Sticky controllers

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VideoGameCritic
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Sticky controllers

Postby VideoGameCritic » July 28th, 2018, 4:39 pm

Displayed prominently on my game room wall is a Katana controller for this PS2 which came with the game Onimusha 3. The controller is crap (you basically just shake it to swing) but it looks like a Japanese sword so that's pretty cool.

The other day my nephew wanted to check it out so I took it off the wall, only to discover the handle was covered in a sticky residue! Today I checked the internet and I wasn't the only one that discovered this.

http://www.ign.com/boards/threads/what- ... 454790798/

Getting off the sticky stuff was really hard! I tried alcohol and Lysol wipe but they were just sticking to the controller. Finally I started making some headway with Goo Gone, but it took me a long time to get most of that off. The controller has a lot of decorative diamond indentations, as well as a lot of buttons. Anyway I got enough of it off so you could use the controller if you really wanted (fat chance). It would probably take hours to get it perfect.

I hear this is a probably with other controllers as well. I guess when they make them using various types of plastic, there's no telling how they will react 10 years after the fact.

Tron
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Re: Sticky controllers

Postby Tron » July 30th, 2018, 5:33 pm

I’ve had a couple of PS2 controllers that got sticky on the analog sticks. They were in bags or boxes so nothing got on them.

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Rev
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Re: Sticky controllers

Postby Rev » July 30th, 2018, 7:02 pm

I was going to recommend Goo Gone but then saw that you mentioned it... Pretty much for all sticky problems I always resort to Goo Gone. Weird that your controllers did that. I have never had that problem.

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Gentlegamer
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Re: Sticky controllers

Postby Gentlegamer » July 30th, 2018, 7:08 pm

The rubber on PlayStation analog sticks is notorious for this.

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Matchstick
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Re: Sticky controllers

Postby Matchstick » July 31st, 2018, 3:03 am

Might be an odd suggestion, but did you try canola oil? Don't laugh, that stuff can totally do the job as a degreaser.

I used to design a lot of custom labels for my various cartridge games, and have found that different manufacturers used different types of glue to adhere their factory labels to the carts. Usually, heat will help remove a label mostly intact, but sometimes a sticky residue layer will be left behind.

Many EA Sega Genesis games have this problem, and like you, I tried all the "usual suspects" to clean the residue to no effect. Rubbing alcohol and Goo Gone just seemed to stick in place, and dish soap only made a difference with a mass amount of scrubbing. About to give up, I looked through my kitchen cabinet and tried canola oil as a last-ditch effort. It worked! The slimy underlayer came off practically instantly.

I've since used this trick on many older EA games, as well as some Sega Sports titles, with great success. If the handle on your controller is still a little sticky, it might be worth it to give canola oil a go. I can't imagine it will make things any worse 8-)

Tron
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Re: Sticky controllers

Postby Tron » July 31st, 2018, 8:28 pm

Gentlegamer wrote:The rubber on PlayStation analog sticks is notorious for this.


Figured as much, but thanks for validating.

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Gentlegamer
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Re: Sticky controllers

Postby Gentlegamer » July 31st, 2018, 9:07 pm

Matchstick wrote:Might be an odd suggestion, but did you try canola oil? Don't laugh, that stuff can totally do the job as a degreaser.


aka rapeseed oil, an industrial lubricant

Never eat anything with canola oil in it.

Same goes for soybean oil.

Paul Campbell
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Re: Sticky controllers

Postby Paul Campbell » August 2nd, 2018, 6:24 pm

WD-40 all the way. Let it sit for about a minute.


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