We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch. Washing up liquid and other
gentle cleaners have had no effect.

Any other possible ways of removing the stickiness? (Apart from angle
grinders, of course).

--
Ian

HellyB wrote:

We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch.

Dunno if it always happens with age, or just to items handled by certain
people with a particular composition of sweat/grease on their skin ...
my old mice wheels go that way if left for a year or two.

In message , Andy
Burns writes
HellyB wrote:

We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch.

Dunno if it always happens with age, or just to items handled by
certain people with a particular composition of sweat/grease on their
skin ... my old mice wheels go that way if left for a year or two.

My wife has 'lost' several pairs of shoes (some absolutely unworn)
because the rubber soles have become sticky - a bit like chewing gum.

I think all of the shoes had been put away for several years, and kept
in their original shoeboxes, which while certainly not air-tight, would
have had very little flow of air through them.

I have a similar problem with a pair of PMR446 walkie-talkies, which now
have sticky rubber cases.

The conclusion I have come to is that the solvent in the rubber has
probably gradually evaporated, and being trapped in the box and unable
to disperse, has reacted with the rubber (partially dissolving its
surface).

I've since kept the walkie-talkies in a box with an ill-fitting lid, and
I reckon the stickiness is slowly beginning to disappear. Maybe the
binoculars would respond similarly.
--
Ian

There is a very well known make of cassette deck which was made by 3M
Wollensack, which had self destructing pressure rollers like this. A sticky
roller is not a good idea of course!

Brian

--
--
From the sofa of Brian Gaff -

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Ian Jackson" wrote in message
...
In message , Andy Burns
writes
HellyB wrote:

We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch.

Dunno if it always happens with age, or just to items handled by certain
people with a particular composition of sweat/grease on their skin ... my
old mice wheels go that way if left for a year or two.

My wife has 'lost' several pairs of shoes (some absolutely unworn) because
the rubber soles have become sticky - a bit like chewing gum.

I think all of the shoes had been put away for several years, and kept in
their original shoeboxes, which while certainly not air-tight, would have
had very little flow of air through them.

I have a similar problem with a pair of PMR446 walkie-talkies, which now
have sticky rubber cases.

The conclusion I have come to is that the solvent in the rubber has
probably gradually evaporated, and being trapped in the box and unable to
disperse, has reacted with the rubber (partially dissolving its surface).

I've since kept the walkie-talkies in a box with an ill-fitting lid, and I
reckon the stickiness is slowly beginning to disappear. Maybe the
binoculars would respond similarly.
--
Ian

replying to Ian Jackson, Anna DC wrote:
Hi Ian - did it solve the sticky walkie talkie problem because mine have done
the same (kept in a plastic bag) and I have tried anti-glue solvent to no avail


--
posted from
http://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy/...rs-826661-.htm

replying to Ian Jackson, Anna DC wrote:
Hi Ian - did it solve the sticky walkie talkie problem because mine have done
the same (kept in a plastic bag) and I have tried anti-glue solvent to no avail


--
posted from
http://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy/...rs-826661-.htm

replying to Ian Jackson, Anna DC wrote:
Hi Ian - did it solve the sticky walkie talkie problem because mine have done
the same (kept in a plastic bag) and I have tried anti-glue solvent to no avail


--
posted from
http://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy/...rs-826661-.htm

replying to Ian Jackson, Anna DC wrote:
Hi Ian - did it solve the sticky walkie talkie problem because mine have done
the same (kept in a plastic bag) and I have tried anti-glue solvent to no avail


--
posted from
http://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy/...rs-826661-.htm

replying to Ian Jackson, Anna DC wrote:
Hi Ian - did it solve the sticky walkie talkie problem because mine have done
the same (kept in a plastic bag) and I have tried anti-glue solvent to no avail


--
posted from
http://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy/...rs-826661-.htm

replying to Ian Jackson, Anna DC wrote:
Hi Ian - did it solve the sticky walkie talkie problem because mine have done
the same (kept in a plastic bag) and I have tried anti-glue solvent to no avail


--
posted from
http://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy/...rs-826661-.htm

replying to Ian Jackson, Anna DC wrote:
Hi Ian - did it solve the sticky walkie talkie problem because mine have done
the same (kept in a plastic bag) and I have tried anti-glue solvent to no avail


