Remove rubber adhesive from old chips (1 Viewer)

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

A few of my Dragonara Palace chips have a clear rubber adhesive on them. I suspect someone long ago may have glued them to a display board as the adhesive is only on one side of each of three chips. I've tried all sorts of picking, peeling and rubbing to try and remove it. I've gotten some of it off, but there are still bits and pieces, as well as a thin transparent film covering parts of the hot stamp in the middle. I suspect it's going to require some type of chemical cleaning, but I don't want to just experiment. Anyone have any ideas as to the best products to try first that won't damage the hot stamps or the chip itself. Maybe non-acetone NPR? These are very old - from the late 60s to early 70s. but otherwise in excellent condition. Produced by BC Wills.

 

[ekricket]

Have you tried warm water and soap in case it’s elmers glue? If it was glued in the 60-70’s it’s probably either elmers or rubber cement. There wasn’t a lot of glue choices back then.

 

[Colquhoun]

I'd be scared that the solvent needed to remove the adhesive is exactly the kind that also removes or destroys the foil in hotstamps.
If that glue is silicone, I know WD-40 is good for removing it, but I have no idea what it may do to a hotstamp.
Proceed with extreme caution.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

I knew it felt familiar, but I couldn't come up with the right description. Thanks @Colquhoun !!! I'm pretty sure it is silicone.

Definitely not Elmers. I was thinking rubber cement, but now I'm pretty sure it's silicone.

 

[Goldfish]

I use bestine to remove glue residue from old gear labels. Works very well And has not harmed any chips. I have not tried it on hot stamps thou. Maybe that will do it. I would NOT use goo gone.

 

[Colquhoun]

I knew it felt familiar, but I couldn't come up with the right description. Thanks @Colquhoun !!! I'm pretty sure it is silicone.

Definitely not Elmers. I was thinking rubber cement, but now I'm pretty sure it's silicone.

Now why would silicone feel familiar?

 

[Northern Paladin]

Maybe dumb advice. However, have you tried removing the residue with wide, sticky tape? By tapping, it is possible to remove residues of glue. Like when you remove an old label and the glue remains on the backing. In this kind of case, I don't know anything better than this solution with the adhesive tape.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

Maybe dumb advice. However, have you tried removing the residue with wide, sticky tape? By tapping, it is possible to remove residues of glue. Like when you remove an old label and the glue remains on the backing. In this kind of case, I don't know anything better than this solution with the adhesive tape.

I could see that possibly working for some of the bigger chucks that I've already broken partially free with a pick. I'd be concerned that it might also take off the foil stamps though in areas that don't have the adhesive on them.

 

[Northern Paladin]

I could see that possibly working for some of the bigger chucks that I've already broken partially free with a pick. I'd be concerned that it might also take off the foil stamps though in areas that don't have the adhesive on them.

You are probably right. I hadn't thought of that, but it's true that my proposal is crude and far from the surgical procedure you're looking for.

Either way, I'm interested in how you'll get on. Keep us informed of what's next!

 

[ekricket]

If it’s silicone then friction, rubbing and picking, are probably going to be your best bet. If you wanted the silicone you could dissolve the chip, but once it’s cured I don’t think any solvents will cut it. High heat, like a blowtorch, but that does you no good either.

I knew it felt familiar, but I couldn't come up with the right description. Thanks @Colquhoun !!! I'm pretty sure it is silicone.

Definitely not Elmers. I was thinking rubber cement, but now I'm pretty sure it's silicone.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

If it’s silicone then friction, rubbing and picking, are probably going to be your best bet. If you wanted the silicone you could dissolve the chip, but once it’s cured I don’t think any solvents will cut it. High heat, like a blowtorch, but that does you no good either.

An internet search suggested vinegar, alcohol and WD-40. I decided to try vinegar, which did nothing. Then I went ahead and tried non acetone NPR, and that seemed to break up some of it. I was still hesitant to use it on the hot stamped areas though. And I only left it on for a few minutes, then rinsed and scrubbed it all off in Dawn. I have a dental pick-like tool that I can get down into the LGK mold groves with, so between the NPR, the pick and rubbing and friction, I got about 80% of it off the one that was the worst. It looks pretty good now, but there is still a weird rubbery feel to about half the surface of the chip.

 

[ekricket]

I bet with use it will wear off

 

[philhut]

It not work but petroleum jelly or polysporin can be used to dissolve superglue.

People (mostly women) who glue their eyes shut applying fake eyelashes are helped by applying polysporin to their eyes and forcing the same under the eyelids....after a while the glue comes out in little sheets.

Good luck

 

[jdub]

People (mostly women) who glue their eyes shut

I'll take "Things that single men don't know" for $1000, Alex.

 

[Taghkanic]

For those who use Bestine, Un-Du or similar products to remove glue residue, couple of questions:

1) How do you apply it? With an eye dropper, rag, Q-tip, other?

