"Sticky" Snark tuner FIX
Hi there,
If you're one of the unfortunate owners of a "sticky" Snark tuner, there's good news for you! 😁
I've managed to find an effective and easy way to remove the nasty goo and restore the original feel and smoothness of the tuner's body.
I had already tried out unsuccessfully the many different methods suggested around, like a) using alcohol (either ethyl- or isopropyl-) that proves uneffective in dissolving that particular compound or b) dish-washing soap, that doesn't wash off anything or c) mildly abrasive methods like baking soda or toothpaste that end up jumbling with the goo or, finally, d) more aggressive solvents risking to damage the thing for good.
I was about to give up when, after some thought, I envisioned a possible solution in finding some chemical showing affinity with the sticky substance and thus being able to chemically blend with it. The answer came to me under the form of... glycerol (C3H8O3)
So, unless your Snark flew into the trashbin meanwhile, it's time to get to work!
1) Rummage your wife's makeup cabinet (well, better ask her permission first...) in search for any hand cream. Look up into the composition list for the highest glycerol or glycerin content (it should be the first ingredient, or just second to "aqua") and go for the thicker one.
2) Have a piece of cloth or rag handy. It has to be made of very compact, lint-free fabric, like the cotton of an old t-shirt.
3) Apply a very, very thin coat of cream to the sticky surface, spread it gently and let it rest for a minute.
4) Using the cloth under one of your fingertips, begin from one corner of the surface and little by little start to "push away" the sticky compound. You'll have to exert some good pressure, until feeling the drag of the cotton surface rubbing against the goo.
5) Proceed ensuring that at each sweep some dirt remains on cloth, leaving a clean and smooth surface underneath. Work on small zones, moving to a new, clean part of the cloth each time.
6) Repeat the cream-sweep procedure if necessary, insisting on any stubborn corner.
7) Finish with a dry-cloth nice rub until everything's polished and smooth...
Et voilà!
This way I was able to get a brand new Snark, except for the few silkscreen writings that got unavoidably lost in the process.
Let me know if it worked also from you!
Roberto
