wrote:
"Andy" wrote in message
...
I am in the UK. I think Tippex is not available in the US.

These days correction fluids like Tippex seem to have been reformulated
compared to several years ago.

That sounds similar to "White-Out" in the US, and my comments below assume
the UK version is similar to the US version.


I think the old chemicals used were too hazardous and the dilution fluid
for them was something hazardous like 1,1,1 trichloroethylene.

While that name is chemically impossible, I believe the solvent used to be
either 1,1,1-trichloroethane or 1,1,2-trichloroethylene. In my youth, my
dad worked in an AEP research lab, and he used to bring pints of what he
called "trichlor" or "electrosol" home, but it was never clear to me whether
it was the -ane or the -ene. Both have very similar physical properties and
chemical properties. While both are very weak acute toxins (LD50 is on the
order of 6 g/kg), they have longer-term effects (carcinogen, teratogen and
mutagen). Too bad, because nothing beat the stuff my dad brought home for
cleaning my bicycle chain. I tried methylene chloride in grad school, but
it evaporates too quickly and leaves too much grit behind (not to mention
the burning sensation under my watch band.) Trichlor floated the grit right
away, leaving smooth metal behind for re-greasing.

The new White-Out (now sold in the US as "correction pens" that dispense
white ink) smell to me like they still contain some chlorocarbon (maybe
trichlor)...it may be that nothing but chlorocarbons form stable suspensions
with the TiO2 (or is it ZnO2?). I also think I smell some toluene and some
ketone, perhaps MIBK. The label says "Contains petroleum distillates",
which could be the toluene. When the stuff dries, it smells like linseed
oil, which may be the binder that keeps the TiO2 (or is it ZnO2) from
crumbling away. By smell, it is a real gemisch of solvents.

It may be that no safe solvent works especially well, because more and more,
I'm seeing pen-dispensed correction tape replacing the correction fluid.


I have some new style Tippex Rapid and it has started to thicken.
See http://tinyurl.com/qyht6

What household solvent can I use to dilute it?

(1) Isopropyl alcohol doesn't do it.
(2) Acetone didn't seem to work.
(3) I think ethyl acetate (nail polish remover) might have worked
although it was getting hard to tell after 1 and 2. But it smells
hazardous.

Actually, ethyl acetate is probably the least hazardous of those three you
tried. If it works, I'd go for it. (I used to really like the smell of
ethyl acetate, until one time the airlock went dry on a batch of wine I was
making, and the air exposure converted a detectable amount of the ethanol to
ethyl acetate. It smelled pretty, but boy did it taste awful.

I've used methylene chloride to rejuvenate White-Out in the past. It
resuspends the pigment very well, but it doesn't work great--it evaporates
too quickly. I would try some trichlor (electronics supply shop?) or
methylene chloride (hardware store, as furniture stripper), or maybe toluene
(hardware store--paint thinner or lacquer thinner).

Eric Lucas


Also try dope thinners from a model shop. Or cellulose thinners from
builders merchants etc.