Sticky tool handles

[rtbickel]

Anyone know of a fix for tolls that have been unused and sitting in an uncooled/unheated garage for a couple of years (in this case a heat gun and a couple of screwdrivers) where the handles or casings have become sticky and leave a residue the color of the plastic all over your hands?

[berniebee]

Are you sure it's the heat? No way it's the cold. (Hey, I'm from Ottawa, I know cold!  )   Is there possibly an open solvent container in your garage and the fumes are attacking the plastic?

[rtbickel]

No solvents nearby - heat gun in its case in a cabinet and screwdrivers in a drawer in the too0lbox

[LowRyter]

Clean it with WD40 and Awesome?  Or just get some new screwdrivers?

[normzone]

Many plastics begin their life as oil, and some of them want to return to that state.

Some plastics more so than others, and probably environmental factors encourage or discourage that. If solvents and UV light are not factors, then I'm out of psuedo wisdom to dispense, but I've experienced the same problem before. It doesn't seem to be universal, but more batch based.

[Craig in Alabama]

I've successfully de-stickied things like remote controls by wiping them down with a rubbing alcohol soaked cloth.
Might work with your tools.

Cheers!
Craig

[Kiwi_Roy]

Try taking a tablespoon of flour in your hand and work it into the sticky mess it may be enough to neutralize the stickiness

[pressureangle]

I use 3M adhesive remover if they're that bad. Sometimes it leaves them hard, sometimes it returns them to supple and mostly smooth. There's no good answer to this, the steering wheel restoration people consider this a holy grail.

[Dirk_S]

Maybe PlastiDip ‘em?

[Rich A]

Depending on the size, you might try some heat shrink tubing (that does come in large sizes).

Rich A

[billgilbert]

I like the flour idea except that something will probably decide to eat it, like mold/mildew. I would use something talc based , especially if you can get an unmedicated talc powder. I have rollers on my kayak rack that got gummy, used white gas carefully outdoors, (aka naptha, Coleman fuel,) and lotsa rags to remove a layer of goo. Wore exam gloves for that.

[Don G]

A shot of Brake Clean on a rag, give them a quick wipe.  DonG

[rtbickel]

Thanks for all of the responses, I guess I will start at the top and keep going until something works.  Got alcohol swabs, goo-gone and Coleman fuel

[TOMB]

I'm in the same condition and situation trying to unstick The Edge molding on a Vetter fairing.I've had some success with Goo Gone paint thinner WD-40 rubbing alcohol simple green purple Power but I'm still looking for the one that will take me to the final step so it's not sticky at all on the Vetter it's the side molding that runs down each side has Chrome strip in it my other Vetter doesn't have the problems this bike was an Eldorado that I pulled out of a garage and trying to get it resurrect to get it back on the road so it's sst in let's just say various circumstances in a shed any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

TOMB

[Mike Craven]

Are they a rubberoid type finish for grippiness?  Look up Ferrari sticky control button issue for ideas.  (Why I don't buy Ferraris.)

[V7Record]

I just had a spotting scope that went sticky.  It had the rubberized finish and my google search of the problem with binoculars led me to use rubbing alcohol.  It was messy and took a few paper towels and rubber gloves but I got it clean after an hour or so.  It pretty much removed the rubberizing and left the hard plastic base material.  At least it's usable now.

[sidecarnutz]

A tall can of tool handle Plasti Dip. The handles have broken down chemically. Lots of cheap plastics these days "recycle" themselves, unfortunately.

Dip, hang to dry overnight and then do it again a day later. That liquid vinyl will cure over top the surface and feel much better. I've use dthat stuff ro twenty years. A double dip holds up very well!