Rubberised Computer Coating From The 90's - Restore Or Remove?

[@nevarDeathEHW]

Depending on the state of the coating, it can be ridiculously easy to restore. I used to work at an adult toy store and learned that Corn Starch restores all kinds of different rubber type materials. I don't know how many different materials it works with exactly. It only helps if the coating is still intact, but sticky. If it's got scratches or you can see the plastic underneath, this trick isn't for your device. I used it on the Palm branded aluminum case for the LifeDrive that has a nice rubberized back on it. I just put a bunch of corn starch in a ziploc bag, put the case in there, shook it and let it sit for a few days. I pulled it out, then used compressed air to blow off the corn starch and it was as good as new! Hope someone finds this helpful 👍🏻

[@HandheldComputing]

Corn starch! That seems even more crazy than moisturiser!!! I will give it a go on the next device that needs it, thank you for the tip 😃

[@bufordmaddogtannen]

@@HandheldComputingit simply provides a light coating, so the stickyness disappears for a while. It will come back as soon as the corn starch rubs off. You may also try with baby oil, which is the foundation ingredient of most of the moisturisers on the market (petrolatum).

[@HandheldComputing]

So not a long term fix then

[@bufordmaddogtannen]

@@HandheldComputing not in my experience. Essentially it's a very fine powder that sticks to the sticky rubber and kind of makes it smooth like a peach. But it doesn't last forever. Baking soda would act in a similar way, in case you want to give the concept a try without buying corn starch flour you may not then have a use for.

[@HandheldComputing]

good to know, perhaps in combination with moisturiser this would be a good solution though@@bufordmaddogtannen

[@86smoke]

Hello, vintage Thinkpads enthusiast here. In my experience, Thinkpad rubberized coating should be dry, not moisturized. Personally, I use baby powder to get rid of stickiness. Couple of layers rubbed into sticky coating usually works perfect.

[@HandheldComputing]

Baby powder is what divers use on drysuit seals which are made of latex which is the same thing. The appearance of the coating on my thinkpad is so much better following the moisturiser though, even small scratches have disappeared

[@DIGITAL_DECAY.EXE_]

Favorite channel on KZbin. Please do a life without a smart phone series! PDAs can cover the scheduling that people think they need today! A feature phone and a PDA is What I use daily.

[@HandheldComputing]

Thats what I was thinking, I use a PDA anyway and the smartphone is a constant attention hog, it will be weird just using a feature phone again but I am looking forward to giving it a go 😃

[@RickSwartz]

I collect retro hardware, and sadly I get quite a few units with rubberized surfaces, once that surface has gone tacky, you won't get around stripping it off. Everything else will just mask the stickiness until it gets rubbed off with normal handling. The hydrocarbons in the coating have degraded back into their components and nothing will help chain them back together again. After stripping, give the plastic underneath some revitalization in the form of 330 aerospace protectant, or your local analog (my favourite is E-coll cockpit spray.)

[@HandheldComputing]

I did assume that we were just masking the problem with moisturiser/corn starch/WD40 etc It comes up as "hot tub" protector - I see it adds UV protection, something a lot of plastics would benefit from! Seems like a good idea 😀

[@Stratoliner]

Great tip! Wish I would have known about this a few years ago for my Psion 5! Keep up the great vids, loving seeing old handhelds get represented! HPC:Factor for life!

[@HandheldComputing]

I still think it weird that moisturiser would work and from the comments above it seems corn starch also works! Crazy! Yep HPCfactor rules!

[@Stratoliner]

@@HandheldComputing I'm "HPC:Fan" on there, I'm glad to see you nerding out over all sorts of old handhelds. I too, am a major handheld nerd :)

[@nevarDeathEHW]

I'm excited for your "Life without a smartphone" livestreams! I ditched mine in 2021, which is actually why I started collecting PalmOS devices again and because of that, I found your channel! Ultimately I found it was easiest to carry a Light Phone II and just wait until I get home for most everything else. I will say the Palm TX with the hotspot on the Light Phone alongside the Google Maps app (Yeah it still works!) came in clutch a few times. I made it 2 years, but finally ended up going back to a smartphone. If there was a dumbphone that worked as consistently as my smartphone for SMS/MMS, I could see myself going back. The best part about coming back to a smartphone after 2 years is I can see how FEW apps I really needed and can turn off all my notifications without worry. It's no longer an addictive distraction machine for me. I'd love to see how you approach the same problems I went through.

[@HandheldComputing]

Life without google maps could be tough! I didn't know there was a version for Palm OS5, I have the CE version which seems to work well enough. I'm looking forward to trying life without a smart phone just a lot less distractions 😊

[@chaos.corner]

@@HandheldComputing I had TomTom for Palm. I think I threw it away in the end though I kept the TX.

[@HandheldComputing]

I have street planner (the pre-curser to TomTom) but its a bit out of date! @@chaos.corner

[@chaos.corner]

@@HandheldComputing Yes. Before online map updates. What fun.

[@churblefurbles]

I wonder about the long term effects of the moisturizer though.

[@HandheldComputing]

Well the rubber will break down whatever you do s I suspect that in another decade you will still need to remove the coating. You can of course put a new rubber coating on, if that's what you want....

