The Energon Pub

I recently found an old B.U.M. Equipment watch I haven't worn in ten years, and its rubber straps crumbled like stale cookies when I touched them. Naturally, this got me really worried about the rubber tires and soft rubber parts of my TF's [jetfire's "beard", the soft nosecones on jets, etc.]

How do you guys maintain these parts?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Play with them. If you constantly move the ruber, you will flex it and would not disintegrate as quickly. However, if you never touch it, dust and stuff would build up... and with the changing weather/temperature, chances are it would crumble next time you transform it after few years.

Edit : My TFA blitzwing's helmet is melting

Yup, I agree with gavinfuzzy. Strangely enough, regular usage is the best way to keep rubber flexible and to keep it from crumbling. Also, if you are storing it, keep rubber away from materials that can soak up liquids, such as paper or cardboard. Weakeners in the rubber will get 'sucked out' of the rubber, leaving only brittle, dry rubber behind.
I do believe there are sprays available in car repairshops and the like, which are designed for rubber care. I don't know, however, if these are suitable or useable for the rubber used in toys.

But most rubbers sadly do not have eternal life. Especially for toys, QC on rubber fabrication used to be pretty slack, and quality can differ between batches. I have MASK vehicles and figures from the '80's whose rubber tires and rubbery masks have crumbled to dust, while others are still holding up well. Likewise, I recently sold a GI Joe Night Raven, kept in dark storage for years, whose rubber was as good as the day it came out of the box. I sold it to a person who needed his Night Raven recplaced because he mentioned that (among other defects) the rubber was all rotten and crumbling.

Rubber quality for toys has been improved in recent years though: here in the Netherlands (and also elsewhere?) rules and regulations for the quality of rubber used in toys has been tightened due to research proving that rubber weakeners are harmful when ingested (for example, if a little kid sucks on a rubber wheel). This is also a part of the reason why it's often become more cost effective for producers to cast plastic wheels instead of rubber wheels.

I use a spray with a "viking with a shield" on the label. Armor all (not a solicitation btw)

you could use silicone spray to keep them from crumbling. its good for any kind of ruber and you can get it cheap in any hardware store.

I use this stuff called McGlaughlin Orange Solid Oil. It can be ussed to lubricate anything. It's used to to keep rubber gaskets and seals pliable and supple. It won't turn rancid and is perfectly safe. It won't even contaminate food products if it comes in contact with it. It's also used in food prcessing machines to keep mechanisms and valves running properly. IIt doesn't ever dry out with age either.

I use it, for example, on the rubber hose on my G1 Shockwave. It absords in almost immediately and really makes the rubber look and feel practically brand new.

A thousand thanks for all the tips and recommendations, guys!

After reading the replies, I dropped by at my local hardware store to see if any of the lubricants you mentioned were available. The only brand of rubber lubricant I could find was Holts Rubber and Nylon lubricant. It's for car parts like the dashboard, tires and soft rubber seals on the doors and car windows. I tried it on a cheap toy car's tires, and it looks slightly shinier than before, but barely noticeable. No bad effects, so far.

Would this be good enough?

If not, I might have to search around and see if I can find the ones you guys recommended.

Somewhat related note, the more recent Encore,TFC and TRU G1 figures that come with rubber tires, well , I notced tend to whiten more than the original G! releases of the 80's.