Silly question…

[tmac1956]

All:

I noticed that Rodico appears to be very much like Silly Putty (or the converse). I just wonder if anyone has ever used it in lieu of Rodico? Under certain coniditions I’ve noticed that Rodico tends to adhere to tweezer tip and tiny screw threads – at least that’s been my experience. I wonder of Silly Putty would be less likely to do that…

I might pick up a little and give it a try.

Later,
Tom

[david pierce]

Tom,
If you pull up the old documentary of the Hamilton Watch Factory you can see the room where they mixed bread dough to do the job that Rodico does today. Rodico is fairly inexpensive and does not leave an oily film on the parts. Any number of products can do the same job but Silly Putty costs a lot more for the same quantity of Rodico. When the glob of Rodico becomes contaminated it needs to be thrown away so it doesn’t spread nasty goo all over the watch parts.
david

[tmac1956]

@david pierce wrote:

Tom,
If you pull up the old documentary of the Hamilton Watch Factory you can see the room where they mixed bread dough to do the job that Rodico does today. Rodico is fairly inexpensive and does not leave an oily film on the parts. Any number of products can do the same job but Silly Putty costs a lot more for the same quantity of Rodico. When the glob of Rodico becomes contaminated it needs to be thrown away so it doesn’t spread nasty goo all over the watch parts.
david

Yes… but Rodico won’t lift images from the news paper! Or maybe it will. Hmmm….

Thanks!
Tom

[tmac1956]

All:

Well, I went out and picked up the original silly putty today – I got a pretty big chunk for $1.00 plus tax. It actually works very well and doesn’t leave anything behind.

Anyway, there’s probably other stuff that works to. It’ just neat to have a chunk of this stuff that actually does more than pull up newspaper images.

Just FYI…
Tom

[david pierce]

Tom,
Does this mean that a silly question has a Silly Putty solution?

[tmac1956]

David:

That’s it!

Later,
Tom

[chris mabbott]

Tom I think it’s a good question, personally I’ve never seen the need for it, I’ve never used it because for me it has never been necessary. I don’t leave prints because I wear surgical gloves, and I’ve never had residue. Maybe it’s because I hand clean everything and inspect it more than twice, I use a toothpick or a fine brush, blower etc.

[david pierce]

Chris,
I know many times I have looked at a watch and watch parts that look clean, even with a loupe, but when I look at the same thing under a 40X microscope the parts are covered with stuff.
david

[arutha]

Rodico has been banned in some Swiss watch houses due to possibly leaving behind a residue. I have witnessed this on occasion even with new Rodico, it tends to happen more when it is “rubbed” on something. There is a place in my workshop for Rodico but if dealing with a watch I would be careful to make sure I have not left any of it behind if I do feel I have to use it.
Paul.

[gerene]

There exists also the gray “Rodico Premium” which Bergeon claims to have no risk for the cleaned pieces and to be accepted by the major watch brands (sic).
Price is not that much more expensive. I did use it and did not have any problems with it, but I must admit that I did not have any problems with the traditional green stuff either. Anyhow preventing fingerprints and oil traces is the preferred way to go

Jan

[arutha]

I agree Jan, it is great for removing fingerprints and excess oil but with the oil it is better to dab than to wipe as the oil is what seems to make it smear. The BHI journal did a test on Rodico, Rodico premium and the blue AF Swiss stuff and all left a very slight residue under certain circumstances but I think when used in the correct manner they are fine. I tried the premium a while back and couldn’t justify the extra expense.
Paul.

[tmac1956]

All:

I use the premium Rodico. My only complaint is that it tends to adhere to the threads of very small screws, which then gets onto my tweezer tips and causes me problems when I try to replace the screw – I.e. the screw won’t let go of the tweezers, so then I have to clean the screw and the tweezer tips before I try again. I don’t know about you, but that’s a real irritant for me.

SillyPutty may do the same thing… I haven’t tried it for that yet as I’m too busy pulling images from print and morphing them out. I have an affinity for the photos of politicians.

Later,
Tom

[gerene]

I guess it depends on what the Rodico is used for. I was referring to its use as a cleaner for oil and fingerprints. I never touch watch parts with my fingers (or at least try to), but it helps for removing small traces of oil (left by accident) and the occasional fingerprint. Paul is right dabbing is the best method when removing even a slight trace of oil. Whiping will smear the oil instead of removing it.
Of course I use the stuff also for holding small parts, picking up thiny things etc, etc… in which case it might get into screw threads and really mess up things … 😡

Jan

[tmac1956]

Jan:

I should have been clearer… that’s exactly when it happens to me. I really just use it for holding small screws that I need to grab with either a screw holder or tweezers. Otherwise, I just use it to daub a little oil or grease off of something. I either use gloves or finger cots when I work. Unfortunately, they become a problem when replacing mainsprings – rubber and winding don’t go well together.

Thanks,
Tom

[michael weaver]

Like Chris does I use surgical gloves when I work. I do however use Rodico to clean specs of dirt off of dials. It has worked good for me in that application.

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