[@crapasanya]

This coating is definitely not rubber, it's called soft touch, and is a some sort of paint (i can't remember the exact word, something like pvc or polyester). So most of paint solvents will remove it REALY easy and perfect. But some of them can damage plastic underneath so it will become grayish

[@HandheldComputing]

That's the issue, lots of solvents will work but I don't want to damage the device!

[@chaos.corner]

@@HandheldComputingIPA should work without damaging the plastic. It can leave it looking a little odd though which I was able to solve on my Microsoft mouse with just some light wax (think Pledge).

[@HandheldComputing]

Nice, the pledge should protect the surface too@@chaos.corner

[@bobroberts2371]

There is a rubber coating on the instrument cluster and radio area trim of the 90's Ford Ranger / Explorer.

[@HandheldComputing]

Oh no! bet you want rid of that!

[@bobroberts2371]

@@HandheldComputing It stays so so probably since it mostly isn't touched by people. There is a chance it is automotive grade ( wide temp range )

[@HandheldComputing]

Yeah it might last a bit better/longer but they always break down eventually@@bobroberts2371

[@zarcha]

Depending on how bad the coating is ive used silicon, ive used it for many toys and a few pc's like an ibook g3 clamshell. but if its just completely tacky/gooey it is and not just dried out then i do my best to remove it.

[@HandheldComputing]

Silicon? As a spray? Does it sink into the rubber or just create a protective top coat? I am intrigued 🧐

[@zarcha]

@@HandheldComputing Specifically i used some 0-ring silicone lube. Its just a squeeze bottle from amazon. I apply it by putting it on a rag or paper towel and rub it into the rubber. I then go back over with a draw cloth to get the excess off. Ive used this method on my Dell PDA's, ibook Clamshells (which made them nice and clear again and still look good), and my digimon D3 digivice which has a rubber section. All look great. I did use it on my Atari portfolio and it helped a little with the tacky feeling but i made the mistake of using IPA first so it kinda melted the coating before i tried silicone.

[@dr_jaymz]

If its gone tacky then you're too late. The oils have started to separate and it has perished. I presume they mean silicone (not silicon) which is a synthetic rubber compatible lubricant. Once its covered in that the separation nearly stops. This is why people keep mentioning "adult" things because how they are stored and which oils they are mixed with matters a lot. Rubbers have a smell which is caused by volatiles jumping off the surface and as they leave it breaks down eventually it runs out. There are ways to chemically change the rubberised surface - products like Vivishine has a bizarre reaction to rubber, a few drops in water attaches to rubberised surfaces and you just dab it with a towel and it keeps that surface, items that would normally perish like latex which is unvulcanised last for 20+ years when they would normally break down after 5 years. I would suggest looking at rubber dressings, there are things like Aerospace 303 and even tyre-trim - but if it has started to break down you probably have no choice but remove it, if it begins to peel its probably a one-way street.

[@mauanderuk]

I do as well I leave it on for days and it even restores some really tacky coating.

[@feieralarm]

It's gonna be interesting to see what you'll do about 2FA/OTP protection without a smartphone. Especially since some services, like online banking, require it.

[@HandheldComputing]

A lot of the 2FA is still done by text so can be done on a dumb phone, but you are right I'm going to struggle with some types of authentication eg "agree in the app" It'll be interesting to see what can and cannot be done!

[@jamesnoland7821]

I have a Toshiba T5200 with this same problem. I remember trying to remove the coating using just rubbing alcohol and it was so tedious I gave up after an hour or so. It never occurred to me to try hand sanitizer! I think I'll try that, but I would suggest using a cling film ("Saran wrap", in the States) to keep the volatile compounds in contact longer. The alcohol evaporates too quickly on an open surface to be very effective. That's why you'd have to scrub more.

[@HandheldComputing]

someone else suggested using paper towels for the same effect, let me know how it goes 😃😃

[@jamesnoland7821]

@HandheldComputing The paper towels are way more porous than plastic. I don't think that would help. If anything, the towels will draw the alcohol away from the computer surface. Either way, I'll post my results when I get around to it.

[@HandheldComputing]

My thought too, although I think it should work@@jamesnoland7821

[@TheBasementChannel]

Really interesting tests here. I wonder if leather restorer will do a similar thing to moisturiser.

[@HandheldComputing]

I suspect it would as that also contains moisturising agents and is designed to sink into the leather - So conversely maybe moisturiser would be a good leather restorer

[@andreasscharf2531]

Just Stick clear tape on top of the rubberized surfaces. Voila you get Piano Style surface. Easy for anyone at anytime without any effort

[@HandheldComputing]

Genius! Get a nice glossy finish instantly!

[@elsiehupp]

I assume the reason moisturizer works is that it’s an oliophilic (hydrophobic) solvent that’s mild and viscous enough to soften but not erode the rubber. You can do similar things with shellac-based wood finishes, if you look around on furniture-restoration KZbin. I think the main product people use is Odie’s Oil, but I might be misremembering. I wonder if Odie’s Oil is any good for rubberized finishes, too…

[@elsiehupp]

Leather restoration products would probably also work. You can buy leather conditioner that is IIRC more chemically stable than skincare moisturizer tends to be. You would want something unpigmented, though, so that it doesn’t rub off pigment on everything. Brands of leather conditioner I’ve used (pigmented, with shoes) are Meltonian and Tarrago, but they’re available unpigmented, too.

