Removing yellowing from Amigas with peroxide

[cosmicfrog]

*Geon106
If only life was so simple

[LuMan]

While shopping around for peroxide I stumbled across the stuff in the 1st picture. It was about £4 from Superdrug and is in a cream/paste form and can be brushed straight on. I think the idea is that you can brush it straight onto hair, but I'm not really sure....

Anyhoo, I tested it on a couple of keys off my old PC keyboard. I applied it neat at 4pm and cleaned it all off at about 9am the next day. I put it in my window, but there was no real sun and I'm not sure if my double-glazing filters UV or not

Either way, it worked. The pics show before and after with another key for reference. The keyboard wasn't too yellowed, but as a proof of concept it seemed to be successful. In the last pic you can definitely see the middle, untreated, key is more yellowed. I'm now doing my A600 keyboard (see my upcoming A600 project for more details in mod.hardware).

Anyway, onto the piccies:

[RMK]

Are you a guy...with a shoe fund?

[LuMan]

NOOOO!!! My secret is out!!

Would you believe me if I told you the money-pot belongs to my missus??

[kipper2k]

Hi all,

The sun finally came out so i figured i would take this opportunity to do a little bit of whitening, here is my setup







i started yesterday and results have been pretty impressive even though the temps have been about -5 deg C. A good thing is the gel doesnt dry up as fast

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by LuMan

Anyhoo, I tested it on a couple of keys off my old PC keyboard. I applied it neat at 4pm and cleaned it all off at about 9am the next day. I put it in my window, but there was no real sun and I'm not sure if my double-glazing filters UV or not

Pretty much all glass is close to a dead stop for UV.
B!

[ceedy]

Been trying this on single 600 keyboard.

first dunked keys in pot of 9% peroxide. took almost a week to whiten the whiteys plus a a couple of greys. all ended ok

Then went onto creamy paste , space bar took another coating of Cream but the rest of the greys are a mixture of almost ok and blotchy ..

All have spent about 3 days outside in bright sunlight with repeat coats of cream?

Will keep at it ..

Anyone seen a slight wrinkly texture appearing in the keys ? doing this ?.


C.

[danko]

Originally Posted by Magno Boots

BREAKING NEWS!

My A1200 has had the peroxide / oxy / bleach / UV treatment for two weeks with the following results..

Attachment 19980
Nice

Attachment 19981
Grey keys are overcooked. Don't be fooled by the keys still appearing slightly darker in the jar as they whiten whilst drying.

Attachment 19982
Comparison shot

But look at this...

Discoloured mouse soaked in strong solution of bleach and oxy only (no peroxide) for two hours on Sunday evening and left dry all day yesterday in direct sunlight.

Attachment 19983

Attachment 19984

I couldn't believe it

Hello, congratulations very good job, how did you explain exactly what you used and how much? Your result is great!

[rkauer]

I strongly discourage you to use bleach combined with "oxy": the chlorine present on the bleach will erode the plastic surface, which will become brittle and hollowed, at least in an atomic level.

Also, when it becomes yellowed again (yes, it will become yellowed again), the "new" yellowed will become impossible to cure.

Originally Posted by stefcep2

Damned right!!!! After 6 hours I have a 2 x "as new white" A1200 cases, front face for an A4000, and A4000 keyboard. The keys took longer, probably beause I put them in a jar and diluted the mix with water to cover them all. But AMAZING results.

EAB.

Hey stefcep2,

Can you advise fellow Aussies the shops and ingredients bought from them?

Thanks!

Steve

[ElectroBlaster]

Originally Posted by LuMan

While shopping around for peroxide I stumbled across the stuff in the 1st picture. It was about £4 from Superdrug and is in a cream/paste form and can be brushed straight on. I think the idea is that you can brush it straight onto hair, but I'm not really sure....

I am going to superdrug at the weekend to get some of this, my daughter and wife will be tagging along for my cover lol... means they can buy the stuff and there will be no raised eyebrows lol

I got some some keys that are insanely yellow and im hoping this stuff will at least take some of it away. I will let everyone know how it goes

[thgill]

Planning on doing this to my A1200 case as its slightly yellowed and its annoying me to no end since it now has a brand new and pristine white keyboard in it. Sticks out like a sore thumb.

