Cleaning dirty white reel strips

[markymark]

Hi

Anyone had any experience, or can offer some helpful advice on how to wipe clean white reel strips that have become dirty over time... I know I won't be able to get them gleaming "as new" but just cleaner than what they are at the moment. I'm afraid to wipe them in case the symbols fade, or worse, the reel strips get too wet and fall apart!!!!

Any tips on best cleaning fluids to use much appreciated.

Thanks

[malcymal]

I normally get a duster, flick a few drops of water on duster so it is slightly damp, then carefully, with circular movements, clean up the reels. Does the trick quite well and avoids solvents. All my bandits go through this treatment and the strips looking super. It's often bits of old grease or oil and wipes away nicely.

For really stubborn spots, I find the edge of a 1NP (or anything small without milled edge) carefully placed sideways, parallel to the spot on the reel, can help pick it away without tearing the strips, once again caution required.

Another method I have used for my other line of collectibles, vintage Star Wars action figures, is to use Servisol which was designed for switches, video head cleaning. I had six old carded figures where stickers had been removed from the card leaving sticky residue. When you spray a small amount of Servisol on to the card it breaks down the glue, almost freezes it so it falls away when rubbed with a slightly damp duster. The Servisol itself evaporates very quickly, therefore not leaving fluid everywhere. It's something you should be very cautious of doing. I've done quite a lot this way and they now look superb. Also good on plastics. Experiment on one symbol and see how it goes before building up confidence on others. For starters stick with the damp duster.

I'm sure everybody will have their way of doing things, think somebody suggested Mr Sheen polish once on here. Always a conundrum though, to leave as is and intact or have a go at making them better with the risk of causing some damage.

[markymark]

Thanks for those tips, I'll give it a try... any other advice from others on here appreciated.

Failing that, I've been looking on internet for new reel strips.. Aaah, how do you get the right ones, there must be thousands of variations of reel strips even for the same machine... I'll give up and just try and clean them!!!

[special when lit]

If they are paper strips, a piece of bread (no, really) will work.
Tried it on pinball score reels before.

[malcymal]

Try and stick with the original reels if you can, it adds to its history and all that. Acceptable ageing is part of the charm of old bandits, too many restos about that just look far too new.

[treefrog]

If they are paper strips, a piece of bread (no, really) will work.
Tried it on pinball score reels before.

Well this is a new one, how on earth did you bake this one up, I assume its best to use white bread on the white strips and toasted bread for black reel strips, what about silver strips !!!

[pennymachines]

I can vouch for the bread tip (white, no butter). Excellent for mopping up little spots of oil and grease and erasing marks.

I've been looking on internet for new reel strips.. Aaah, how do you get the right ones, there must be thousands of variations of reel strips even for the same machine...

Daniel Mead's Handbook of Slot Machine Reel Strips was written for this purpose, but as malcymal says, you wouldn't take that route unless they were missing or completely wrecked.

[coppinpr]

If the strips are very greasy, try a glass cleaning spray (but spray onto a pad, not directly onto the reels). This seems to work well without hurting the strips. It's also good for the delicate backs of glass painted payouts and top flashes, especially if they have had a light tube blacking them for years.