[@elsiehupp]

I have a vintage Gucci bag where the original leather lining was disintegrating very similarly to a synthetic rubber, which seems to be a common problem with vintage bags. I ultimately just had the lining replaced at Gucci, but I probably could have tried leather conditioner first.

[@HandheldComputing]

My understanding of moisturisers (and i'm not a chemist) is that they penetrate the skin because the prime molecule can change between hydrophilic and oleophilic to allow it to penetrate the different layers of the skin. This would defiantly work for leather but I'm still at a loss as to why it works for rubber. A wood oil would be interesting to try as those are also trying to keep the moisture in, I would just worry that most oils erode rubber.

[@rgp1989]

I tried this on an old ThinkPad in similar condition but wasn’t overly impressed with the results. Read somewhere online that a magic eraser sometimes works so tried that and the results were fantastic! Obviously you have to be careful not to scrub too much otherwise it will completely remove the coating, but with a little trial and error mine now looks almost new

[@HandheldComputing]

I also saw about the magic eraser but having tried it I was worried it was stripping too much of the coating and leaving me in a no-mans land with half off slightly tacky coating, but sometimes its just what ever works!!!

[@Sigurther]

I have a pair of noise cancelling headphones I use for the range that I got in the early 10s. Pulled them out last year after a few years of "not being able to go out due to a certain thing that was happening" and the rubber edges were all gooey. Ended up just stripping them with alcohol as it wasn't the effort of rejuvenating them. After cleaning a little disused battery acid gunk off the contacts, they worked fine again. Definitely gonna try the hand sanitzer method and maybe the moisturizer option at some point. I'll never understand why these companies didn't just use the same kind of vulcanized rubber on car tires. That stuff lasts damn near forever. I don't think most people actually care how soft the rubber edges of their device are, just that they don't detonate when dropped.

[@HandheldComputing]

It is crazy that companies still do this, I think the way you vulcanise the rubber might be why that isn't used, car tyres do last almost forever! I don't know why but the sanitizer works better than rubbing alcohol or isopropanol 😉

[@lurkerrekrul]

I've got news for you: That rubberized crap is still being put on things like Mice, game controllers, and all sorts of stuff. I once even bought a USB card reader that was coated in that crap. When it starts to turn sticky, I disassemble the device and use Windex (with amonia) and a toothbrush to scrub it all off.

[@jfbeam]

I was screaming BULL.... too. There are loads of idiots who still think that crap is a good idea. For something you'll throw away in a few months, maybe, but it's on things you'll use for decades.

[@HandheldComputing]

I haven't come across anything with it on personally but its clear from the comments that it is indeed still in use on quite a lot of products! I do wish it wasn't! Windex? That's a new one to me, thanks for the suggestion!

[@HandheldComputing]

Yes, it turns out that it is still in use!!!!

[@jfbeam]

@@HandheldComputing My 15yo blakc Ooma Telo is a black sticky ball. The brand new white that replaced it a month ago... also covered with the shit. Nice to see they've learned nothing in 15 years. I have iPhone cases with it - it's really anti-slip now! I have too many battery boosters coated with it. Most _reputable_ laptops don't use it anymore, but cheap ones love the stuff.

[@lurkerrekrul]

@@HandheldComputing To be honest, I don't know if Windex (or generic glass cleaner) is the best option for removing it, it just seems to work decently well for me. It's not like it's a quick one-step process though. I spray the pieces, scrub with a toothbrush, rinse them off, see that there's still some residue, spray it some more, scrub more, rinse it off, find a little more residue, etc. If there's something more effective at taking this stuff off, Id love to know about it. What really surprises me is that sometimes, items will have writing on them, but it doesn't come off. For example, the card reader had the different slots all labeled. I assumed that the print would come off with the coating, but it didn't.

[@vintagemoderncomputing]

I'm reading this with an S5 in my poacher's. The reason I upgraded to Android from Symbian (Nokia 3360i) was because I wanted Spotify, and it's still the case. I can ditch Snapchat, but I'm forced to have WhatsApp by iPhone users and group chats, but Windows exists for that. R.C.S. though, that I can't live without having international friends. And with R.C.S. coming to iMessage, I personally don't have much need for WhatsApp. Still, I occasionally swap my SIM over and use the Nokia in junction with my Revo Plus. Perfectly usable in today's day and age, if you ask me! (Nice video!)

[@HandheldComputing]

Its a nice phone the 3360, I bet you get amazing battery life!!! There are defiantly going to be compromises going back to a feature phone but I think it will be an interesting challenge and hopefully an equally interesting vlog! Glad you liked the video, I need a new battery for my Revo, great little device though!

[@vintagemoderncomputing]

@@HandheldComputingI do! It doesn't seem to drain either when it's off. When I popped out earlier I realised that I wasn't sure what the flat number was that I was going to, so reinstalled WhatsApp to check... In my pre-Android days I would've written it down and most likely in my 5mx in Contacts. It never crossed my mind today! I think I've underestimated how reliant I've become on 'why prepare when I can check anytime I like?'

[@osgeld]

last think pads I had (pentrium MMX era) had black paint under the rubber, that stuff was gone as fast as I could get it cleaned off... never understood that fad it was gross even when new

[@HandheldComputing]

So they painted the plastic AND then added the silly coating! that's madness!

[@nalinux]

It may be worth trying a mix of acetone and brake fluid. It works to rejuvenate hardened rubber.