Question is: How do you protect the plastic from doing it again in the future? I have seen mention of using Armour All to protect it. Does that work?

edit: Also, what about case badges? Is it ok to leave the Commodore case badge on the case? Or do I need to remove it prior to treatment?

[netagra]

Here you actually give ingredients i can find easily in Greece. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Retrofan

Hi:
I've seen this thread months ago, but never though in taking a look.
In fact the first thing I searched and found was the Retrobright page and I've never have had any problem with my combination. What I use to retrobright it is a 12%, 40 vol Schwarzkopf "Igora Royal, Colorist's color & care developer". It's hydrogen peroxide at 12%, and I payed 10€ (or it was 5€?) for a 1000ml bottle in a heardresser. The good it has is that it's like a foam/cream, so I only add a couple of drops of the hydrogen peroxide of the pharmacy at 3% and finally like a coffe spoon of Active Oxigen of the ones for washing the laundry.
As I live in Lanzarote in the Canary Islands I have sun almost always. So, I use a brush to put it and from time to time I use it again. In about 3 hours I have the keyboard absolutly white.

So, 12% is more than enough, I tell you.
Ah, another thing: Never try to retrobright the Commodore 64 keys, they will fade away (no problemo with the Amiga).

[ElectroBlaster]

Ok update time folks

Bit late posting at nearly 3am but I have only just decided to turn in for the night after doing alot of work restoring an atari st hard drive and some wiring. I grabbed 5 minutes yesterday afternoon just before dinner and painted an old scabby keytop with some of that B Blonde peroxide stuff... the keytop was in an advanced state of yellow-brown. I didnt expect much as the weather was not great but I thought what the hell its worth a go!

Lets just say im well impressed! There is a real noticable change back to the original colour, the grotty brown is fading so I reckon sticking this key out for a whole day in the sun will get it looking even better. I love how this just works, I could even see little bubbles forming on the plastic

I will get some pictures uploaded later, I have another keytop here that shows how brown it was, im defo recommending this B Blonde Peroxide stuff, the bottles are tiny but its in gel form, at £1.50 a pop its well worth it for small bits

[Toof]

Same here. I took advantage of the unseasonably good weather atm and Bblonded my A1200.

I tried one particularly yellow key as a test and was, quite frankly, amazed at the results. Just over 4 hours in bright sunlight and it was as white as the keys on a recently purchased keyboard from amigakit, which I have for another rebuild.

I've since done the case and mouse and it all looks as good as new.





Sadly I didn't take any before shots, but I'd say it was middling yellow going by others I've seen.

Thanks for the tip LuMan

[necronom]

That looks great!

So is it this?

I've been waiting for some good hot weather (it's a bit windy and not too warm at the moment, though it is sunny) before I use my Retr0bright. If I run out, this other stuff might be a good option.

[edit] I've just seen the other post further up and it's the same as my link.

[Toof]

Originally Posted by necronom

That looks great!

So is it this?

I've been waiting for some good hot weather (it's a bit windy and not too warm at the moment, though it is sunny) before I use my Retr0bright. If I run out, this other stuff might be a good option.

That's the stuff. It's a bit chilly here too, but there's absolutely no haze, so lots of lovely UV

[thgill]

Are you guys using that B Blonde stuff straight by itself, or are you still adding Oxi to it?

[Toof]

Originally Posted by thgill

Are you guys using that B Blonde stuff straight by itself, or are you still adding Oxi to it?

By itself. I was planning on using the oxy, but it didn't need it.

The Bblonde does dry after a couple of hours, so I dabbed a little more on just to keep it moist for the duration and to make sure I hadn't missed anywhere.

[Methanoid]

Originally Posted by Toof

By itself. I was planning on using the oxy, but it didn't need it.

The Bblonde does dry after a couple of hours, so I dabbed a little more on just to keep it moist for the duration and to make sure I hadn't missed anywhere.

Great but can you confirm the link earlier WAS the exact stuff as there are different packs and concentrations I think (on eBay at least).

Did you ArmorAll it after?