Thinkpads Forum

Besides replacing the palmrest cover, how do you guys deal with wearing out the area around the fingerprint reader?
I would guess the constant rubbing on the plastic around the reader would result in shininess. I'm noticing a slight change in the plastic texture at the top and bottom of the reader on my X200.

Thanks.

How does one deal with it? Ignore it is the only thing I can come up with, it's just a fact of life.

Put tape around the area or wash your hands more often. It's the grease eating the plastic. But your question is like how can I prevent the tires on my car from wearing out eventually. Don't drive?

marlinspike wrote:How does one deal with it? Ignore it is the only thing I can come up with, it's just a fact of life.

I totally agree with you. Life is like that. You can't resist but adapt to it.

Ok thanks.
I guess I'll wash my hands and deal with it.
Might try tape or even some thin pieces of felt around the reader.

BTW what I do is use Post-It notes. That is how I know its caused by greasy fingers. After a few weeks one can tell. So just toss it and use a new one.

Really it's a combination of things. Yes, oils do break down plastics, and your hand oils will do this. At the same time, your fingers are fairly abrasive. You can actually deburr the edge of a knife on your fingertips.

I really don't see how a post-it note or tape is a solution. Surely that makes it look worse than the shininess, and the only complaint one could have about the shininess is cosmetic. Honestly, you bought the laptop to use it, so why not just use and enjoy it?

Braddah, I'm not the one obsessed with the plastic. BTW, I use my TP at a sushi bar I frequent and sometimes its impractical to wash hands so I use Post-It notes while I'm there eating. Maybe its the wasabi eating into the plastic. As I said its like tires. You are going to drive or get a car to keep it in the garage?

GrandMasterKhan wrote:Braddah, I'm not the one obsessed with the plastic. BTW, I use my TP at a sushi bar I frequent and sometimes its impractical to wash hands so I use Post-It notes while I'm there eating. Maybe its the wasabi eating into the plastic. As I said its like tires. You are going to drive or get a car to keep it in the garage?

I was speaking more theoretically than anything, using "you" where one ought to use "one."

On the car, funny story, my dad's neighbor had a Corvette Z06 he never drove. Drove it maybe once a month, but other than that it stayed in the garage. One day he came back to it after more than a month of not seeing it (it's an underground car park) and there were fluids everywhere, more than one type had leaked. So much for not driving it.

No problem braddah, no harm no foul. Some people are obsessive about their cars and toys. Can understand. BTW, if one doesn't drive a car often enough and leaves it garaged the tires can flatten. Not in an air sense but they may no longer be round and its a saftey issue.

For the OP, here is your "condom" for your TP.

http://www.protectcovers.com/index.php/ ... ector.html

GrandMasterKhan wrote:No problem braddah, no harm no foul. Some people are obsessive about their cars and toys. Can understand. BTW, if one doesn't drive a car often enough and leaves it garaged the tires can flatten. Not in an air sense but they may no longer be round and its a saftey issue.

For the OP, here is your "condom" for your TP.

http://www.protectcovers.com/index.php/ ... ector.html

Thanks. I think that only protects the keyboard though.

For the record, I am not anal about keeping my tp in pristine condition. It's a tp, designed to take abuse.
I just wanted to know if and how people did anything to protect the fingerprint area.

Thanks for everyone's feedback.

I think they have ones that protect the KB and palm rest.