[@crapasanya]

Acetone will destor this coating and in some cases even plastic underneath. I learned it the hard way. This coating is definitely not rubber, it's called soft touch, and is a some sort of paint (i can't remember the exact word, something like pvc or polyester). So most of paint solvents will remove it REALY easy and perfect. But some of them can damage plastic underneath so it will become grayish

[@dosgos]

Those are not great chemicals for skin contact.

[@nalinux]

@@dosgos Once dry, there's no problem. At least acetone is nail varnish remover, used on skin. But not sure for brake fluid :)

[@nalinux]

@@crapasanya Too bad, it works great for hard rubber. Thanks for the information.

[@HandheldComputing]

I would not use brake fluid on it, I think it would damage the plastics, acetone might as well!

[@Subgunman]

I have a pair of Mac Books that came with the thin protective shells with sticky coatings. What I did was to lay several layers of paper towels on top of the shell, pour some isopropyl alcohol on the towels and then wrapped it in plastic wrap and let it set for 24 hours. The next day upon removing the plastic wrap the coating came off with the paper towels. It took another alcohol soaked towel to remove some odd residue. They look good but can scratch easily. Clipped them back onto the MB's and we're off to the races.

[@HandheldComputing]

Now there's a tip! That sounds like a lot less work!

[@Nexotron]

Thanks for the Video! :) I Have a Zoom h4n Pro which got sticky. Talcum Powder (Baby Powder) actually did a great job making it non-sticky again and added a shiny, metallic-flakes-like texture to it.

[@HandheldComputing]

Glad you liked the video

[@wdesmidt]

Yes please to the "living without a smartphone" series!!! I've been wanting to try that for a long time, and would love to see your take on it. I even picked up a one of the newer Nokia feature phones and a few old palm devices, but so far I haven't used them for more than a day at a time. I also think it would be super interesting to learn more about some of the ways you use these devices day to day, smartphone or otherwise.

[@HandheldComputing]

I'm looking forward to ditching my smart phone, plenty of PDAs in my collection to use along side it for everyday organisational tasks. Good idea, I could do a video on how I actually use palmtops in my normal life. I regularly use the Jornada 728, M50, and Psion II for different things plus others depending what I'm doing/reviewing

[@lukedavis436]

i have a Dell XPS M2010 which has a nasty sticky coating on it, im tempted to remove it but i didn't know that it could be restored!

[@HandheldComputing]

If you do the moisturiser or corn starch etc it will get rid of the tackiness and make it useable again but eventually it will break down 😒

[@lukedavis436]

i think it would look better without, the handle has grio through a nice "pleather" overlay@@HandheldComputing

[@Sb129]

As far as I am concerned, if you want a museum piece then it is worth trying to restore it if indeed the damage isn't severe. However, if you plan on actually using the device (more than once a month, Lol) then just strip it off and get it over with, it will always try to turn back into oil. I've had to deal with this several times and it is simply dreadful. Sometimes, if you're lucky, the coating gets a bit hardened. It still is scratched and scrapped off too easy to handle but at least it isn't sticky. I have no idea why some go this route and others melt.

[@HandheldComputing]

You are right, no matter what you do it will eventually turn into a sticky mess! I'm glad I removed it on the Sienna and Phenom

[@AdamHougham]

I loved my old 1mb Psion Siena - sadly stolen in the early 00s. Wish I still had it to restore today!

[@HandheldComputing]

Oh no, stolen! That's awful I love the sienna I did most of my OPL programming script on mine while on holiday in Scotland. Battery life if crazy, did over a month with a lot of use on a single pair or AAA NiMHs!!!

[@greggv8]

These coatings are a TPU rubber with a bad formulation that breaks down and releases the plasticizer which is what makes them soft. The plasticizer is the sticky part. The black getting everywhere is the resin and colorant that was formerly bound together with the plasticizer.

[@HandheldComputing]

That makes sense, I had assumed it was just the bonds breaking with UV exposure - they are a terrible when they break down, wish manufacturers wouldn't use them!

[@greggv8]

@@HandheldComputing I have a Harbor Freight biscuit joiner tool I need to remove the TPU from. It's not been exposed to any sunlight nor temperature extremes. But just sitting in a closet for a while, the soft touch overmolded TPU has broken down and become gooey. Using skin moisturizer could only be a short term band-aid. On the 2004-1009 Toyota Prius the hatch release button has a soft cover made of some type of black plastic. Over time, many of the covers turn to goo and it's a real chore to remove the latch button, clean the goo off, and replace the cover. The culprit most suspected of causing the cover to break down is hand moisturizer or other skin care products.

[@meneerjansen00]

If the rubberized layer has become sticky then the polyurethane has chemically *decomposed* and nothing can undo that. And it is VERY hard to remove. It dissolves in nothing: not in alcohol or soapy water, nothing. And the stuff sticks to the cloth with with you try to rub it off. A rubberized device is a deal breaker for me. If you manage to make it less sticky it might wear off after some use of the device. The coating of the first Psion 5 is different though. It stays relatively "dry" but it peels off.

[@elsiehupp]

I assume it dissolves in more aggressive chemical solvents like acetone.

