Cheap retrobrighting.

[fossala]

I just got a fk-555 with box and manual. It's got blue alps clicky alps switches and lovely to type on. Shame is that it is badly yellowed, other than that it doesn't look like it has been used. Can anyone tell me a good cheap way to retrobright it, I live in the UK so sunlight isn't always an option.

[mintberryminuscrunch]

i'm going to try this http://www.ebay.de/itm/261006431665 next

[fossala]

Will you just put keycaps/case straight into that?

[kbdfr]

[…] I live in the UK so sunlight isn't always an option.

[mbodrov]

I hear you, where I live we get maybe 2 or 3 days each year which aren't fully overcast. But clouds don't block UV completely, the retrobright process will still happen, at a much slower speed. If you don't absolutely have to have the keyboard ASAP, this is arguably a good thing, as there's almost no danger of overdoing it. Standard household fluorescent lamps also work.

[fossala]

How long would it take? What happens if you over do it?

[mbodrov]

If you overdo it: http://retr0bright.wikispaces.com/Problems+and+Pitfalls

Depending on how strong the UV is, retrobrighting may take days or weeks, but you'll get the desired result eventually.

[RC-1140]

I remember we had a lengthy retr0bright discussion on this forum already, so I'm not going to repeat myself, but the great thing about the mixture these guys developed was about a chemical called TAED, which is part of this "Oxy-Cleaners". So if you mixed a little Oxy-Cleaner powder into this H₂O₂ cream, it should enhance the process by a lot.

I get a little bit annoyed when everybody talks about Retr0brighting, and by that means "bleaching the stuff in a big tub of pure H₂O₂.

[mintberryminuscrunch]

Will you just put keycaps/case straight into that?

I have no experience with it. a new user here posted about this stuff a couple of days ago (and there was a discussion on gh about it, back when ripster was a member)
I'll probably will use it like paint, and remoisture it from time to time ....

[webwit]

I pulled out a white Filco today (the "original" Otaku), and I was shocked. Slight yellowing! It has been in a box!

In original state:

Spoiler:

[002]

If you don't get much sunlight you could use Blacklight bulbs.
That's what I used to remove yellowing from one of the Sony NEWS boards I have.

[IvanIvanovich]

I've just been using the developer for hair bleaching lately. It's around 30% peroxide strength so it works pretty fast. Restored some nicotine yellow Cherry keycaps to original white color overnight. Overnight means it was dark... and it still work this quickly. If you go this route make sure to separate any beige or grey modifiers into their own container as they only seemed to have needed a few hours. Check regularly the progress every few hours to avoid getting the bleached look where color loss start to happen. Not only that but it can start to make the plastic become chalky if left too long.

[mintberryminuscrunch]

yesterday I applied the stuff previously linked
placed it outside, but there hasn't been any sunshine (and now it's even snowing)
no visible progress, maybe it needs more time (or the cheap stuff sucks)

[Input Nirvana]

STOP EVERYTHING.

You guys obviously missed a GH ridiculously huge megathread where myself and a few other people tried and discovered the cheapest, safest method of whitening yellowed keyboards.

THE FACTS:

We
Used
Oxy-Clean (or a generic brand)

Concentration: The weakest mixture I used was 2 times stronger than the strongest mix they suggested on the box. I bet it would work at an even weaker mix. I started much stronger and kept making it weaker and weaker in steps. You just mix in water, it stays active for about 6 hours max, after that the chemicals are reacted out. Submerge that shit.

The cost: Pennies.

We had pics, observations, comparisons, etc. It was massive and just under a year ago.

Period.

[002]

Oxy-Clean plus Hydrogen Peroxide you mean?
I don't understand how Oxy-Clean by itself would work. The only reason it's in the Retr0Bright recipe is to accelerate the process.

[Input Nirvana]

That's what someone else said, it just accelerates the process.

I now say: EGG-zactly!

What is the ingredient that does the whitening? H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) What does Oxy (or generic) do in water? Becomes liquid H2O2. The Retrobrite recipe became invalidated when we discovered this.

Don't argue, just do it. It costs pennies, it easy, and safe.

EDIT-
I'm not speculating, repeating what someone else did. A group of us all worked on several experiments over weeks and evolved it to the simple truth that if you just use the Oxy and water...the weakest I remember we used was 2 times the strongest on the container....it works.

[forcefollow]

I get a little bit annoyed when everybody talks about Retr0brighting, and by that means "bleaching the stuff in a big tub of pure H₂O₂.

but that's the original method of removing the yellowing :p ...

STOP EVERYTHING.

You guys obviously missed a GH ridiculously huge megathread where myself and a few other people tried and discovered the cheapest, safest method of whitening yellowed keyboards.

THE FACTS:

We
Used
Oxy-Clean (or a generic brand)

Concentration: The weakest mixture I used was 2 times stronger than the strongest mix they suggested on the box. I bet it would work at an even weaker mix. I started much stronger and kept making it weaker and weaker in steps. You just mix in water, it stays active for about 6 hours max, after that the chemicals are reacted out. Submerge that shit.

