mold forms on cords, knobs, and tool handles

[William Sommerwerck]

There comes a time in a mans life where he becomes so intolerant
of being in the employ of actinic sphincters...

Was "actinic" the word you wanted? If you meant "flaming"... It's not really a
synonym.


"Jeff Liebermann" wrote in message

Since my personality tends to piss off everyone within range...

That's odd, because your postings are almost always good-humored.

I find it odd that you would pass judgment on your employers. It's
not nice to bite the hand that feeds you. I have worked for crooks,
liars, politicians, and marginal incompetents. I have been on good
relations with all of them. If you cannot get along with even your
worst enemy for the achievement of a common goal, you're doing
something wrong. Even the worst employer can be trained.

Your point is well-taken, but there are certain people one would not like to
work to, simply because we dislike them as human beings. I'm thinking
particularly of a certain person on "Gold Rush".

 

[The Daring Dufas]

Was "actinic" the word you wanted? If you meant "flaming"... It's not
really a synonym.

I meant it to be a play on words since "actinic" is closer to "glowing"
than "flaming". Many unpleasant people are anything but brilliant and
full of light. ^_^

It appears you were responding to me and JL at the same time.

TDD

 

[Al Schmidt]

Jeff Liebermann wrote on Fri, 01 Mar 2013 18:47:40 -0800:

I also heated some of the white stuff on a microscope slide. It melted
like plastic (burning my fingers in the process). The white stuff also
disolved nicely in acetone.

Hi Jeff,

Those were fantastic pictures. I always assumed it was mold, but, now,
I must rethink 'what' it is.

I don't remember trying acetone, but, my screwdrivers still have a
hint of the white stuff from years past, so I will try that to see.

Thank you very much for the wonderful experimental work. You're in
the top 1% of all people who THINK on this planet!

 

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

Thanks again. I'll spare you my lecture on the topic. The simple
version is from Sherlock Holmes, where Watson "sees" but does not
"observe". Plastic rot is similar in that we "see" mold, but few have
the time, abilities, and equipment to test if it's really mold.

Or in other words, another failure of the proper application of
Occam's Razor. All things being equal, the simplest explanation is that
it is mold.

The failure is that accepting the simplest explanation "it is mold"
limits the search for "all things" and some important facts are missed.

I see this all too often in computers, where people without a clue, fix
a broken system by replacing parts randomly.

If there are 5 componens in a system, replacing any one of them has a chance
of fixing the system, possibly as much as 20% and then declaring themselves
"experts".


Geoff.

 

[The Daring Dufas]

Your next mistake was growing up. ;-)

I met a cute little 4 year old girl one day and because I flirt with
gals of all ages, I asked her if she would marry me when I grow up.
The tyke looked me up and down and said "You're already grown up." to
which I replied, "You're the first girl who's ever said that to me." ^_^

TDD

 

[Dan Espen]

Or in other words, another failure of the proper application of
Occam's Razor. All things being equal, the simplest explanation is that
it is mold.

I can't believe this thread is still going on and people are still suggesting
mold. A few seconds with Google will explain the process.

Try "white powder screwdriver" and actually read a few of the posts.

Then maybe the OP will come back and report what he smells.

This was discussed here in alt.home.repair a few years ago.

 

[William Sommerwerck]

"Michael A. Terrell" wrote in message

Shotgunning is the true mark of a very poor tech. They don't
want to learn why things fail, or what parts are actually needed.

Might I respectfully semi-disagree?

I have always wanted to understand >>why<< something wasn't working correctly
before I fixed it. But as products have become more complex and harder to
troubleshoot, it seems increasingly necessary to, on some occasions, shotgun.
I don't like it, but if you're running a repair business, you have to get the
item out the door to stay in business.

If it's of any interest, I have never had a callback on anything I've
repaired. But that was in the days when virtually all electronics was composed
of discrete components you could unsolder and test, if need be.

 

[Attila Iskander]

The plastic in some tool handles will break down over a period of time.
It is just bad quality plastic. Even some other wise good tools have this
problem.
If it only some tools and always the same ones, you just have to replace
the tools when the handles fall off.

Just use that dipping handle cover.
Here's one such product
<http://www.plastidip.com/home_solutions/Plasti_Dip>
I have different tool boxes for different uses, such as electrical,
plumbing, carpentry, car, bicycle, motorbike, general, etc.
I get it in different colors, to identify which tool box or "application"
tool kit they belong to. It has really cut down on tool "evaporation". It
also has made enforcement of tool replacement to it's proper box far easier
with other family members.

 

[Al Schmidt]

Jeff Liebermann wrote on Sun, 03 Mar 2013 10:03:27 -0800:

Thanks again. I'll spare you my lecture on the topic. The simple
version is from Sherlock Holmes, where Watson "sees" but does not
"observe". Plastic rot is similar in that we "see" mold, but few have
the time, abilities, and equipment to test if it's really mold.

Hi Jeff,
I think it's a rare combination of both intelligence, wit, and
inquisitiveness, plus the rarest of all desire to help others
to answer the question, that makes you so valuable for us.

