Topic: Care and restoration of Pleo skins (Read 121700 times)

mweed · « **Reply #50 on:** April 10, 2017, 08:05:58 PM »

Since most of my pleos have splitting tails and necks I've decided to break down and test some repair ideas, so I'm starting a new topic to document these tests. Wish me luck!

Anya · « **Reply #51 on:** September 11, 2018, 02:09:43 PM »

Eep! Gibbs not available in uk. Will another penetrant oil do the job? WD40 penetrant looks very similar. Any ideas?

Finally got my first ever pleo!

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #52 on:** September 12, 2018, 12:15:18 AM »

Definitely don’t use anything untested, it could result in damage. You’d have to research ingredients carefully, then try on a tiny area before committing. I know it says rubber safe, but Pleo’s are a very particular rubber.

Anya · « **Reply #53 on:** September 12, 2018, 11:22:26 AM »

Thanks, I couldn't find. Full ingredient list which is frustrating but I will be exceedingly careful and if I find something that I think might be similar enough, I'll test it on a small area of foot first.

mweed · « **Reply #54 on:** September 12, 2018, 03:42:41 PM »

Based on previous topics, WD40 is NOT a good substitute for Gibbs. Gibbs has worked well for me to help protect the skin, but once it's started cracking or tearing, I have not found anything that repairs skin, short of melting it back together (which I wouldn't suggest unless your skilled with a high quality hot air gun and remove the skin from the pleo first! :O

Anya · « **Reply #55 on:** September 12, 2018, 11:56:25 PM »

Yeah, it seems like after a lot of research there's nothing in the world like Gibbs!
Is there anything that can be used to strengthen old skin so that it does not deteriorate any further?

Would Gibbs help with this? If it could moisturise and strengthen, I could still get a lot of use out of this guy without fear of the skin disintegrating when I pick him up or turn him on.

I'm also hoping Gibbs could be used to clean the muck that's accumulated on his skin.

(Also just noticed your post from a long time ago, you mentioned something called vinylex, after long term use do you think that helped? It could be a very long time before I manage to get old of any Gibbs. If it was good could you let me know what stuff to look for?)

Anya · « **Reply #56 on:** September 13, 2018, 11:44:50 AM »

Ok. Just went over and read the entire thread. Buying Gibbs from America and paying the extortionate shipping fee in the hope that it'll help my poor old ugobe!

Anya · « **Reply #57 on:** September 14, 2018, 12:38:00 AM »

Sorry guys, one further question. In addition to can it be used for cleaning... how bad are the fumes produced? Will I need a well ventilated area, if I paint it on from a capful, are the fumes likely to affect my young Kingsnake if he is in the same room?

Thanks a lot!

mweed · « **Reply #58 on:** September 18, 2018, 01:15:59 PM »

I always take outside to apply just to be on the safe side. Partially just because it's a aerosol spray, so inside it would get on everything. Gibbs does have that strong petroleum smell like WD-40, and it takes a day or two to completely evaporate and/or soak in and the smell to dissipate. You probably won't want to hold or pet for a while after applying.

More than anything what Gibbs does is moisturize the rubber in the skin and help it last longer from cracking.

Anya · « **Reply #59 on:** September 18, 2018, 02:08:22 PM »

Thanks a lot, I'll keep pleo away from snake while working on his skin.
I also found a thin flexible glue that might be good for reinforcing cracking areas and may even be helpful in tears.
And followed up on the good work done years ago in earlier posts here, and emailed every company who has anything to do with the pleo skin to try and get the most to reconsider selling them separately!

Hoping that after a few years it's now financially viable.

grumpy · « **Reply #60 on:** September 19, 2018, 02:57:42 PM »

Will be interesting to see if you even get a response from any of them.

Anya · « **Reply #61 on:** September 20, 2018, 12:37:35 PM »

Well, I thought it worth a shot

In other horrible news, my Gibbs was turned back at customs. Not allowed in the uk at all.

Now my life is spent comparing safety data sheets to try and find anything with the same ingredients!

Anya · « **Reply #62 on:** September 21, 2018, 01:20:25 PM »

Ok. Safety data sheets scoured. I studied dozens, comparing with Gibbs. Ingredients and proportions.

Finally, finally I found something.
This is CRC 5-56 multipurpose lubricant.

Gibbs:
15-30% petroleum distillates
10-20% white mineral oil
10-30% heptane

CRC:
~60% petroleum distillates
10-30% white mineral oil
10-30% LPG (Propane/Butane)

There's nothing in it that could harm pleo, not sure how the benefits will compare but I'm confident that it will be sufficiently lubricant/penetrant/water displacing to fulfill the necessary role.

It will arrive very soon. I will treat and report on pleos ankles!

Anya · « **Reply #63 on:** September 22, 2018, 03:02:33 AM »

Update: CRC food grade penetrating oil is even better!
It contains only the 2 main active ingredients:
60-70% petroleum distillates
30-40% white mineral oil

Not knowing what benefit hexane offers, I'm happy to go without. Especially as there is no possibility for harm, only slightly less good!

