A new acquisition and a question.

AlbinoDragon · #1 (**permalink**) 04-15-2007, 06:23 PM

Fellow CTers,

I picked up this little guy last week and absolutely love it

:

However, there is a small issue. The flip side

:

I knew about it before I bought it, and went ahead and got it anyway. A perfect one is a little spendy, and one side is essentially spotless, so as long as you don't flip it over, you wouldn't know.

So here's the question. Any ideas on how to take the ink off, or if you even can (or should)? I can tell you the following. The seller does not know what kind of ink it is and he tried lighter fluid and hairspray to get it off with no luck (not the solvents or the way I would have gone about it).

I did try a tiny bit if alcohol on a Q-tip and it only barely made the Q-tip pick up a little of the ink.

I'm perfectly happy with it and have no intent to dink with it any further unless someone has a be-all, end-all solution. It's already packed in an air-tite and I'm not going to do anything else unless anyone has any experience.

My guess it is likely permanent marker (a sharpie) and has been absorbed somewhat into the clay making it essentially impossible to get up.

Regardless, enjoy the chip (pic that is). I know I like the real thing.

luckychick · #2 (**permalink**) 04-15-2007, 06:37 PM

Non-permanent markers can usually be removed with ethanol.

A permanent marker can almost always be removed with acetone (in most nail polish removers).

Ethanol can sort-of dry things out, but acetone can really dry things out, which will sometimes turn them a little white. I have no idea what that will do to a chip, but if you are really set on trying to remove it, I would try acetone. A chip collector can probably tell you whether it is a good idea or not.

Nice chip!

develvjd- · #3 (**permalink**) 04-15-2007, 06:44 PM

Beautiful chip! My thoughts:

1) the solvents listed may work, but try your techniques on another chip, some ASM sample or something. The color may lighten when you put ethanol or acetone on it, but mineral oil may bring it back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlbinoDragon

...he tried lighter fluid and hairspray...

2) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

AlbinoDragon · #4 (**permalink**) 04-16-2007, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by develvjd-

Beautiful chip! My thoughts:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

You pretty well summed it up for me too.

Thanks for the feedback guys! My plan is to do nothing with it. I may, at some point in the future, get the bug to try to clean the ink off, but like I mentioned, I'm happy with it and unless you turn it over, you don't know it's there.

rimmerryan · #5 (**permalink**) 04-17-2007, 12:26 AM

You might also be able to try GOO GONE... I have used it before on a couple of different clay chips to take off really nasty stuff and it didn't dry out the chip at all. However, I have never used it on a chip with this much color on it, so I don't know how it would react with the coloring on this chip. Try it on another sample as stated before, then give it a whirl [my guess is it won't take off the color!]

NICE chip by the way!

R.

Wedge Rock · #6 (**permalink**) 04-17-2007, 12:29 AM

A belt sander should work too...

jdunford · #7 (**permalink**) 04-17-2007, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luckychick

Non-permanent markers can usually be removed with ethanol.

A permanent marker can almost always be removed with acetone (in most nail polish removers).

Ethanol can sort-of dry things out, but acetone can really dry things out, which will sometimes turn them a little white. I have no idea what that will do to a chip, but if you are really set on trying to remove it, I would try acetone. A chip collector can probably tell you whether it is a good idea or not.

Nice chip!

Okay, I have lots of respect for luckychick, but...

DON'T USE ACETONE!!!

Ethanol will dissolve "permanent" ink, including Sharpies. Acetone will dissolve the chip! (I tested this recently and found you can dissolve an entire Paulson "cherry" in about 100 mL of acetone) Admittedly, I haven't tried it on an ASM chip, but if they're composed of similar materials, you'll be left with just the brass flakes (and a gooey mess).

imthatguy · #8 (**permalink**) 04-17-2007, 10:07 AM

At a low-end value of $125 and mint value of $250, I wouldn't do anything to compromise the quality of the chip. Acetone sounds like a horrible idea IMO. Most collectors prefer to leave the chip in the state it was found. You never know how something 40+ years old is going to react to a cleaning.

Colquhoun · #9 (**permalink**) 04-17-2007, 11:04 AM

Art supply stores sell something called Bestine. It is commonly used as a rubber cement thinner, but will take off permanent ink the way Acetone does. I know it is not as strong as acetone, but I do not know if it will hurt the chip. What I DO know is that I have yet to see Bestine hurt ANY surface i have used it on...and that is a lot.
I would stay away from Goo Gone, as that leaves a slightly oily residue on many surfaces, but in the poker chip world, this might be ok.
If the ink has soaked into the chip (like I'm afraid it has) you may have actually dyed the chip. Thus, it might not be able to be removed, just lightened.

shadesofgrey · #10 (**permalink**) 04-17-2007, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdunford

Okay, I have lots of respect for luckychick, but...

DON'T USE ACETONE!!!

Ethanol will dissolve "permanent" ink, including Sharpies. Acetone will dissolve the chip! (I tested this recently and found you can dissolve an entire Paulson "cherry" in about 100 mL of acetone) Admittedly, I haven't tried it on an ASM chip, but if they're composed of similar materials, you'll be left with just the brass flakes (and a gooey mess).

AD! Holy crap... DO NOT PUT ACETONE ON THAT CHIP!!

jd you're 100% correct! I might have to perform a public service to CT and put a chip in to an acetone bath and snap pix.... its not a good thing for chips at all! I've made the mistake and will never use acetone on a chip again.