Plastic joystick / controller rant

castun

2[H]4U
Joined
Sep 23, 2010
Messages
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A while back, I had decided to dig out my Saitek X45 joystick from the closet with the intent of using it, but then decided to try and sell it and upgrade instead. I discovered, however, that the joystick was coated with a tacky layer all over the handle, like there was something spilled on it.

Scraping it a bit with a fingernail, the coating began coming off like rubber cement boogers. I took apart the plastic handle and tried to clean it with soap and water, with no success. It actually seemed to have made it worse as the coating turned whitish and discolored. Then I tried rubbing alcohol and a lot of time and elbow grease, and while it works, it was taking too much time and effort. Whatever it was, it was pretty resilient. It also left the cleaned parts very smooth and glossy as it was just bare plastic underneath. Certainly not how it was when originally purchased.

So after a little research, I found out that many companies are using cheap glossy plastic, but then coating it with a thin layer of 'texturing agent' which basically gives it a matte finish and a slightly soft rubbery texture.

Seems that rather than using better quality plastic and molding it with a texture right into the product, it's cheaper for them to use the cheap plastic and coating. Who cares if it turns nasty after a few years? It'll be past warranty by then and you'll be forced to buy a new one or just go through the hassle of trying to clean it yourself.

Anyway, I'm tossing in the towel on trying to restore it and am going to be junking it. I've already gotten a Warthog, and I'm not going to put hours into cleaning something when I'd be lucky to get $20 out of it.

/rant

I've read plenty of other similar horror stories with various items. Just curious if others here have suffered the same fate with any controllers or peripherals.
 
Yeap this shit happens with everything I own covered in that soft touch plastic coating. Razer keyboards, old airsoft gun I had and even my own saitek joystick. It's pretty shit stuff.
 
I still have a couple of MS joysticks a sidewinder and sidewinder force feedback Pro. And also a Precision wheel.

All of them still work after like 15 years.

But even better is that they are still in great condition. The plastic still feels good, not oily or rubbery at all.

I've had several pc game pads over the years and pretty much all of them are "degradable"
 
My razer deathadder that's at leats 5 years old has this problem - its a sticky, rubbery and tacky finish that has so much crud on it that it looks fuzzy and my nostromo again from razer has the exact problem.
 
The effect you describe is a paint. The paint is "soft-paint" and comes off just as any other paint over time when left in the sun or humind conditions without protection. It's a common problem with that kind of paint and there is nothing you can do about it. How do i know? I work for a company that makes paint. And they also have a soft-paint that has the similar problem when degenerating. Often times, the manufacturers of computer equipment use cheap soft-paints that degenerates faster than the expensive type, only to save a couple cents to maximize their own profits. They do know about the problems but take it for granted because Joystics, mice etc. are items that were never meant to last years and years. They became throw away items and the quality of the finish is only important for the first 24 months.

Btw, the most excruciating test for any paint is the sun tan lotion test. Rub some of it on any paint and leave it in the sun for 2 days. It'll show you the quality of the paint....
 
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Sadly none of my stuff lasts long enough for this to become a problem. The only joystick I had that I would like to revive is my original Logitech FF (the second version was wimpy) but, among other problems, it needs a 15 pin joystick connection...do they even make those anymore? That's part of the problem in computers these things tend to become obsolete even if they were made to last. Can't think of any old mouse, for example, I'd want back (no wheel etc.). Well I do use a PS2 keyboard, but it's fairly new ;).
 
My razer deathadder that's at leats 5 years old has this problem - its a sticky, rubbery and tacky finish that has so much crud on it that it looks fuzzy and my nostromo again from razer has the exact problem.

Only thing that I have with this issue is an old, now dead, cheap Microsoft mouse. Luckily my ~3 year old X52Pro does not. OP do you live in the desert or some other area where it is exceptionally hot?
 
A while back, I had decided to dig out my Saitek X45 joystick from the closet with the intent of using it, but then decided to try and sell it and upgrade instead. I discovered, however, that the joystick was coated with a tacky layer all over the handle, like there was something spilled on it.

Scraping it a bit with a fingernail, the coating began coming off like rubber cement boogers. I took apart the plastic handle and tried to clean it with soap and water, with no success. It actually seemed to have made it worse as the coating turned whitish and discolored. Then I tried rubbing alcohol and a lot of time and elbow grease, and while it works, it was taking too much time and effort. Whatever it was, it was pretty resilient. It also left the cleaned parts very smooth and glossy as it was just bare plastic underneath. Certainly not how it was when originally purchased.

So after a little research, I found out that many companies are using cheap glossy plastic, but then coating it with a thin layer of 'texturing agent' which basically gives it a matte finish and a slightly soft rubbery texture.

Seems that rather than using better quality plastic and molding it with a texture right into the product, it's cheaper for them to use the cheap plastic and coating. Who cares if it turns nasty after a few years? It'll be past warranty by then and you'll be forced to buy a new one or just go through the hassle of trying to clean it yourself.

Anyway, I'm tossing in the towel on trying to restore it and am going to be junking it. I've already gotten a Warthog, and I'm not going to put hours into cleaning something when I'd be lucky to get $20 out of it.

/rant

I've read plenty of other similar horror stories with various items. Just curious if others here have suffered the same fate with any controllers or peripherals.

I've noticed this before on some peripherals I owned.

For joysticks, I gave up and put grip tape meant for bicycles on them. It works really well.
 
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