--
posted from
http://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy/...rs-826661-.htm

replying to Ian Jackson, Anna DC wrote:
Hi Ian - did it solve the sticky walkie talkie problem because mine have done
the same (kept in a plastic bag) and I have tried anti-glue solvent to no avail


--
posted from
http://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy/...rs-826661-.htm

Looks like the send key is sticky as well then. :-)
This sticky rubber on plastic things question comes up regularly of cause.
I seem to recall brake fluid was the last fix suggested.
I had a shaver of the electric kind go this way only a few months ago. It
was on its last legs so I binned it. Rather more worryingly a blind persons
white cane hand grip went likt this and the more you tried to clean it off
the more rubber disappeared, so one imagines the actual chemical make up was
changing, though what it is that does it, I am not sure. I even had some
pressure rolers and idler wheels on a tape recorder go to sticky goo.
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Anna DC" wrote in
message roups.com...
replying to Ian Jackson, Anna DC wrote:
Hi Ian - did it solve the sticky walkie talkie problem because mine have
done
the same (kept in a plastic bag) and I have tried anti-glue solvent to no
avail


--
posted from
http://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy/...rs-826661-.htm

Andy Burns wrote:
HellyB wrote:

We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch.

Dunno if it always happens with age, or just to items handled by certain
people with a particular composition of sweat/grease on their skin ...
my old mice wheels go that way if left for a year or two.

**** - you still have mice with wheels?


--
Ineptocracy

(in-ep-toc-ra-cy) €“ a system of government where the least capable to
lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the
members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are
rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a
diminishing number of producers.

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

**** - you still have mice with wheels?

With scrollwheels - yes doesn't everyone?
With balls instead of optical - no.

On Fri, 17 Aug 2012 21:03:52 +0100, Andy Burns wrote:

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

**** - you still have mice with wheels?

With scrollwheels - yes doesn't everyone? With balls instead of optical
- no.

I keep thinking I should try and find a bollocked rodent - optical ones
seem to have a liking for dog hair, and wig out completely when it blocks
the optics. At least this 'ere Dell mouse doesn't have a red glowing bum
though, unlike its predecessor.

cheers

Jules

I think his mice also have balls.

Brian

--
--
From the sofa of Brian Gaff -

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
Andy Burns wrote:
HellyB wrote:

We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch.

Dunno if it always happens with age, or just to items handled by certain
people with a particular composition of sweat/grease on their skin ... my
old mice wheels go that way if left for a year or two.

**** - you still have mice with wheels?


--
Ineptocracy

(in-ep-toc'-ra-cy) - a system of government where the least capable to
lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members
of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded
with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a
diminishing number of producers.

On Fri, 17 Aug 2012 20:12:52 +0100, Andy Burns wrote:

HellyB wrote:

We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch.

Dunno if it always happens with age, or just to items handled by certain
people with a particular composition of sweat/grease on their skin ...
my old mice wheels go that way if left for a year or two.

I've seen it plenty of times with rubber pinch rollers in tape drives,
but it seems quite random and independent of use, storage conditions etc.

Sadly I don't think there's a cure - once it's started going like that
it'll just get worse :-(

cheers

Jules

On Fri, 17 Aug 2012 22:05:49 +0000 (UTC), Jules Richardson
wrote:

On Fri, 17 Aug 2012 20:12:52 +0100, Andy Burns wrote:

HellyB wrote:

We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch.

Dunno if it always happens with age, or just to items handled by certain
people with a particular composition of sweat/grease on their skin ...
my old mice wheels go that way if left for a year or two.

I've seen it plenty of times with rubber pinch rollers in tape drives,
but it seems quite random and independent of use, storage conditions etc.

Sadly I don't think there's a cure - once it's started going like that
it'll just get worse :-(


It sounds as if this could be a use for Sugru. See the thread in this
group "Has anyone used/found a use for Sugru?" started two days ago.

Nick

On Fri, 17 Aug 2012 22:05:49 +0000 (UTC), Jules Richardson wrote:

We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch.

I've seen it plenty of times with rubber pinch rollers in tape drives,
but it seems quite random and independent of use, storage conditions
etc.

Sadly I don't think there's a cure - once it's started going like that
it'll just get worse :-(

Is this "rubberised" a thin coating for "soft touch" that was all the
rage a few years ago? If so patience with a soft scraper (finger nail)
will get it off. If it's a thicker bump protection then as Jules says
it'll just get worse. I suppose talc might help a bit but the underlying
substance is turning to a liquid...