The cost: Pennies.

We had pics, observations, comparisons, etc. It was massive and just under a year ago.

Period.

I beg to differ in term of cost.

in US, yes, the cost of obtaining oxy clean as either the source of Hydrogen or catalyst will be cheaper, but not here. It costs me only half euro (60 cents dollar) to obtain a liter of 50% (yes, fifty percent, not 50 volume) hydrogen peroxide, whereas oxy clean would cost me four to seven times that per 300 gr (containing >35% sodium percarbonate and >25% sodium carbonate as the label says).

Oxy-Clean plus Hydrogen Peroxide you mean?
I don't understand how Oxy-Clean by itself would work. The only reason it's in the Retr0Bright recipe is to accelerate the process.

it should and it does for me.

Oxy - clean active ingredient is sodium percarbonate and sodium carbonate, which, in water, will be a source of hydrogens needed for replacing the bromine atom thingie.

The retr0bright recipe mainly use oxy-clean for source of TAED, hence only small amount is used.

as IN stated above, he used it in much more concentrated form for 'bleaching' itself. It worked for me too.

I know not how to calculate approximation of Hydrogen peroxide oxidation strength as to create mixture comparable to oxy-clean alone, but IN is right, twice the strongest solution would work fine.


EDIT: I didn't see IN's last post.. well, mine is same as his..

[Input Nirvana]

I only know the cost in the U.S....obviously. For the record I used a 'generic' form of Oxy-Clean, which means an 'off-brand' or 'in house' brand which was half the price. Crazy since it's the same EXACT STUFF. Not like there's a different quality level.

But since everyone now understands the principle of what makes the whitening work...it doesn't matter how you get there...but you will probably want to choose the cheapest, easiest, safest, and cleanest method.

[forcefollow]

^exactly

now, I believe I have several yellowed boards stashed somewhere..
will try several alternatives and report back

[Input Nirvana]

TAKE BEFORE AND AFTER PICS!!
No one believes until they see.
Kinesis top case in oxy-clean and water ONLY, bottom case untouched.

[forcefollow]

oh, well, this is my compaq -NMB rubber dome (my clusterfu**k back in 7bit's thread)

I should've been satisfied with this result after 12 hours.

[fossala]

So it will be fine to use on pad printing?

[mintberryminuscrunch]

So it will be fine to use on pad printing?

does yours have the Ctrl<->Caps Lock switch jumper?

[mintberryminuscrunch]

so after a couple of days in, what I would call, English weather there is some noticeable progress

IMG_1006.JPG (518.38 KiB) Viewed 7309 times

you can see the edge of where the stuff was applied

edge.jpg (90.69 KiB) Viewed 7309 times

but overall I have to say, that, while it is good for
-availability
-price
it sucks for
- handling


ps.
these are printed focus key caps (just like yours)

[forcefollow]

So it will be fine to use on pad printing?

as long as you don't overdo it, yes. I'll post the pics of overdone bleaching when I got back. Some of the prints seemed to wear off

@mintsberryminuscrunch:What sucks on your part of handling? Is it irritative to your skin or is it simply inconvenient due to its liquid nature?

[Input Nirvana]

The one question we never answered because we spent all our yellow plastics on determining the oxy-only and oxy strength mixtures:

Will the oxy (or generic) work WITHOUT uv light?

Your clothes get white in the washing machine without uv light, but that's different in the fact you aren't replacing the bromine molecules...

[forcefollow]

I'm not sure I follow.. WITHOUT UV light at all will be akin to complete darkness or isolated spectrum from certain lamps.
Is that what you mean?

or will it work with no direct UV source?

I'm starting a new bleaching project on model M case and caps tomorrow. So I'll give any of the above a shot.

[Input Nirvana]

All of us using the oxy-only had the keyboards+oxy outside for uv exposure. At least a dozen tries between the 4 of us. To the best of my knowledge no one did oxy-only indoors without the sun (overcast or not), or with other uv sources.

[forcefollow]

Ok, indoor oxy only compared with outdoor oxy only as control is what I'll do tomorrow then.

considering I use oxy clean, what concentration would you suggest I start with?

@fossala:
is it ok to post my before/after results here or should I start another thread? I'm starting to feel like I'm threadjacking.. I hope it's only me, though.

[Input Nirvana]

The weakest solution that I used was the strongest mixture shown on the container and a doubled it. Keep in mind I actually started with using 5-10 times that amount and each time used less and less until I ran out of yellow plastic.

I would try the strongest solution shown on the container. I have a feeling that will work. If it doesn't I know that doubling that amount worked great. All my items were completely submerged in the oxy-water mix. Remember, there is a limited time to the reaction....it oxidizes and is totally 'used up' after 6 hours maximum. So leaving it for days does nothing.

*** I don't think this thread is highjacked....I believe this is what Fossala is asking.***