[@HandheldComputing]

Its true the S5 doesn't tend to go sticky like a lot of the coatings do, and yes the cloth got very sticky as did my hands 😂🤣

[@HandheldComputing]

Probably but then that might affect other plastics and isn't so good on skin

[@meneerjansen00]

​@@elsiehuppI'm a chemist, but I ain't no expert on polyurethane and the compounds in which it decomposes. However, *NEVER EVER* use acetone or products marked "sticker remover" on plastics: it's very aggressive and dissolves the plastic! Sticker remover is developed to dissolve the vinyl of stickers, not per se to dissolve the glue. So were stuck with: IPA (iso-propyl alcohol) spiritus (pure alcohol (methanol) w/ blue dye so addicts won't drink it) terpentine (white spirit) wasbenzine (dunno what it's called in English) soapy water ammonia Especially the lukewarm mild soapy water solution is very, very underestimated. You won't believe how many compounds dissolve in it: hydrophilic (water loving) as well as hydrophobic (water hating) compounds. And we chemists divide all compounds in the world in 2 categories: water-loving and ... you guessed it.

[@meneerjansen00]

​@@HandheldComputingI'm a (physical) chemist (so a noob on organic chemistry unfortunately). I wouldn't worry too much about acetone on the skin if I were you. Chemists get acetone on their skin daily (tho they won't admit to it because we're supposed to wear gloves all day which we don't). We have to clean glass instruments etc. with lots of it. We use liters of acetone per day in the lab. It dissolves the (protective) oils in your skin. So if you accidentally "dip" your hand in acetone it'll leave a red irritated spot on your hand the next day (believe me: I know!). Acetone is not poisonous, but absolutely _eveything_ dissolves in it and poisonous stuff that we use in the lab will penetrate the skin if it's dissolved in the acetone. That's the real danger of acetone.

[@ctcards2636]

This is another reason my fav Windows CE grey scale unit is the HP360LX. I had a Velo and that coating did NOT age well. My 360LX is like new still.

[@HandheldComputing]

The 360 has the white backlight? Its on my list to try and get hold of 😀 The coating on my velo is fine but I suspect that is because it was only used for a shot time and then stored in the dark...

[@AlejandroRodolfoMendez]

Wow great video this is a nice discover. I remember that in the past I use the same when a cd didn't wanted to work.

[@HandheldComputing]

Glad you enjoyed it, you mean you used had gel on a CD? Does that work?

[@AlejandroRodolfoMendez]

@@HandheldComputing not gel, but the cream for hands the one of the brand hinds that is pink. It worked better than toothpaste

[@Hairy_Takoyaki]

Had similar issue with a soft touch coating on a games controller. It was horrible to game with as I would grip the controller tightly in the throws of a mad gaming session. Rubbing talcum powder into it restored it to it's non sticky state but it did turn the original black colour coating greyish with the white talc but that was preferable to it being unusable.

[@HandheldComputing]

Grey and smooth is defiantly better than black and sticky!!!

[@spirosfoufoutos6241]

In my experience nail polish remover for artificial nails (does not dissolve most plastics) works wonders in cleaning these rubberized surfaces. If it's just a coating it might strip it completely but the result looks good. If it's solid rubber it will clean it up like brand new.

[@HandheldComputing]

I was concerned that acetone would damage the plastics sounds like it could be a good option, thank you for the suggestion 😃

[@Mrcaffinebean]

Lenovo is still putting that coating on new Think pads. I love those laptops but hate the coatings as the wear poorly.

[@HandheldComputing]

I did not know that, I thought they had stopped using it years ago!

[@agranero6]

I used a few drops of olive oil let is be absorbed, clean it, and used a silicons oil for car seats, let if be absorbed, and cleaned it finishing with silicons and lineseed oil based furniture polish and polish with a soft microfiber tissue. Try a few times and the stick felling disappeared.

[@HandheldComputing]

I guess the olive oil will work just like the moisturiser and then the silicon oil will give it a nice sheen - will give this a go

[@gamereditor59ner22]

Cool video upload and keep it up!!

[@HandheldComputing]

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@daveb7833]

Corn starch - been using it for decades to fix rubberised coatings

[@HandheldComputing]

You are the second person to mention this, I will have to give it a go!

[@ColHardy]

Hand sanitiser is ethyl alcohol not isopropyl. Best use methylated spirits instead of sanitiser to not leave residue.

[@HandheldComputing]

Yes, they are different alcohols, I didn't find much residue from the sanitiser but good thinking, I will give meths a try next time and see if that's better - it doesn't smell as good as hand sanitizer though 😉

[@JakubChalupnik]

It could be both. Rubbing alcohol (70% isopropyl) is used as hand sanitizer very often.

[@Zeem4]

@@HandheldComputing I used meths and paper towels on the centre dashboard section of my 2005 Renault Scenic, which was a horrible sticky mess with dog hair embedded in it, that left gooey black marks all over my hands every time I started the car. It took a couple of hours, but now it looks like brand new.

[@HandheldComputing]

@@Zeem4it's hard getting off your hands after, I'm definitely using gloves next time 🤣

[@sralismazgalis]

A large part of my car's dashboard was covered in this stuff from the factory... For better or for worse it was too far gone (to the point where it would legitimately turn to liquid upon any force being applied to it) so I just grabbed some 98% rubbing alcohol and went to town on it. Good thing the part beneath was made of quite decent-looking textured black plastic, at least. Saved me the job of having to respray my dashboard.