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 18/08/12 00:05, Jules Richardson wrote:
On Fri, 17 Aug 2012 20:12:52 +0100, Andy Burns wrote:

HellyB wrote:

We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch.

Dunno if it always happens with age, or just to items handled by certain
people with a particular composition of sweat/grease on their skin ...
my old mice wheels go that way if left for a year or two.

I've seen it plenty of times with rubber pinch rollers in tape drives,
but it seems quite random and independent of use, storage conditions etc.

Sadly I don't think there's a cure - once it's started going like that
it'll just get worse :-(

My old mobile phone had a rubber coating on the back. It became hard and
shiny and grubby looking so I cleaned in with IPA. Which worked but it
then went soft and sticky.


--
djc

On 17/08/2012 20:06, HellyB wrote:
We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch. Washing up liquid and other
gentle cleaners have had no effect.

Any other possible ways of removing the stickiness? (Apart from angle
grinders, of course).

perhaps a dusting of talc or cornstarch would help...


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 17/08/2012 20:23, John Rumm wrote:
On 17/08/2012 20:06, HellyB wrote:
We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch. Washing up liquid and other
gentle cleaners have had no effect.

Any other possible ways of removing the stickiness? (Apart from angle
grinders, of course).

perhaps a dusting of talc or cornstarch would help...

Talc or diatomaceous earth sold in garden centres as organic snail
discourager (don't breathe the dust). You want something to bind the
stickyness and make it inert again at the surface.

My old Psion 3 went this way all over. I think the damage is caused by
ozone breaking up the soft rubber polymer to shorter chains.

I don't know if you can ever really recover since the material is
basically shot at this stage and not far off losing structural integrity.

Regards,
Martin Brown

On 18/08/2012 09:28, Martin Brown wrote:

I don't know if you can ever really recover since the material is
basically shot at this stage and not far off losing structural integrity.

I've got the outer skin of a Nikon D200 in that state

--
Adrian C

On Saturday, August 18, 2012 10:49:45 PM UTC+1, Adrian C wrote:
On 18/08/2012 09:28, Martin Brown wrote:



I don't know if you can ever really recover since the material is

basically shot at this stage and not far off losing structural integrity.



I've got the outer skin of a Nikon D200 in that state



--

Adrian C

You can get body armour for cameras

On 17/08/2012 20:06, HellyB wrote:
We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch. Washing up liquid and other
gentle cleaners have had no effect.

Any other possible ways of removing the stickiness? (Apart from angle
grinders, of course).


Talcum powder

--
mailto:news{at}admac(dot}myzen{dot}co{dot}uk

"HellyB" wrote in message
...
We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch. Washing up liquid and other
gentle cleaners have had no effect.

Any other possible ways of removing the stickiness? (Apart from angle
grinders, of course).

--
Ian

Yes.
Get a life.

Not really, its the demise of the material. I had some so called rubber
soled shoes that went this way.
You may be able to seal it for a while I suppose but the rubber eventually
degrades to a kind of gooey liquid.
Brian

--
--
From the sofa of Brian Gaff -

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"HellyB" wrote in message
...
We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch. Washing up liquid and other
gentle cleaners have had no effect.

Any other possible ways of removing the stickiness? (Apart from angle
grinders, of course).

--
Ian

"HellyB" wrote:
We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch. Washing up liquid and other
gentle cleaners have had no effect.

Any other possible ways of removing the stickiness? (Apart from angle
grinders, of course).

--
Ian

I removed the gunge on my rubberised binoculars with neat washing up liquid
but it took me an hour or so of repeated treatments. I smeared the washing
up liquid on and left it to soak in for about 10 minutes then rubbed it off
with a cloth also soaked in neat washing up liquid, and kept repeating that
until all the gunge came away. That was about a year ago, I have just
checked them and they are still gunge-free.

On Friday, August 17, 2012 8:06:46 PM UTC+1, HellyB wrote:
We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has

recently become quite sticky to the touch. Washing up liquid and other

gentle cleaners have had no effect.



Any other possible ways of removing the stickiness? (Apart from angle

grinders, of course).



--

Ian

I had same problem with Sigma. Used surgical spirit to remove coating altogether - took a while but binos now useable albeit minus rubberised coating.

On 28/02/2014 17:05, wrote:
On Friday, August 17, 2012 8:06:46 PM UTC+1, HellyB wrote:
We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has

recently become quite sticky to the touch. Washing up liquid and other

gentle cleaners have had no effect.



