Can anyone advise, please...
I've got a pot of liquid latex. It must be at least 5 years old - maybe as much as 10 years old. I bought it for a shoot but I never used it. The pot has remained unopened. My question - would it still be OK for use or does the stuff degrade, please?
its probably thickened Orsan, usually lasts 3 years max sealed , you could try it on small patch but after all that time i dont think its gonna be any use tbh
Edited by ANDY00
Latex does degrade over time, the amount depending on storage conditions.
If it was mine I'd open the tin, give it a stir, paint some on my arm & see what happens.
Though you may open it & find a solid lump of rubber or a watery coagulated mess - let us know :)
ANDY00 and Spike - many thanks. It's in a plastic pot, so it might have been more prone (even more prone) to degrading than if it were in a tin.
Trying it on myself - No problem about doing that (I know that I'd need to shave the area of my arm first!) but would opening the pot be even more likely to cause degrading?
Orson Carter said
ANDY00 and Spike - many thanks. It's in a plastic pot, so it might have been more prone (even more prone) to degrading than if it were in a tin.
Trying it on myself - No problem about doing that (I know that I'd need to shave the area of my arm first!) but would opening the pot be even more likely to cause degrading?
As soon as the air hits it, the degradation will speed up, and after all this time, it’s likely already very thick or even a solid mass. Applying it could be tricky, to say the least. Good luck! let us know how you get on after all this time
Unopened latex paint (bathroom paint etc.) settles over the long term into like a soft gooey grit, but usually bounces back if you get it warm and stir it? It’s good for years and years though. As anyone who has bought the paint but not got round to actually repainting a bathroom can tell you ;-)
So maybe it’s the same for liquid latex itself?
I wonder if perhaps an old pot will degrade more quickly once it is opened, but do you have time to do a test a few days before you need it and order a replacement if it’s no good?
ANDY00 and Unfocussed Mike - thank you. On second thoughts I'll hold fire. I don't have a specific use for it lined up; so if I open the pot and find that it does work, by opening the pot I'll have accelerated the degradation. And by the time I do get round to using it properly, there will be an even greater chance that it will be unusable. So I won't need to shave my arm today. :)
Thanks for all your help, folks. Much appreciated.
It should be ok to use, be warned of the fishy smell this stuff has though, I was painted head to toe in it a while back and smelt like tuna all day lol
Heat it up and test on a small patch of your skin. Hope you don’t burn your willy.
Edited by Danny.
The only way to find out is to open it and see. Most of these things last pretty well if the container is sealed (don't need more than a stir), but will go off quite quickly when exposed to air, so when you do open it you won't have long to use it.
Everly Rose and CalmNudes -many thanks.
@Danny. - it's only a 5 gallon pot. Nowhere near enough to cause serious damage on all parts. (Empty boasting, I regret to say. :()
indemnity - don't be silly. I'd mix it with carrot juice. I wouldn't drink it neat. Do you think I'm daft?
Orson Carter said
ANDY00 and Unfocussed Mike - thank you. On second thoughts I'll hold fire. I don't have a specific use for it lined up; so if I open the pot and find that it does work, by opening the pot I'll have accelerated the degradation.
Schrodinger's cat, methinks? :-)
Orson Carter (fx: resists the temptation to answer that last question...)
