help... whats happening to my master replicas sabers!!!

Darthgarth

Well-Known Member
so we had some friends round at the weekend, had a few beers so I got out a couple of master replicas lightsabers so we could have a fight in the garden. I have about 6 in total, and I checked a couple and the t track is going a bit sticky. they are stored in the loft, in their boxes, in the polythene bags, exactly as they came from the shop. has anyone experienced this? does anyone know what it is and what I can do about it? if you tell me its because they are stored in boxes out of sunlight and all they need is a clean off and to be stored on a wall somewhere I will chortle with glee (however my wife will divorce me).

seriously I could do with some advice about this, I don't want them having some kind of t track rot.

thanks peeps
 
As far as I can tell its where the oil is leaving the plastic. Over time plastic breaks down and oil leaks out a little. If its bagged or in a bubble (Like action figures)Then it goes a little sticky as it cant evaporate. Sometimes a little washing up liquid helps but sometimes not and to be honest i wouldnt advise getting metal wet. Its just one of those things we cant do much about especially in star wars figures or any collection containing plastic or rubber. They may smell a little like vinegar which is also a sign the plastics going off a little. If im wrong on any of this i'd be happy to see as i've a few expensive "Sticky"Figures. Hope this helps and dont panic like I did. Everything ages .
 
Yes, the tracks are made from a TPE, a plastic type of 'rubber', which after a couple of years will break down and become sticky.
I don't think anything helps to prevent it or to reverse the process. An option is to replace the grips (with mine for example).
 
I did use rubbing alcohol on one of these and it took the tackiness off. It hasn’t returned yet and it’s been months. Just use a cotton ball with lots of alcohol.
I figure the process may continue but I’ll keep applying it until they fall off and then replace them with Roy’s tracks!
 
Yes, the tracks are made from a TPE, a plastic type of 'rubber', which after a couple of years will break down and become sticky.
I don't think anything helps to prevent it or to reverse the process. An option is to replace the grips (with mine for example).

One way to reverse the process is to carefully take them off

Throw them in the trash

Order a accurate set from wannawanga.com

;)


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I did use rubbing alcohol on one of these and it took the tackiness off. It hasn’t returned yet and it’s been months. Just use a cotton ball with lots of alcohol.
I figure the process may continue but I’ll keep applying it until they fall off and then replace them with Roy’s tracks!

Will using methylated or white spirits do the same job as alcohol?
 
I did use rubbing alcohol on one of these and it took the tackiness off. It hasn’t returned yet and it’s been months. Just use a cotton ball with lots of alcohol.
I figure the process may continue but I’ll keep applying it until they fall off and then replace them with Roy’s tracks!

Once the breakdown of the rubberized material is detected, it’s usually all that will happen. Everything I ever cleaned up such as saber grips, boomerang phaser grip, Airsoft stock butt plates, the tackiness has not returned.
 
I'm a little late, but I would recommend getting todds costumes or Roy's track and use VHB tape to keep them in place.

for the Luke ESB ones, not sure if foam tape will squish
 
I had the same problem last year on an MR Luke Ep IV Force FX.

A diving instructor friend of mine suggested cleaning them up with silicone grease that he uses for protecting O rings on his scuba gear.

It didn’t have much effect. (Will try rubbing alcohol after reading this thread.)

But I believe that a tiny amount of silicone grease may be a great preventative measure rather than a cure.

Have recently purchased some wannawanga plastic T-track that’s been cut by Nate D that I will install if all else fails.

Of course the plastic is more screen-accurate anyway.
 
I have an MR Vader hilt that I bought cheap because of the sticky grips. 10 minutes with isopropyl alcohol, Goo Gone and cotton balls and the sticky coating was gone. One year later and it's still fine.
 
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