[@HandheldComputing]

A dash is in direct sunlight for a large part of its life, I can't believe someone thought a rubber coating was a good idea!!!

[@sralismazgalis]

@@HandheldComputing It was mainly on the lower side of the dashboard that faces the driver and passenger, but still I imagine it must’ve received quite a bit of sunlight… as if the fact it had turned into literal tar didn’t make it obvious enough lol

[@HandheldComputing]

I bet that took some cleaning off too!@@sralismazgalis

[@sralismazgalis]

@@HandheldComputing I had to spend around 4-5 hours total and got my leg burnt (it was summer) but it turned out worth it in the end I reckon

[@MisiekCentralny]

@@sralismazgalisWhat car do you own?

[@olivier2553]

I once scrubbed a microphone using 75% rubbing alcohol (that was pre COVID, hand gel was not that common). It worked well. You know you can desactivate he notifications on your smart phone. Mine is hardly ever beeping. :)

[@HandheldComputing]

Nice! Yeah since COVID hand gel is everywhere! Yes I can deactivate the notifications but its still a distraction, always wanting to check it. That and the endless scrolling...... which I struggle to resist 😒

[@oliverpolden]

Seeing all these tiny computers makes me really wish they made a modern version. Sure there are some models, but nothing like a Jornada. I wonder if there are any old devices that would be easy to upgrade the internals.

[@vintagemoderncomputing]

Someone on Hackaday made a Psion S7/Raspberry Pi Frankenstein. Planet Computers Gemini, Cosmo and Astro Slide and GPD's Mini series are the closest you'll get today. Planet Computers hired Martin Riddiford to design and those devices unironically also use the S5's keyboard, albeit modified because modern customers found the action mushy. Eventually Martin managed to make it backlit, too!

[@HandheldComputing]

I think the Astro slide is probably the closest thing to a modern Psion 5 or maybe the Pinephone. Part of the issue is our expectations with portable devices are now so high! Back in the late 90's sending email over a mobile connection was like living in the future!!!

[@oliverpolden]

@@HandheldComputing I backed the Astro Slide. Still waiting for them to deliver if they ever will and even then, it still has loads of issues. It would be nice to see a major manufacturer make one.

[@oliverpolden]

@@HandheldComputing To add to that, I guess we don't see devices like this anymore because 99% of demand is covered by mobile phones and a further 0.5% is covered by adding a folding Bluetooth keyboard so it's just not worth it for major manufacturers unlike years ago when you could only get "smart" functionality in a pocket computer.

[@vintagemoderncomputing]

@@oliverpolden Ak, I'd heard about that. 🥴

[@uiopuiop3472]

be aware that if digitizer is separate from the screen on touch devices and isopropyl alcohol leaks into the space between them then the touch part will no longer work, killed a gps this way

[@HandheldComputing]

Thank you for the warning, you do have to be careful with solvents and resistive screens

[@scienceapps]

I'm having the same problem with my Palm Foleo. all the plastic became tacky, which made the device hard to use on a regular basis. I think I'll give it a try with alcohol gel or Corn Starch like mentionned in the comments. Thank you for this vidéo and your great channel !

[@elsiehupp]

You could also try unpigmented leather conditioner, like Meltonian or Tarrago, since they’re actually intended for the leather equivalent of these rubberized finishes.

[@HandheldComputing]

Yeah the corn starch has been mentioned a lot - hence pinned to top - let me know how it goes!

[@HandheldComputing]

I imagine that could work as again its got moisturises in it and is designed to penetrate into the leather

[@invertthelab6532]

rubber coating, soft touch or whatever they called is nasty overtime since after years it began to melt, leave sticky stuff everywhere that hard to remove

[@HandheldComputing]

It sure is! The hand gel does work though in hindsight I would suggest wearing gloves as it was hard to get the rubber off my hands!

[@oliverpolden]

It's almost inevitable that ALL rubber coatings become sticky. I hadn't used my PS4 for a few months, took out the controllers and the sticks had become tacky. I now won't buy something that has such a rubber coating on it and wish that manufacturers would stop doing it.

[@HandheldComputing]

Its no where near as common as it was but it is a pain when it starts breaking down. I didn't know the PS4 controllers were like that, maybe its a way to build in obsolescence.....

[@KabelkowyJoe]

1:30 I have tested combination of two "Label Cleanser" Art 144 by www micro-chip pl" + isopropanol (required) It's far from perfect applied on HP EliteBook 2730p removed all but i had to disassembly. All depend on how i mix, sometimes is too active some other time require too much time. Only works when i apply one first and allow it to penetrate and then mix isopropanol before first is allowed to dry. I don't know ingridiences except for: "Hydrocarbons C10-C13, Hydrocarbons C9-10, n-alkines, isoalkines, orange extract" smells like light gasoline. It doesn't work well as label remover but it does miracles if mixed with isopropanol. Removed too much removed glue of all stickers and all rubber coating. Im looking for something less active against stickers and labels better/repetitive agains rubber. Also tested on Blackberry Passport. Took me lot of time. Hope that helps? Now "bakc to video" :)

[@KabelkowyJoe]

BTW. Isopropanl itself makes rubber coating even more sticky

[@KabelkowyJoe]

14:00 I have used credit card, scrathed rubber once it got soft ^^

[@HandheldComputing]

That's what I found, it would remove it but it was like it was melting rather than the hand sanitizer which seemed to dissolve it more and leave less residue

[@HandheldComputing]

I thought about using a plastic scraper/credit card I just didn't want to risk scratching the plastic but I guess if you are careful it would be fine and speed up the process a lot!

