ArmorAll on rubber switch boots?
- Thread starter eh4
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Empire
Banned
The question is..... WHY?
aerospace, that sounds good.. .
because some rubber switch boots have exhibited cracking in the past.. . I'm thinking ozone/oxidation.
Vinniec5
Enlightened
303 is excellent on all rubber/gskts/weatherstrips and will protect it from the sun, something Armor all hasn't done in a long time, since they started thinning it out. It was very good when it came out , now some other company owns it and started cutting corners
Yoda4561
Flashlight Enthusiast
I use 303 on an irregular basis. I like it better than armor all, but either one, use sparingly say once a month or less. Armor all and 303 look similar, smell similar, etc so don't be surprised if you get some and think "this is just like armorall". Why Armor All seems to have issues I'm not sure, I'm half convinced it's just because folks tend to use too much of it or try and use it to revive something that's beyond saving, I've done both in the past and had the same cracking issues.
I'm inclined to agree with either ozone/oxidation or flex fatigue. I had an auto detailing book that suggested once you start applying poly-penetrates to something like a dash you have to keep applying it on more frequent basis. That seemed to be my experience in the mid nineties. To be fair, the book is probably over 20 years old and formulations might have changed. The 303 sounds interesting. Never tried any of these products on my flashlights. I would trust Meguiar's or 303 over Armor All.
303 Protectant vs. Armor All
Any Problems with Armor All Protectant?
Is Armor All Bad?
Back in the old analog recording days, TEAC had a rubber pinch roller cleaner and rejuvenator and it was pretty amazing on pinch rollers. Mixed results on other rubber products. It slowly dissolved some rubber feet on one audio electronics component.
It might be worth keeping retired rubber switch boots around as guinea pigs.
303 Protectant vs. Armor All
Any Problems with Armor All Protectant?
Is Armor All Bad?
Back in the old analog recording days, TEAC had a rubber pinch roller cleaner and rejuvenator and it was pretty amazing on pinch rollers. Mixed results on other rubber products. It slowly dissolved some rubber feet on one audio electronics component.
It might be worth keeping retired rubber switch boots around as guinea pigs.
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fyrstormer
Banned
Armor All is completely useless under all circumstances I've ever tried it. The only thing it does is make plastic look shiny until it rubs off on your hands. I don't know about you, but there are already enough things in this world that will give me cancer, I don't need to willingly expose myself to another one that doesn't even do anything useful.
When a switch boot wears out, replace it. Use silicone whenever possible, assuming there are even any butyl-rubber switch boots still available. Silicone will last a very long time because it's chemically inert and nothing biological can degrade it.
When a switch boot wears out, replace it. Use silicone whenever possible, assuming there are even any butyl-rubber switch boots still available. Silicone will last a very long time because it's chemically inert and nothing biological can degrade it.
Yoda4561
Flashlight Enthusiast
And on that note, I wouldn't use either 303 or armor all on a silicone boot. The primary "protectant" in armor all is a silicone emulsion, 303's is classified as a trade secret/proprietary or something but I imagine it's not too far removed. While silicones tend not to react with each other the way petroleum/synthetic rubbers do with solvents and oils derived from the same source(the rubber gets softened, like mixes with like and all that), there's no reason to use a protectant on a silicone rubber boot anyways.
fyrstormer
Banned
My experience with silicone windshield wipers is that they "leak" silicone fluid in tiny amounts for years, keeping my windshield looking freshly Rain-X-ed all the time. As far as I know, the silicone used in flashlight switch covers is the same stuff, meaning its liquid component will continue to rejuvenate the solid component without any outside interference from the user.
T45
Enlightened
That reflects my small experience with Armor All also. Once you START using it, you better keep using, and rather frequently at that.
The 303 does sound interesting. Hope someone out there has some experience with it they can share. The rubber boot on my Surefire E2L has started showing some cracks and I would like some options to repair. Probably should just get it replaced.
The 303 does sound interesting. Hope someone out there has some experience with it they can share. The rubber boot on my Surefire E2L has started showing some cracks and I would like some options to repair. Probably should just get it replaced.
Yoda4561
Flashlight Enthusiast
Once it starts cracking then no preservative is going to help it, time for a new boot.
Vesper
Enlightened
Surefire will help you out, no questions asked. Contact them.
Just to clarify the Armorall issues mentioned several times above:
The reason you find armorall, and similar "rejeuvenators" seem to lead to cracking, and/or once you start using them, you have to keep using them, etc..is that they work by migrating the plasticizers to the surface. This means drawing plasticizers from deeper down, up to the material's surface.
As you deplete the surface plasticizers, and progressively deplete the deeper plasticizers, the material (Which needs the plasticizers in the formula to provide plasticity/flexibility, etc...) becomes progressively more brittle...hence, cracks more easily, etc.
When you start using it, the added surface plasticity, etc makes the finish look shinier and newer...but, its like licking your lips when they feel dry....eventually, they get chapped.
The reason you find armorall, and similar "rejeuvenators" seem to lead to cracking, and/or once you start using them, you have to keep using them, etc..is that they work by migrating the plasticizers to the surface. This means drawing plasticizers from deeper down, up to the material's surface.
As you deplete the surface plasticizers, and progressively deplete the deeper plasticizers, the material (Which needs the plasticizers in the formula to provide plasticity/flexibility, etc...) becomes progressively more brittle...hence, cracks more easily, etc.
When you start using it, the added surface plasticity, etc makes the finish look shinier and newer...but, its like licking your lips when they feel dry....eventually, they get chapped.
