On 27 Feb 2013 20:56:29 GMT, Brian Berg wrote:

Wow. The real Jeff Liebermann (two n's and i-before-e) on alt.home.repair.

The original message was crossposted to sci.electronics.repair,
another of my hangouts.

I'm impressed. You're the expert in the SC mountains for wireless radio.
Glad to have you here.

Not much wireless happening lately. alt.wireless.internet is
essentially dead. Wireless has become a commodity after about 15
years, which is a good thing.

I am VERY FAMILIAR with this persistent "white stuff".
I have no idea WHAT it is - but I have it too.

I do. However, if you want a microscope photo, I'll bring the "moldy"
screwdriver from home, put it under the microscope, and take some
photos. I assure you that it's plastic, not spores.

It's either a chemical coating or it's a mold-like growth.
It does seem to be hugely persistent, in that if you don't scrape it
away, it will last (seemingly unchanged) forever.

Yep. It doesn't grow. Therefore, it's not mold.

I remember segregating my white-coated tools a while ago, but I no
longer do that once I manually scraped them (mostly) clean.

I seem to remember that the white stuff "infected" other tools, but,
it's no longer doing that (after twenty years). But, that white stuff
you see in this photo is easily twenty years old!
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12297573.jpg

My early Craftsman tools, when they were made by Miller Falls, do not
collect plastic rot.
http://oldtoolheaven.com/history/history.htm
The later Craftsman tools, probably made in China, have the plastic
rot problem.

It had coated that screwdriver handle with a white persistent but
powdery on the outside surface coating just like the picture the OP
posted over he
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/pics/drivel/plastic-rot.jpg

Grumble. That's my picture and I'm NOT the OP. The tools with the
acrylic coating are kinda rough, but plastic rot. The two with
plastic rot may have been added after I coated the others. I don't
recall.

I considered throwing the screwdrivers away, but, my sense of
tool preservation had me soak that screwdriver maybe 15 years ago
in all sorts of horrid solvents (acetone, bleach, acid, etc.) in
my attempts to clean it off.

The only things that actually directly attacked the white stuff were
mild plastic solvents. However, anything that dissolved the white
stuff, also attacked the plastic handle, so that's not a good fix.

If anyone actually KNOWS what this white stuff is, I'd be curious!

Send it to a pathology lab and see what they say.

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558