[@mistersync100]

I use mibenco soft touch spray

[@HandheldComputing]

I hadn't heard of this - a quick google suggests it would be a perfect replacement once the original rubber is removed, or would you just spray it on top?

[@mistersync100]

@@HandheldComputing if its easy to remove remove it, you get a better result. But sometimes its hard to remove it. Because of from of the object for exaple my car had a soft touch window button very easy to remove with solvents. But i had a video camera the shape of the camera didnt allow me to remove it to many nuck and cranys so i sprayt on top of it greetings switzlerland

[@HandheldComputing]

Excellent tip, thank you for that! Greetings from England 😀

[@tigheklory]

Fun channel, subbed!

[@HandheldComputing]

Amazing! Thank you

[@MrKelaher]

silicone oil based surface sprays like "Mr Sheen" can work OK, but I always strip the coating, TBH did not like them to start with :)

[@HandheldComputing]

ha ha, yes it would be easier if they didn't exist in the 1st place! My go-to is strip the coating unless its in very good condition

[@cdl0]

I had a 1980's vintage car where all the interior plastic was coated with this rubber paint. All the surfaces went sticky, and the plastic underneath turned to a kind of powder, or went brittle and cracked, so this and a lack of spare parts meant I had to scrap it. I do posses a mobile phone but rarely use it. That's easy, because there is no signal where I live, so it spends most of its life on a shelf doing nothing. 🙂 No livestreams for me please, because they take too much time.

[@HandheldComputing]

Rubber coatings were such a thing in the late 80's through 90's - I'm glad its had its day thought! No worries on the live stream, I intend to keep them short anyway 15-20mins max, no one wants to watch me blabbering about my week for an hour 🤣😂

[@ernestgalvan9037]

@@HandheldComputing…”I’m glad it has had its day”… yeah, but sadly still a ‘thing’ in the tool scene. They proudly call it ‘overmolding’.

[@HandheldComputing]

Overmolding, what an interesting term! @@ernestgalvan9037

[@wimwiddershins]

I've used masking tape to strip off the sticky coating. Just rip it off.

[@HandheldComputing]

Nice! I guess if its not too tacky it will just peel away

[@cfg83]

I call that stuff faux-suede. Liked it until the first one went to goo, then despised it thereafter. I always remove it when it goes bad. I use alcohol wipes.

[@cfg83]

Also, whenever I see it on something new, I won't buy it unless it's absolutely essential.

[@HandheldComputing]

That is a good description, I agree its OK when its new and gives a tactile surface but the way it breaks down is just soooooo bad! I stripped the Sienna with alcohol wipes, worked well but I have found the handgel and a cloth better

[@mattsadventureswithart5764]

An acquaintance restores old tools for a charity. For the rubberised coatings on handheld tools like drills and jigsaws, good old wd40 removes the stickiness. It does leave that familiar smell, though, so you have to decide if this is acceptable or not.

[@dr_jaymz]

Yeah, this basically destroys the coating. Looks ok initially. Oils destroy rubber. Try folding a bit of orange peel near a balloon, it pops immediately because the oil breaks the chains straight away in the rubber. Its a cool experiment!

[@HandheldComputing]

I never even thought of WD40, come to think my drill handle has gone a little tacky I will give that a go tomorrow - also love the small of WD40

[@HandheldComputing]

Oooh Orange oil will melt a balloon? Thats cool

[@dr_jaymz]

​@HandheldComputing Yes, the orange oil is a hydrocarbon and rubber is soluble in compatible hydrocarbons. The reaction is almost instant. But hydrocarbons will always break down rubber. So puttinh hand creme on a rubber coating is bad because it usually contains lanolin and may contain paraffin which is used to prevent moisture loss. Now the coating used is a synthetic rubberised polymer but I have no idea how that will reach differently to latex, but it certainly seems to perish in a similar manner. I believe the Germans had to make synthetic rubber during the war because they couldn't get natural latex but I also think the synthetic version was inferior in many ways.

[@Ron_at_Home]

For my sticky old IBM Thinkpad, I am leaving it as is. Maybe in 10 or 20 years the stickiness will harden again

[@HandheldComputing]

🤣 Maybe it will!

[@jabezhane]

Whoever invented Nextel coating should go down with those that invented micro-beads and lead in petrol.

[@HandheldComputing]

😂🤣😂 I'm not sure it's quite as bad as lead in petrol but I see where you are going with this!

[@Cecelo40k]

Dicas muito boas, Valeu

[@HandheldComputing]

Feliz em ajudar

[@Pulverrostmannen]

My IBM Thinkpad was completely melted all over and it looked absolutely horrendous, I took it completely apart and stripped everything with ISO, it was the only solution. The rubber is crap and in the end the most lasting solution is going to be to get rid of it completely, I hate this stupid rubber so much

[@HandheldComputing]

Having stripped the Psion Sienna I think this is often the best way, as I say no manufacturers rubber coat laptops these days! Sometimes the rubber feet break down as well but they are easier to replace thankfully.