A few on alt.home.repair have that quality - but not very many
(probably a half dozen, e.g., Oren, krw,

 

[Al Schmidt]

Jeff Liebermann wrote on Sun, 03 Mar 2013 10:03:27 -0800:

Thanks again. I'll spare you my lecture on the topic. The simple
version is from Sherlock Holmes, where Watson "sees" but does not
"observe". Plastic rot is similar in that we "see" mold, but few have
the time, abilities, and equipment to test if it's really mold.

.... last post sent too soon by accident ... trying again ...

Hi Jeff,
I think it's a rare combination of both intelligence, wit, and
inquisitiveness, plus the rarest of all desire to help others
to answer the question, that makes you so valuable for us.

A few on alt.home.repair have that quality - but not very many
(probably a half dozen, e.g., Oren, Jim Elbrecht, SMS,
Trader4, Ed Pawlowski, & DerbyDad03, krw, etc.).

Plus, very few take the time and energy to post a photograph,
which, in my humble opinion, is just plain old COMMON COURTESY
when asking a question.

Some, but not all, make statements that aren't backed up
by URLs (when they should be).

And, most just drop off, without also writing up a SUMMARY
of lessons learned. Some do, but very few.

Lastly, some get downright acidic when they are confronted
with alternative information. They're the worst, of course,
because they're a cancer on the discussion.

Anyway, I, for one, greatly appreciate your efforts at figuring
this out. To my knowledge, it has never been figured out before
definitively (although I see a post that says it was discussed
in a.h.r but the poster didn't provide any URLs so we have to
look it up to see what the result was and the proof supplied).

 

[Dan Espen]

Jeff Liebermann wrote on Sun, 03 Mar 2013 10:03:27 -0800:


... last post sent too soon by accident ... trying again ...

Hi Jeff,
I think it's a rare combination of both intelligence, wit, and
inquisitiveness, plus the rarest of all desire to help others
to answer the question, that makes you so valuable for us.

A few on alt.home.repair have that quality - but not very many
(probably a half dozen, e.g., Oren, Jim Elbrecht, SMS,
Trader4, Ed Pawlowski, & DerbyDad03, krw, etc.).

Plus, very few take the time and energy to post a photograph,
which, in my humble opinion, is just plain old COMMON COURTESY
when asking a question.

Some, but not all, make statements that aren't backed up
by URLs (when they should be).

And, most just drop off, without also writing up a SUMMARY
of lessons learned. Some do, but very few.

Lastly, some get downright acidic when they are confronted
with alternative information. They're the worst, of course,
because they're a cancer on the discussion.

Anyway, I, for one, greatly appreciate your efforts at figuring
this out. To my knowledge, it has never been figured out before
definitively (although I see a post that says it was discussed
in a.h.r but the poster didn't provide any URLs so we have to
look it up to see what the result was and the proof supplied).

Here you go:

https://groups.google.com/forum/?fr...ndle/alt.home.repair/6F2DSkPIgM0/qe7WX3mCR7IJ

http://tinyurl.com/bwwkvgr

 

[Dan Espen]

That was a discussion over the Xcelite and Craftsman nutdrivers that
stink. There is nothing in that thread that I can find that even
mentions "mold" on the plastic handles. Please try to stay on topic.

The stink and the white powder are part of the same process.

Do some searches, I've already supplied working keywords.

 

[William Sommerwerck]

I've been sniffing Xcelite (and similar) tools on and off for years, and I
always assumed the odor came from the handle, not the case.

 

[[email protected]]

I've been sniffing Xcelite (and similar) tools on and off for years, and I
always assumed the odor came from the handle, not the case.

It does. The ones without a case smell just as bad (just got a bunch
of screwdrivers at work last week).

 

[The Daring Dufas]

I'll bet she said that to all the boys! ;-)

I teach my tiny girlfriends to tell a funny looking guy who asks for
their hand in marriage to reply. "I can't possibly marry you, I'm not
an ordained minister." ^_^

TDD

 

[The Daring Dufas]

Then they call you a cab?

One of my baby girlfriends sent me a picture of her daughters. I've
known her since she was a little girl and now she's 30 and has two
munchkins of her own. ^_^

TDD

 

[William Sommerwerck]

Then they call you a cab?

That joke goes back at least as far as William S Gilbert. He was tall and
authoritative-looking. A man mistook him for one of those people who stand of
hotels, and asked him to "Call me a cab".

"Very well... You're a four-wheeler."

"Wha...?"

"You said to call you a cab -- and I couldn't very well call you hansom."
(punning on handsome)

 

[The Daring Dufas]

Not yours?

No, not mine. When she was little I always asked her if she would marry
me when I grew up but she grew up to be a beautiful young woman who met
and married a handsome young man and they now have two little daughters.
The oldest is three and the youngest 7 months old. ^_^

TDD

 

[[email protected]]

Hmmm... I washed the tools and seperated the case from the tools for
a few days. I found that the odor came from the case, not the tools.
However, I did that maybe 15 years ago and only vaguely remember the
circumstances. I have some Xcelite nut drivers in a plastic case. If
they stink, I'll try the test again.

The screwdrivers have never been in a case and still smell of xcelite.
I also have a set of ~50YO Xcelite nutdrivers that still stink but
they are in a case. No white powder, though.

 

[The Daring Dufas]

You snooze, you lose! ;-)

Heck, she's like family anyway. Her late father and me were friends and
we did a lot of contracting work together so now when she and her mom
need help with something, they call me. ^_^

TDD