Any other possible ways of removing the stickiness? (Apart from angle


Talcum powder


--
mailto:news{at}admac(dot}myzen{dot}co{dot}uk

wrote in message
...
On Friday, August 17, 2012 8:06:46 PM UTC+1, HellyB wrote:
We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has

recently become quite sticky to the touch. Washing up liquid and other

gentle cleaners have had no effect.



Any other possible ways of removing the stickiness?

I had same problem with Sigma. Used surgical spirit to remove coating
altogether - took a while

it took you a year and a half i presume?

Yes the rubber, or synthetic material, leaches out after a while. Things
that have gone this way here are
Pressure rollers on some cassette decks
Shoe soles
Electric shaver covers
some tv fly lead covers
Likewise 1970s tv camera cables.


It seems that the plasticiser eventually leaches out turning the material
to a collection of dusty bits covered in gunge.
Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
wrote in message
...
On Friday, August 17, 2012 8:06:46 PM UTC+1, HellyB wrote:
We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has

recently become quite sticky to the touch. Washing up liquid and other

gentle cleaners have had no effect.



Any other possible ways of removing the stickiness? (Apart from angle

grinders, of course).



--

Ian

I had same problem with Sigma. Used surgical spirit to remove coating
altogether - took a while but binos now useable albeit minus rubberised
coating.

replying to HellyB , Heather wrote:
hellyb wrote:

We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch. Washing up liquid and other
gentle cleaners have had no effect.
Any other possible ways of removing the stickiness? (Apart from angle
grinders, of course).


I had the same problem and got it off very easily with isopropyl alcohol -
rubbing alcohol. We had alcohol prep pads in the medicine cabinet for
first aid, so I didn't even need a trip to the store. After a little
rubbing, the surface is as good as new. Since the alcohol seemed to have a
dissolving effect, I was sure to wash the binoculars with mild soap
afterwards so that the alcohol wouldn't work on the surface longer than I
wanted it to. I hear the rubber will continue to deteriorate and get
sticky over time, so I may have to repeat the procedure in the future, but
as of right now, I saved $75 replacing the binoculars! Hope this helps!

--

Lots of things seem to suffer this problem. I had an old white cane that had
a handle you could not let go of!
As these are fairly cheap I replaced it, but it does seem certain types of
rubberised material go this way. There is also a fake leather material that
seems to suffer as well, so I guess its a plastic problem.
Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Heather" wrote in
message roups.com...
replying to HellyB , Heather wrote:
hellyb wrote:

We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch. Washing up liquid and other
gentle cleaners have had no effect.
Any other possible ways of removing the stickiness? (Apart from angle
grinders, of course).


I had the same problem and got it off very easily with isopropyl alcohol -
rubbing alcohol. We had alcohol prep pads in the medicine cabinet for
first aid, so I didn't even need a trip to the store. After a little
rubbing, the surface is as good as new. Since the alcohol seemed to have a
dissolving effect, I was sure to wash the binoculars with mild soap
afterwards so that the alcohol wouldn't work on the surface longer than I
wanted it to. I hear the rubber will continue to deteriorate and get
sticky over time, so I may have to repeat the procedure in the future, but
as of right now, I saved $75 replacing the binoculars! Hope this helps!

--

Is there any way of preventing this happening in the first place?

Regards

Syke


On 20/04/2015 20:44, Heather wrote:
replying to HellyB , Heather wrote:
hellyb wrote:

We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch. Washing up liquid and other
gentle cleaners have had no effect.
Any other possible ways of removing the stickiness? (Apart from angle
grinders, of course).


I had the same problem and got it off very easily with isopropyl alcohol -
rubbing alcohol. We had alcohol prep pads in the medicine cabinet for
first aid, so I didn't even need a trip to the store. After a little
rubbing, the surface is as good as new. Since the alcohol seemed to have a
dissolving effect, I was sure to wash the binoculars with mild soap
afterwards so that the alcohol wouldn't work on the surface longer than I
wanted it to. I hear the rubber will continue to deteriorate and get
sticky over time, so I may have to repeat the procedure in the future, but
as of right now, I saved $75 replacing the binoculars! Hope this helps!

Syke wrote

Is there any way of preventing this happening in the first place?

Not that I am aware of. I have just got a new neckband bluetooth
headset and noticed it gets a bit tacky when in the sun.

