Permanent Markers on Carts

[Great Hierophant]

One of the things that annoys me about buying used carts is when people put their name or something on the cart. Are they suddently going to forget who owns what? But is there a way to remove the marker, especially without damaging the cartridge case? I have tried rubbing alcohol and goo gone, but they can only lighten the marker.

[Daria]

One of the things that annoys me about buying used carts is when people put their name or something on the cart.

It's to prevent your friends from mixing up their copies of games or even from stealing them. When I was little we had to do this with our barbies to prevent unscrupulous girls from swiping them.

Anyway I find mineral spirits works well, although sometimes you can still make out a faint impression of the writing.

[Emily]

I use a chemical called Krud Kutter I believe.This chemical will MELT coleco and/or atari cart plastic, I think the black plastic is crappier than any variety of NES cart.

[Bratwurst]

Try a bit of Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser. (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32963)

[izret101]

WOW thats sweet thanks i would have never seen that thread.
Just wondering did you write on the cart yourself as an example?
Or was that already there?

[EnemyZero]

yeah perminent marker is brutal on any nintendo carts...it is annoying, but there are substances to get rid of em...id suggest Mr Cleans Magic Eraser as well

[Ed Oscuro]

Just wondering did you write on the cart yourself as an example?
Seeing as how it left a very faint residue, I'd say no, he didn't.

I'm fine with a bit of marker on my carts at the moment. A little bit of marker isn't putting me out.

[Bratwurst]

Nope, the world has plenty of carts with marker on them already. About the residue, Jonjandran claimed that rubbing an eraser over the area would remove the dullness, but I never got around to verifying that. It's really only visible if you let the light hit it just right.

[Jasoco]

Marker on a cart, fine. But what about the jackasses who wrote their names on the LABEL in PEN? @_@

[Ed Oscuro]

Better yet, on the insert of a SMS game? Assuming it was a little kid, though. Guess folks don't see games as being different from books o_O

[Bratwurst]

Marker on a cart, fine. But what about the jackasses who wrote their names on the LABEL in PEN? @_@

If its a glossy label with a protective plastic coating (NES, SNES) then you can get away with very gentle and careful swabbing of alchohol and a q-tip. The important thing is to avoid getting alchohol under the label at the edges or anywhere the plastic coating is marred. Eventually it should lift the ink, but there'll still be an indentation depending on how hard someone pressed down the pen.

Atari 2600 carts, foil coated labels and most Genny carts will smudge and the ink of the label itself will lift up if you try it.

[Garry Silljo]

My Local EB has a problem with buying games from a kid who ENGRAVED his name and phone number into the top of the cart just beneath the label. They keep trying to get me to buy them, because I buy more NES than anyone else there I guess. So, anyone know how to fill in lost plastic?

[Promophile]

My Local EB has a problem with buying games from a kid who ENGRAVED his name and phone number into the top of the cart just beneath the label. They keep trying to get me to buy them, because I buy more NES than anyone else there I guess. So, anyone know how to fill in lost plastic?

If you can find the right color caulk use that to fill in the gaps. If you can't buy the correct color caulk, fill it in and maybe find the correct color paint and it may be possible.

[tholly]

Victoria's Secret Very Sexy for Him cologne takes off marker pretty good for me....and the carts smell pretty good afterwards (some of those games can really smell from mildew)

[Daria]

Try a bit of Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser. (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32963)

Careful, smudges the texture on NES carts. Or so I've heard. Haven't tried it myself though.

[izret101]

Try a bit of Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser. (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32963)

Careful, smudges the texture on NES carts. Or so I've heard. Haven't tried it myself though.
It does that because it is acidic.
But why else would people think this stuff is lifting age old writing from a porous plastic cart.

[sirgeoph]

We use Goo-Gone... it requires a lot of elbow grease and there is sometimes a faint tarce of the marker on darker writings, but it gets the job done

[whoisKeel]

paint thinner. period. the kind used for PLASTIC models (car, airplanes). Testor's is the brand i always get for $0.89 at the hobby/craft stores. safe on labels, carts. gets rid of marker for sure, you just need a tiny dab on a q-tip, and it goes a looong way. get's stickies off also (and those metalish rental sticker things)

NEVER use on cardboard.

[Ed Oscuro]

Or on babies, and be sure not to leave it next to your contact lens cleaning solution.