Old plastikard

[31A]

Model shops sometimes sell styrene sheet supplied by Javis, which may be the kind which is glossier.  I find it doesn't cut so well by the 'score and snap' method.  Depending on thickness, it either doesn't snap, or does so leaving a ragged edge.  You really have to cut right through to get a decent edge.  On the other hand, I've got a few small bits of 0.5mm styrene sheet that came with American structure kits, that seems to be much better quality; possibly from Evergreen?

[laurenceb]

I have some Slaters plastikard bought over 30 years ago that is as good as when bought, and have some plasticicard bought 5 years ago that is unusable. Which indicates a different formulation, the Slaters version was an ICI product, where does it come from now? is the question.

[RobMG]

I bought my current stock of Plastikard directly from Slaters.  I've had no problems at all with it.

Rob

[RobMG]

On 06/10/2022 at 12:21, laurenceb said:

I have some Slaters plastikard bought over 30 years ago that is as good as when bought, and have some plasticicard bought 5 years ago that is unusable. Which indicates a different formulation, the Slaters version was an ICI product, where does it come from now? is the question.

I also have some very old 30/40 years Slaters Plastikard.  No probs with that.   I have some more recent Slaters Plastikard still no problems.  

I have never used any other make, so can't comment on those.

Rob

[corneliuslundie]

I have not had the trouble reported. I have a pack of Slaters 20 by 40 thou Microstrip which must be several decades old. It had got slightly less flexible but still perfectly useable (currently for window frames on a 4 mm pub).

Jonathan

[Phil Parker]

I've recenlty had the same problem - http://philsworkbench.blogspot.com/2022/10/brittle-plastikard.html

 

My feeling is an occasional bad batch escapes as it's not something I've encountered before, and much older Plastikard, stored in the same place, isn't affected.

[Neil]

To clarify, the unusable stuff I had was sold as Slaters from a reputable source. The affected batch was 4mm red brick and 4mm red slates/tiles which have a shinier finish than usual. I have some other textured Slaters plasticard sheets which are around twenty years old, stored in the same box file that seem to be as good as the day I bought them; like Phil I suspect a rogue batch. 

[doilum]

Maybe not just plastikard. Today I cleaned out a small document case that had not been opened for a decade. Inside was a white "shatterproof" ruler. Standard school issue that you sat at the back of class competing to bend it more than double. It lay shattered like broken glass only held together by the frog tape I had once applied to prevent slipping whilst cutting.