On 20/04/2015 20:44, Heather wrote:
replying to HellyB , Heather wrote:
hellyb wrote:

We have a nice pair of "rubberised" binoculars, but the "rubber" has
recently become quite sticky to the touch. Washing up liquid and other
gentle cleaners have had no effect.
Any other possible ways of removing the stickiness? (Apart from angle
grinders, of course).


I had the same problem and got it off very easily with isopropyl
alcohol -
rubbing alcohol. We had alcohol prep pads in the medicine cabinet for
first aid, so I didn't even need a trip to the store. After a little
rubbing, the surface is as good as new. Since the alcohol seemed to have
a
dissolving effect, I was sure to wash the binoculars with mild soap
afterwards so that the alcohol wouldn't work on the surface longer than I
wanted it to. I hear the rubber will continue to deteriorate and get
sticky over time, so I may have to repeat the procedure in the future,
but
as of right now, I saved $75 replacing the binoculars! Hope this helps!

replying to Heather, G_Evans wrote:
Heather wrote:

I had the same problem and got it off very easily with isopropyl alcohol -
rubbing alcohol. We had alcohol prep pads in the medicine cabinet for first
aid,
so I didn't even need a trip to the store. After a little rubbing, the
surface
is as good as new. Since the alcohol seemed to have a dissolving effect, I
was
sure to wash the binoculars with mild soap afterwards so that the alcohol
wouldn't work on the surface longer than I wanted it to. I hear the rubber
will
continue to deteriorate and get sticky over time, so I may have to repeat
the
procedure in the future, but as of right now, I saved $75 replacing the
binoculars! Hope this helps!


Thanks Heather,
I tried the Isopopyl Alcohol on my sticky binoculars and it worked
perfectly.
The sticky rubber was very easily removed and they now look like black
plastic binoculars with no rubber coating (and they seem fine now!).

Thanks for the excellent advice!

--

That liquid has loads of uses like this. I got mine from CPC.
The problem of sticky surfaces has now started to happen on the handle of
my long white cane. Seems the people who make these rubbery substances
cannot make one that lasts for more than a few years.
Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
Remember, if you don't like where I post
or what I say, you don't have to
read my posts! :-)
"G_Evans" wrote in
message oups.com...
replying to Heather, G_Evans wrote:
Heather wrote:

I had the same problem and got it off very easily with isopropyl
alcohol -
rubbing alcohol. We had alcohol prep pads in the medicine cabinet for
first
aid,
so I didn't even need a trip to the store. After a little rubbing, the
surface
is as good as new. Since the alcohol seemed to have a dissolving effect,
I
was
sure to wash the binoculars with mild soap afterwards so that the alcohol
wouldn't work on the surface longer than I wanted it to. I hear the
rubber
will
continue to deteriorate and get sticky over time, so I may have to repeat
the
procedure in the future, but as of right now, I saved $75 replacing the
binoculars! Hope this helps!


Thanks Heather,
I tried the Isopopyl Alcohol on my sticky binoculars and it worked
perfectly. The sticky rubber was very easily removed and they now look
like black
plastic binoculars with no rubber coating (and they seem fine now!).

Thanks for the excellent advice!
--

Brian-Gaff wrote

That liquid has loads of uses like this. I got mine from CPC.

The problem of sticky surfaces has now started to happen on the handle of
my long white cane. Seems the people who make these rubbery substances
cannot make one that lasts for more than a few years.

Plenty of mine have.

"G_Evans" wrote in
message oups.com...
replying to Heather, G_Evans wrote:
Heather wrote:

I had the same problem and got it off very easily with isopropyl
alcohol -
rubbing alcohol. We had alcohol prep pads in the medicine cabinet for
first
aid,
so I didn't even need a trip to the store. After a little rubbing, the
surface
is as good as new. Since the alcohol seemed to have a dissolving effect,
I
was
sure to wash the binoculars with mild soap afterwards so that the
alcohol
wouldn't work on the surface longer than I wanted it to. I hear the
rubber
will
continue to deteriorate and get sticky over time, so I may have to
repeat
the
procedure in the future, but as of right now, I saved $75 replacing the
binoculars! Hope this helps!


Thanks Heather,
I tried the Isopopyl Alcohol on my sticky binoculars and it worked
perfectly. The sticky rubber was very easily removed and they now look
like black
plastic binoculars with no rubber coating (and they seem fine now!).

Thanks for the excellent advice!
--