I highly recommend cable temple covers to extend the life of your temples.
Before discovering covers, I was replacing my cable temples every two
years, which as you probably know by now if you've found the Attic, is
not that easy. Now I just replace the covers every few years and have kept the same pair of
cable temples for over ten years!
If you're purchasing frames or temples you may want your
covers installed. If so, please select the ''Installed'' option from the menu
before placing your order. Note that once installed, the covers themselves are
no longer eligible for a return, though the frames or temples remain eligible. If you have any questions about
temple covers
or anything else, please feel free to contact
me.
This
is the most commonly used cover diameter. It's about 1.3 mm. The open
end is tapered for a snug fit. They're almost 3 3/4 inches (93 mm)
long.
Measuring
0.3 mm is not easy, so I've used coins to illustrate core diameters.
Here's a penny shown next to a 1.3 mm temple cover.
The cover opening
is slightly narrowed to ''hug'' the temple, but once opened, the
thickness of a penny is a good match for these.
Note that these
really are a snug fit on most vintage cable temples, so if you're
planning to install them yourself, you may want to consider one of the
other options below.
This is a more flexible version of the 1.3 mm
core diameter ''flesh'' covers. They're just shy 4 inches (101 mm)
long.
You
can see the opening is about the diameter of the thickness of a penny.
The material is more flexible and not quite so snug a fit as the curved
ones above.
Note
since they slip on easily, that also means they slip off
easily! To keep them from sliding off while you're wearing them,
plan to either bend back the very tip of your temples or use a little
silicone adhesive on the cables.
These are the old-style plastic covers
in ''flesh'', 1.6 mm core diameter. They're almost 3 3/4 inches (93
mm) long.
This diameter works well for most
traditional vintage cables. The fit will usually give a little ''wiggle
room''.
You'll
see this core diameter is very close the thickness of a quarter.
This size has the advantage that it will
install a bit more easily than the 1.4 mm. The trade-off is that they may
not stay in place without bending back the very tip of the cables or using
a bit of adhesive.
This is a more flexible version of the 1.6 mm
core diameter ''flesh'' covers. They're just shy 4 inches (101 mm)
long.
These
are slightly larger in diameter than their harder, plastic 1.6 mm cousin
above. The corresponding coin thickness is that of a nickel. They should
be easy to slip on most vintage cables.
If
they slip on easily, they may slip off easily! To
keep them from sliding off while you're wearing them, your optician will
bend back the very tip of your temples or you can try a little silicone
adhesive on the cables.
These are the old-style plastic covers
in ''flesh'' in a 1.9 mm core diameter. This diameter is sometimes
called for on some older safety goggles, some 1950s aluminum or black
plastic frames and some middle 1960s and even early 1970s frames.
You'll see this core diameter is very close the
thickness of a nickel.
This
is not the most commonly used size and is usually too big for a
traditional 1920s through 1950s wire frame. They're almost 3 3/4 inches
(93 mm) long.
These are the old-style plastic covers
in ''flesh'', 2.1 mm core diameter, the largest diameter. These are like
rigatoni they're so thick!
This diameter is sometimes needed for Shuron
''Aztec'' and ''Relaxo'' cables, as well as some 1950s safety frames and
goggles. This is not a very common size, so do check your dimes!
You'll
see this core diameter is slightly narrower than the thickness of a two
dimes pressed together. They're almost 3 3/4 inches (93 mm) long.
The modern approach to cable temple covers is heat
shrink tubing. Slide it onto the temple and heat it using a frame warmer
(or a hot hair dryer) and it shrinks tight onto the cable. It's flexible
and wears well, too.
It comes in a wide variety of colors and two different sizes. I stock only
the more subdued colors, reminiscent of some of the old hard coatings
sometimes used back in the old days.
This selection is the thinnest version. It
begins life with a 1.5 mm (~1/16 inch) core diameter and will shrink down
to 0.5 mm (~1/32 inch).
The thin stuff only comes in black and
clear. I recommend black because clear will eventually show dirt and
oils underneath.
They come in a single 8 inch (~20 cm) piece,
intended to be cut in half, 4 inches for each cable.
This length works for most any cable temple,
but if you want to cover more of your temples than just the cables, you
may need to two sections for one pair of glasses.
This selection is the thinnest version,
the same as the one above, but in clear. It begins life with a 1.5 mm
(~1/16 inch) core diameter and will shrink down to 0.5 mm (~1/32 inch).
They come in a single 8 inch (~20 cm) piece,
intended to be cut in half, 4 inches for each cable.
This length works for most any cable temple,
but if you want to cover more of your temples than just the cables, you
may need to two sections for one pair of glasses.
These are larger diameter, useful for
vintage safety glasses and old combination-style frames from Shuron and
American Optical, among others. It begins life with a 2.8 mm (~1/8 inch)
core diameter and will shrink down to a little over 1 mm (~1/16 inch).
They come in a single 8 inch (~20 cm) piece,
intended to be cut in half, 4 inches for each cable.
These are larger diameter, useful for
vintage safety glasses and old combination-style frames from Shuron and
American Optical, among others. It begins life with a 2.8 mm (~1/8 inch)
core diameter and will shrink down to slightly over 1 mm (~1/16 inch).
They come in a single 8 inch (~20 cm) piece,
intended to be cut in half, 4 inches for each cable.
These are dark brown, larger diameter,
useful for vintage safety glasses, old combination-style frames and
temples with really big ball finials on the ends. It begins life with a
3 mm (~1/8 inch) core diameter and will shrink down to a little over 1 mm (~1/16
inch).
It comes in a single 8 inch (20
cm) piece, intended to be cut in half, 4 inches for each cable.
** - Please note that once installed, the covers
themselves are no longer eligible for a refund, though the frames/temples
remain eligible per the Attic return policies.
If you have any questions about these temple covers
or anything else, please don't hesitate to contact
me. I try to answer all questions promptly.
