I have several loose carts in good condition except for their being "tagged" by their old owner.  Usually is initials on permanent marker.  Any suggestions on how to get this off without damaging the shell?

Magic Eraser bro.

Dot 3 brake fluid and a q-tip. I don't recommend a magic eraser as it will smooth down the texture of the cart. However brake fluid may leave a "ghosting" depending on how long the marker was present but usually isn't instantly noticeable.

I typically start off with 91% IPA and move on to DOT3 brake fluid if the IPA doesn't do it.
You can use a magic eraser very sparingly with a light touch and be ok but too much use and/or too much pressure and you cause damage since it is abrasive.

Avoid acetone or xylene based cleaners.

Write all over it with dry-erase marker and then rub it off and it'll take the permanent marker with it.

I use rubbing alcohol

http://m.nintendoage.com/forum/me...

There you go, with pictures

If you wanted to know how abrasive, the one on the left is 1500 grit, the marks on the right, magic eraser, with pressure added to both


You can't see the marks on the right side with the camera.  They are there, but faint.  Using both wet the marks were even lighter.

I always use magic eraser with IPA 90%, works better as a lube and also disolves better.


CD cases are about the best thing for testing how something can get scratched up.

 

Magic erasers will actually scratch the shit out of SNES/NES carts and leave a noticeable mark. It's not as bad on N64 carts because they're a lighter color and have a flat finish. Rubbing alcohol works pretty good for sharpie marks.

Like empire just said: Don't use magic erasers on NES carts, or abrasive/sanding paper.

And if you have to, apply a super light touch.

I use denatured alcohol. Works way better than isopropyl and doesnt damage carts and is easy on labels

For the love of God, go buy a 3 dollar container of brake fluid. You can buy it an any grocery store, use a q-tip and apply the brake fluid to the ink. Wait a few minutes and wipe off. Repeat as necessary. 95% of all ink marks will come off using this method without ANY damage to you your carts. Good luck.

I've been gradually convinced to keep all these fascinating marks on carts and rental stickers etc as they kind-of tell the history of the cart almost like a patina on old copper. Also the most time effective solution which I'm big on. Pretty much only clean the cart edge now unless there is something gross on the cart.

I'm this way with rental stickers and rental call out numbers written in marker, but names and other stuff with markers gets taken off.

 

I've tested the crap out of that, and it's mostly a myth, unless someones using something besides actual magic erasers brand.  The things just dont have the tensil strength to do much damage, they pull apart, and you should be doing light pressure anyways.  It took almost 100 passes to see a slight change to the train on the backs of a few carts I tested, and for them to be "sanded smooth" as some people claim would need more than one magic eraser.

Would do slightly more damage, and work a lot less well, if they did it dry vs wet though.
 

Tip#1 Don't remove the carts history by removing the "Graffiti" then you don't have to worry about cleaning it and whatnot.

It adds character to the game...

Take a picture of the cart before\after, and use bestine to remove the stickers so they're still usable, then put into a scrapbook of all your games.
 

I'd be carefull, even just DOT-3 brake fluids are vastly diffrent in what's in them:
https://www.lakeland.edu/PDFs/MSDS/287/Brake%20Fluid%20(All%...
the bottom item is the one of concern, "Trade Secret Inhibitor Package"

Then look at this one: http://www.amsoil.com/msds/bf3.pdf unless the above's trade secrets is Trisodium orthophosphate, Sodium hydroxide, 2,6-Di-tert-Butyl-p-cresol, these two dot-3s have a pretty major diffrence

If IPA doesn't get it, bestine should, and it's something people should have anyways cause it's so damned amazing.

Awesome technique.  I would have never thought of that.

Thanks guys!
 

How about removing those evil rental stickers that leave a silver residue?

Welcome.

Rubbing alcohol and some elbow greese should do the trick. I would use magic eraser as a last resort. It will remove the marker, but it does so by wearing down the plastic.

Well now I'll know the culprit if I receive an NES cart that smells like brake fluid...

goo gone