2) Does it require scrubbing after application? Or does it effectively evaporate the residue, requiring only a rinse after?

Thanks for any advice… I have to clean up a rack of murdered chips from which I removed Gear labels. That glue is serious!

 

[upNdown]

For those who use Bestine, Un-Du or similar products to remove glue residue, couple of questions:

1) How do you apply it? With an eye dropper, rag, Q-tip, other?

2) Does it require scrubbing after application? Or does it effectively evaporate the residue, requiring only a rinse after?

Thanks for any advice… I have to clean up a rack of murdered chips from which I removed Gear labels. That glue is serious!

I’ve removed gear chips from label-overs and the glue residue easily came off the old inlays just by rubbing it with my thumb. But maybe it’s different when the old inlays have been removed?

 

[Taghkanic]

This is with Gear labels that were only added about six months ago. I was surprised at the amount of residue, since I removed them in the past without much left behind.

If I wash them with dish soap, then scrub them with toothpaste and a soft toothbrush, after drying I can rub most of any remaining glue off with my fingers dry. However, this does still leave some small crumbs unless I take a phenomenal amount of time on each chip.

The areas just inside the rims are the most difficult to clean completely. And I don’t want even a tiny amount of glue left behind, because those crumbs definitely show through vinyl labels.

 

[Colquhoun]

For those who use Bestine, Un-Du or similar products to remove glue residue, couple of questions:

1) How do you apply it? With an eye dropper, rag, Q-tip, other?

2) Does it require scrubbing after application? Or does it effectively evaporate the residue, requiring only a rinse after?

Thanks for any advice… I have to clean up a rack of murdered chips from which I removed Gear labels. That glue is serious!

Bestine on a soft cloth, tissue or paper towel. I hold it over the spout and tilt the can. When you rub it over the adhesive, the adhesive melts into the cloth. It evaporates lightning fast, no residue and no rinsing necessary.
Bestine shouldn’t eat at the chips, but test first. It may affect different colors differently.

 

[Taghkanic]

Awaiting a Bestine delivery—none available locally.

Here are some faces after a warm water soak and hand scrub with dish detergent. You can see how much glue is still left behind:

I was going to attack these with toothpaste and toothbrush, but think I’ll wait for the Bestine to arrive, since I would probably need to use it anyway.

 

[Colquhoun]

Awaiting a Bestine delivery—none available locally.

Here are some faces after a warm water soak and hand scrub with dish detergent. You can see how much glue is still left behind:

View attachment 1308812View attachment 1308813

I was going to attack these with toothpaste and toothbrush, but think I’ll wait for the Bestine to arrive, since I would probably need to use it anyway.

That looks just like the type of adhesive that Bestine devours. You may need to use it fairly liberally, but beware, it’s quite flammable …and maybe some ventilation (but I love the vapors, lol)

 

[Taghkanic]

That looks just like the type of adhesive that Bestine devours. You may need to use it fairly liberally, but beware, it’s quite flammable …and maybe some ventilation (but I love the vapors, lol)

I’ll probably work with these outside on my deck...

 

[Taghkanic]

So… Where to begin? This rack of 43mm has given me fits. I’m finally done but it’s been a real slog.

To recap, I initially gave these a hand wash with dish liquid, then a toothbrush/toothpaste scrub. But that left a ton of residue.

Next I scrubbed each inlay area with Bestine and a microfiber cloth—outdoors because the fumes are pretty serious. It took over an hour for one rack, and was pretty tedious work. I used about 80% of a 16oz can, so I wasn’t exactly being stingy with it.

The Bestine appeared to have removed a ton of residue, and I thought I was done.

However.

Rinsing them in warm water showed that in fact there was still plenty of goop left on the chips, which was not at all apparent during or immediately after the Bestine cleaning.

In desperation, I poured a couple mm of Bestine into a shallow plate and covered each side 10 at a time. (Note: unlike acetones, it doesn’t seem to alter clay colors at all.) My goal was to really soften the remainder up so I could scrub it off.

Then I did another round of tooth brushing.

Still some residue… WTF.

But what was left was indeed very soft. Scraping gently with the rounded back of a dental tool (not the sharp end) got the last of it off, with a little toothpaste added as a kind of medium. This took forever as well.

Now at last it seems I may have the cleanest murdered rack in recorded chip history.

I would like to think that the process was an anomaly—that there was just something extra strong about that batch of Gear labels. But holy crap, this became a saga for me.

 

[allforcharity]

NANPR and scraping with a small box cutter works for me. The flexible blade helps.

 

[Colquhoun]

NANPR and scraping with a small box cutter works for me. The flexible blade helps.

I have done similar with Bestine. You soak the area then scrape as much melted adhesive off, then follow up with Bestine on a cloth to get the residual.