Rubber

[Peter Wiking]

As Matt replyed i might as well post the question again in shorter version. How can i stop wartime rubber from deteriorate ?

Thanks.
Peter

[Matt Starr]

Peter,
Silicone oil
Matt

[Mat Holloway]

Matt, could you keep an item made of rubber inflated for a long period of time?

[Matt Starr]

l

[Mat Holloway]

Cheers matt,
i had my suspicions that this could be not a good idea! Seen what resembles a pioneer boat and thought that it would be quite a good thing to display my pioneer in but i'll have a good think about it now

[Nick B]

Does Silicone oil also stop rubber that has started cracking and going (well for a lack of a better word) gooey ? I have a british gas mask that was sticking to the box in part when it arrived. Would never have brought it if I had seen how bad it was first but if I can save it I would like to.

Cheers

Nick

[Matt Starr]

;

[Nick B]

Cheers Matt for the reply, I'll be keen to hear how you get on.

Thanks
Nick

[Matt Starr]

j

[Nick B]

Hi Matt

Thanks, Let me know how it goes, (before and after pics might be interesting?)
I might put some talc on this gas mask in the mean time see if it slow down the process.

Cheers
Nick

[Lucky Duck]

Keep sunlight and cigarette smoke away from old rubber. Had a friend who constantly smoked at WW2 oxygen masks in his collection. Within a few years, his started to crack and crumble, while mine stayed factory fresh. He's liable to get cancer too.

Silicone seems like a good idea. Automotive stores here sell Armorall, its a restorative for car tires and dashboards, IIRC, its silicone based. Makes my dash look great, feels a bit slick for a few days tho!

Ray

[Matt Starr]

x

[Jos L C]

I've read,heard...,that natural (old) rubber should be treated by talcum powder only and that nowadays "un-natural" rubber should be treated by both talc or silicon products ,because not all rubber products are the same...

Lucky..,
I know someone who bought a Luft O2 mask in good condition and after a while it started to crumble,what a pity,it was a early type ...,this man was a non-smoker and the rest of the family too...,he also kept it in the dark..
I think it might have something to do with enviroment,temperature,whatever..,but on the other hand he owns another 7 O2 masks and they're still fine...
Think it's something starting from inside,a certain process caused by ???

Bottomline:
All old rubber items are tiny timebombs,don't invest too much in these,it's only a matter of time !!
But what we've we've too treat,that's a fact..

Jos.

[Nick B]

Thanks again, Seeing as this mask is a pretty common british one I might try both in parts and see what happens (Not going out to destroy it, It's doing that itself, could be an interesting test piece),
Cheers for the update
Nick

[SvenWittnebel]

Silicone oil is good for items You want to use some time again, but for a collection of rubber made items it's better to store them into a sealed display (an old fish tank f.e.?) and use then a special oxygene absorbing chemical inside the tank as oxygene is the main agressor.

http://www.cwaller.de/english.htm?ox...tm~information