Cleaning Up Old Plastic Plugs - What works for You?

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OK - still sorting old fishing stuff, I have perhaps 20 or so plastic plugs from the 50's, 60's that have acquired sort of a white powdery coating. Unlike old rubber worms which become melted blobs, I'd like to get the white powdery coating off o the plugs without ruining them. Perhaps suggestions as to how to prevent the same thing happening?
 
I know the stuff of which you speak… :oops:

If you have a couple which are in sort of rough shape, they would make good Guinea pigs.

I’ve had some luck with toothpaste and a toothbrush. Toothpaste typically has a VERY mild abrasive in it. Other options might include trying Flitz or Blue Magic polishing compounds. Just a little bit, on an old T-shirt, might just do the trick. 👍

I’d be inclined to leave them be, once polished up. If they have been sitting for a half century and don’t look too bad, they might sit for a few years after being polished, with NO ill effects. “One way to find out!” 😂

Otherwise, maybe a hard clear paste wax(?) over the finish?

With all the lure collectors out there, I’d think that there should be some online tutorials available.

Good luck, and give us some progress update!
 
Hey, thanks. I'll try the tooth paste first - on an old Pico Perch I happen to have on the workbench. I happen to remember picking it out in a bait shop/gas station when I was about 12 years old on a trip to Lake of the Ozarks. Much of my old stuff is like that - good times. Honestly, the reason some of them have lasted this long is they never caught fish. Thanks again.
 
I remember using a Pico perch when I was a kid in the 60s,, biggest bass I ever caught weighed 12 lb I was 8 years,, using a little zebco I caught that fish with a white and black hellbender with that little spinner on the tail it was a hideous looking thing standing in the sleet about 25° I foul hooked that bass in the head a drug him up to where my dad and people were working , everybody freaked out little skinny boy with a bass as long as he was,, took that bass home and ate that thing cut his head off put it on a tree out in the backyard on a board with a coffee can in its mouth that was taxidermy when I grew up
 
If you get that Pico perch shined up you ought to post a picture of it for me
 
Remember those old artificial worms that had kind of a tandem set of crappie looking hooks that would held together with a piece of monofilament and then it had the little spinner above the worm?
 
OK - still sorting old fishing stuff, I have perhaps 20 or so plastic plugs from the 50's, 60's that have acquired sort of a white powdery coating. Unlike old rubber worms which become melted blobs, I'd like to get the white powdery coating off o the plugs without ruining them. Perhaps suggestions as to how to prevent the same thing happening?

 

Thanks ! Gotta try that. Tried toothpaste on an el cheapo orange plug with black spots but the spots were apparently painted on. Now have an all-orange plug, no big deal - back to the junk box.

Sorting loose hooks grandfather glommed together in various containers is almost as boring as sorting muzzle loading round balls with a micrometer. Strike anywhere match boxes must've been popular in the 1940's, most for accumulating mixed hooks, parts to reels, and sinkers. Judging from the large size hooks he left - maybe fish were bigger (or he used up all the small ones).
 
In regard to Jitterbugs reply, The Blue Magic polish is one of the best bore cleaners I have ever used, I know that is not what it is for but it seriously with a patched brush removes carbon and copper better than anything else I've tried. I also clean my headlights on the cars with it.
 
OK - still sorting old fishing stuff, I have perhaps 20 or so plastic plugs from the 50's, 60's that have acquired sort of a white powdery coating. Unlike old rubber worms which become melted blobs, I'd like to get the white powdery coating off o the plugs without ruining them. Perhaps suggestions as to how to prevent the same thing happening?
I use 409 on mine has not hurt them.
 
I use 409 on mine has not hurt them.
Don't get 409 on alum. products, years ago I tried it to clean some MC parts and it turned them black. Needless to say they were painted black after that incident. Just a fyi.
 
Wow! I wish I'd seen this years ago. Most of the lures in my box were picked up snorkleing or beach combing at Lake Powell. They need this treatment. Can't wait to try it.
 
D55, I make custom ramrods for my muzzleloaders from shotgun cleaning rods. Making them black with 409 is just what I need to take the shine off. Thanks.
 
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