Sticky T21

[Rex]

Happy new year one and all,

I have a couple of ageing T21 laptops which I really like. (in fact, I like the TP keyboard so much that I bought the UltraNav full sized keyboard for my desktop!)

However, the soft touch, rubberised surface of the laptops has become very sticky and horrible to touch. Is there any way to remove this thin coating? Some kind of paint remover?

Thanks

Rex

[Neil]

Here you go: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=115421

[RealBlackStuff]

This solution is better: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=121754

[Rex]

Thanks for the links.. I have too many expired credit cards so guess I now have a use for them!

Will try to get some rubbing alcohol but here in the UK, it probably won't be easy; most likely at prohibited substance!

[brchan]

I will add that the card method will give great results done properly. However, in my case the rubber finish was a bit more stubborn than I thought it would be (it wasn't in too bad of condition, and was only mildly sticky). Took me a few hours and a couple of cards.

[kfzhu1229]

Is there some way to avoid the rubber coating being sticky? I have a T23 which was rested almost all the time and its rubbery shell looks even better than my T530!! Does just merely resting it in peace work?

[Rex]

I did buy my TP's as used, many years ago. They were in good condition with no evidence of rubber damage or missuse. I only used them on the desktop desktop until I finally decided that I needed a larger screen and more computing resources.

So for the past X years, they have been in a cupboard, in the normally heated part of the house. When they were put away, the rubber was just fine; when I used one of them a few weeks ago, the rubber was sticky on both of them.

Good storage does not appear to reduce the stickiness happening, or more specifically, a lot of usage has not necessarily caused it. Personally, I think it happens due to c**p manufacturing and a design life expectancy built in. The rubber tyres on my car don't get sticky!

[kfzhu1229]

I would say if you put that in the heated part that may cause the problem. Rather mine was put rest in peace at my high school for most of its life under a cool shelf (minimal thermal cycling) with something on the top that took care of all the dirt so aside from a few scratches on the lid and a crack on the bottom left of its base + palmrest it is flawless

[Rex]

You may be right but I wouldn't say that it was in a part of the house that was any warmer than any other part of the house. I would only have received the normal warming/cooling cycle that any laptop sitting on a office desk for X years would receive.

Of course, the flaw in that argument is that an office would renew their laptops more frequently than I do. So an office laptop is unlikely to ever experience stickiness occuring unless some oike spills his hot chocolate over it!

[RealBlackStuff]

I have 4 T23 machines plus a few spare lids.
All of them are stored in a cupboard in my office and have been there for at least 5 years.
Only 1 lid got sticky so far (the one I posted about).
I just checked their origins, the 3 'good' ones were Made in Mexico in 2001 and 2002, the sticky one was Made in China in 2003.
That should answer your question...

[Rex]

Mine both say 'Made in the UK' which is quite surprising. Bet they got they got the paint from China!

[Kasm279]

I've a T23 that feels slightly grippy to the touch, but if I stack another ThinkPad on top it'll stick slightly. It was manufactured in Mexico.

And if you think the T2x machines have good keyboards, you should try a 600 series.