[@Pulverrostmannen]

@@HandheldComputing yeah. My thinkpad had on the frame around the keyboard some kind of metalized primer or something so it went from black to silver when the coating was removed but this was damaged from the exposed melted areas and also looked very bad. But as I went all in I removed everything and then I foiled the screen and keyboard frame with a nice black marble stone laminate to get it back to an even better look that original. Those who seen that special work said that was a very fancy computer you have there. And I say I foiled it they be like, Bruh.. that looks good lol. Much better than stock in every way.

[@wyleong4326]

Yup, used to moistures my Thinkpads with Nivea cremé (the blue flat tin one), it did help a lot. But over time, from plain laziness on upkeepinh, I just made sure my laptops were zipped properly away from heat/sun and dust.

[@HandheldComputing]

As always its the UV that makes it all break down, its amazing some of these coatings have lasted as well as they have!

[@Lachlant1984]

Devices are still made with that rubber coating, or they were in 2009, I bought a Pure One Classic digital radio back then, its rubberised coating has turned to a sticky goo, I hate that stuff and I hope it's never used again, I think it should have been banned years ago.

[@HandheldComputing]

A number of people have mentioned that its still being used for mice, game controllers etc which seems a bit crazy to me when we know how bad they are!

[@Lachlant1984]

@@HandheldComputing I think my Logitech F710 game controller, a device I really love, has it, at least it has rubberised hand grips, here's hoping they won't decompose. For some unexplainable reason my BopIt XT game has rubberised coatings on all its controls, and they're all getting sticky. Since they're coloured and two of them have printing on them, I'm not sure how they'll scrub up should I try to clean them. Oh how I hate that stuff.

[@HandheldComputing]

If you clean it you will lose all the markings. I would try the moisturiser and if that doesn't work try talcum powder or corn starch, just be aware those two will cause some discolouration @@Lachlant1984

[@Lachlant1984]

@@HandheldComputing I see, thanks for the tips.

[@sidneyperry7623]

I give the device a scrub in water with baking soda mixed in.

[@HandheldComputing]

Make sure that water is nice and hot it'll bring those circuit boards up lovely 😉

[@mikabreto]

Soft rubber coating is cursed. I call it obsolescence spray, and I always prefer to eliminate it completely; as doing so negates any future care concerns.

[@HandheldComputing]

Ha ha yes I think obsolesce spray is an appropriate!

[@G_de_Coligny]

As a countryside bumpkin who like running coal in his diesel offroad van I ues kerosene on a microfiber rag… Rub rub rub… get high on fumes and get a shiny clean device in no time…

[@HandheldComputing]

A win win situation 😉

[@mzaite]

I hate this coating. Hate it in Cars, hate it on electronics. HATE it!

[@HandheldComputing]

I agree, completely unnecessary and not functional

[@-Error99]

They still use the same awful rubber coating on lots of modern products and it's still just as bad and perishable as it used to be. It's even used in some cars nowadays.

[@HandheldComputing]

So it seems, I guess it's a cheap way to make your plastics look better - not good though!

[@Boogie_the_cat]

I feel insulted by the title of the video, because anyone who is worth their retro salt knows that there is no restoring that rubberized coating. Sure, you can wipe off the gloopiest layers on top with isopropyl alcohol, but that's hardly restoring it. That coating will disintegrate 100% of the time, and you can't restore it. It's the nature of soft rubber, just like your cassette belts, it'll turn to goo. If you are interested in gaining more subs, I would suggest not using video titles that are obvious non-questions. Not trying to be a jerk.

[@HandheldComputing]

Thank you for your comment 😊

[@BuzzBazzJ]

Nah… disassemble the device and clean the rubberized parts properly.

[@HandheldComputing]

I'm with you, I think that will be the goto option form now on!

[@BuzzBazzJ]

@@HandheldComputing Yeah. It's fine if it is just starting to go, but so many things I've found in boxes I forgot about just need to be disassembled and properly cleaned. I just wish there was a spray that could reapply the coating instead. that way there is a way to strip the old and apply a new. maybe even with colors.

[@stevvieb]

i use wd40 with better results and easier/quiker than anything else.

[@HandheldComputing]

Going to give this a go on my drill handle as the rubber has melted on that and WD40 will make it smell extra manly 😉

[@quanchyplimp]

Rub it off with isopropyl alcohol and move on with your life.

[@HandheldComputing]

A very pragmatic approach, excellent!

[@quanchyplimp]

It worked a treat on my old Logitech LX710 keyboard from 2006 that I'm still using. The entire keyboard surround got tacky, started rubbing off here and there. Isopropyl alcohol was the only solvent that I already had, so I just tried it with pleasing results. The oil in our skin and the frequency with which we might wipe our mouth while eating and typing all leads to a break down of starchy/rubbery coatings. Salt and Vinegar flavoured crisps are great also for dissolving the coating off the areas you touch. My USB power bank had the starchy finish to it, I picked it up finger and thumb only, there is a thumb sized shiny spot now on one side....only a few seconds of contact! ..stripped!

[@MultipleObjectSelector]

I imagine the coating could be replaced with something like plastidip

[@HandheldComputing]

There are a few different options for replacing the coting including a number of spray on products - If it was to be a museum piece this might be worthwhile but I am wanting to use them so for the moment at least removal is a good option if the coating has gone to goo