjusted. You should have a good idea of the adjustment you want before proceeding. If your sunglasses are too large try tightening the hinges first. This can help with a poor fit. If this doesn't work we suggest slightly bending in the arms or the nose area to bring the end of the arms closer together.

First: Trace your frames on a piece of paper so you know your starting shape. Moving the arms in about 1cm at a time is the most we would ever suggest in a single adjustment. After each adjustment you can place it back on the traced pattern to see how it's going.

To do this with Plastic frames we suggest soaking the frames in very hot tap water for 30 seconds. If bending the arms perform the bend about twice as far as you desire to the warm frame and hold it for 10 seconds. Release and put on the pattern. Repeat this until desired adjustments are made. Go slow. Better to adjust multiple time than to break or harm the frames.

More soon including our video of do it yourself sunglass repairs.

Please check back August 1st, 2010