This stuff however is very hard to get hold of (usually only sold in massive wholesale bulk) so I'll use the multipurpose stuff until I can source either this or Gibbs from a uk distributor.

mweed · « **Reply #64 on:** September 24, 2018, 08:20:36 PM »

In the CRC list, the propane/butane is probably used more as the propellant as both are gaseous at normal air pressure. Heptane is actually a solvent, so it is probably part of what is actually soaking into the skin. Technically all three are petroleum distillates.

Anya · « **Reply #65 on:** September 25, 2018, 12:04:19 AM »

Yeah that makes sense, so I expect this CRC stuff to be good for pleo skin, just not as good as Gibbs. Believe me, the second I can get hold of some I will!

In the meantime, I found some chemical resistance sheets for various rubbers and checked every ingredient of the CRC against TPE. According to the sheet, nothing in there can harm it.

In an ideal world I'd wait for Gibbs but it's winter now and putting the heating on will be adding stress to the already fragile skin (he was in his box by a heater when husband put the heating on - only realised when I came home! That can't have helped...)

At this point I think similar is going to have to do or he'll deteriorate into a skeleton while I wait for Gibbs.

Anya · « **Reply #66 on:** September 30, 2018, 01:19:35 AM »

I reported this in my story thread but I'll put it here too for interest.

CRC painted on to pleo in several coats (tested on ankles first)
It goes on clear and soaks in after a while. It loosens dirt on the skin - you end up filling your paint pot with black specs if you're not careful! And dries soft and smooth.

So pleo is cleaner and no longer sticky!

What it does seem to do is loosen the paint a little, so I've been painting his brown skin first and then the painted areas, just to keep the paint from bleeding into the brown (something that seems to already have happened a little from his general wear and tear) the paint dries back on fine so I just have to be careful when he's wet.

Verdict:
CRC ok in a desperate situation.
Gibbs preferred.

mweed · « **Reply #67 on:** October 03, 2018, 02:37:45 PM »

You'll find that Gibbs will loosen the paint a bit as well. Paint coming off was a problem from Day 1 way back in 2007 with Ugobe pleos.

DoctorMikeReddy · « **Reply #68 on:** January 03, 2019, 12:23:34 PM »

Did I see somewhere - someone’s intro thread http://bobthepleo.com/forums/index.php/topic,5360.0.html (must write one of those) - that there may be a UK supplier of Gibbs? My new (to me) Pleo rb has the beginning of cracks in the neck

Anya · « **Reply #69 on:** February 02, 2019, 12:24:46 PM »

Here: http://shop.gibbsbrand.info/430ml_can

So, I have phoned them twice, emailed them countless times and the response is always "we hope the shipment will be here soon" every day I check the website to see if it's back.

I think they've been hit with the same thing I was with Gibbs being turned back at customs.
I've been using CRC-56 for Arthur and it has done an alright job. He shows no sign of further damage, and smells nice

AprilPearl98 · « **Reply #70 on:** May 07, 2019, 02:47:53 PM »

I was lucky enough to get a ugobe off eBay today which is new and sealed in package. I’ve ordered some of this Gibbs stuff since it sounds great. How often will I need to use it, seeing as my pleo’s skin is coming to me in a pristine condition?

PinkPleo · « **Reply #71 on:** November 05, 2021, 09:23:44 AM »

I put Gibbs on my Igobe Pleo. The first layer dried just fine. The second layer left his skin sticky. Now I’m afraid to add more. Has anyone come up with a solution? I don’t want him to be sticky…

pnhicks · « **Reply #72 on:** November 05, 2021, 02:26:59 PM »

Hi PinkPleo,

I have had good luck here in Europe with CRC 5-56. Stateside in might be called CRC General Purpose Lubricant, -40° to 300°F, No Additives, Net Fill 11 oz, Aerosol Can - 3EEE4|03160 - Grainger

Try it sparingly in a discrete location first just in case! All petroleum distillates can soften Pleo's paint.

My two cents, direct sun light, hot storage locations, storage next to ozone generating devices (large electric motors, uv sterilizers and lamps, facial steamers, odor removers, etc), dry desert climates, are the worst enemies of Pleo skin. If you avoid these locations, Pleo's skin should not need that much attention to remain pliable for years.

As you have seen, frequent application of any product no matter how good, usually does more harm that good. Apply products only when you feel that it is really necessary.

Cheers,

Peter

PinkPleo · « **Reply #73 on:** November 05, 2021, 05:16:06 PM »

My question is about how to solve the problem of stickiness caused by applying the lubricants. This thread has very strongly promoted the use of Gibbs, and yet I’ve only seen one person mention the unpleasant residue it leaves behind, with no solutions.

I tried soap and water, but this did not work and seems counter productive. Baby powder was also ruled out per this thread. Cornstarch, maybe? Baking powder?

pnhicks · « **Reply #74 on:** November 06, 2021, 06:39:45 AM »

Hi PP,

I did try to answer you, really. I recommended CRC 5-56. It has not left a residue that I can detect on the Pleos that I have used it on. I don't recommend or understand the rational behind "multiple coats".

Soap and water is unproductive. I did recommend WD-40 to remove stains or build up of "residues".

Cheers

Peter

Bob the Pleo Forums

Author Topic: Care and restoration of Pleo skins (Read 121700 times)

pnhicks

pnhicks