Its my recollection that the ORIGINAL instructions had said that you could return the used piece to the container for reuse. In the current video on Woodland scenics, NO mention is made of saving/reusing the "used" piece. So you're likely right Tbat, that it likely corrupted the remainder.
Peter, Dust Dabber IS still available on the Woodland Scenics website, and also on ModelTrainStuff.com.
This thread prompted me to check my jar of Dust Dabber and glad to find it still in good order and pliable. I follow the instructions printed on the label and it lives in a drawer with cap screwed on tightly. Jar is dated 2016 and have used it maybe a half dozen times or so. Works good for me in cleaning my 'water' effects. Sorry to hear it's no longer available.
Regards, Peter
[quote user="Jeff1952"]
Yeah, I accept that it may not have had a long shelf life. But...I did not expect it to be a "one time use" either. Given the size of the container and the way it was ORIGINALLY marketed, one assumes Woodland Scenics intended it to be reusable. I just watched the "Dust Dabber" 35 sec video on their site and it now makes NO reference to returning the piece you pulled off to remove dust and small debris to the container, which was not the way it was originally marketed. Oh well, live and learn...
It happened to me also. Had a used ball of it in the jar. Flipped the bottle of Dust Dabber with one hand while holding on and had nothing but liquid come out. What a mess, and it was a few months old.
I did not do what the instructions said: pull off a small piece, dab it, then throw it away. I mixed the used piece back in with the unused. Maybe that did it.
Terry
I looked on their website. My guess is that it went the way of the dodo.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
It can be a little frustrating when products have a short shelf life, you just have to put it down to the cost of doing business.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
A google search turns up nothing but these posts. It seems to me I do remember it though.
Nevertheless it had to be some sort of organic compound with components that were either volatile or that could be oxidized. Paint, spackle, caulk, toothpaste don't have use by dates but they all go bad or dry out.
If you want unlimited shelf life, buy salt and vodka.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
As I recall from the reviews back then, one of the big selling points of the item was that it could be used over and over - just use it to clean your water scenes or whatever, then ball it up and stick it back in the container for next time. I don't recall anything about it having a limited shelf life or number of times used.
Lots of items have a shelf life.
.
If you do not use the entire contents of any material in a few weeks after initially opening the container, I doubt the manufacturer owes you anything unless they claim a long shelf life.
Scalecoat 2 paints are my biggest loss. They will go bad sometimes within a few days of the initial opening of the container.
Other items last much longer.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
A few years back Woodland Scenics released their marvelous "Green Slime" product that was supposed to be great for removing dust/grit etc. from our scale ponds/rivers/lakes and other non-porous surfaces. Cody Grivno even reviewed it on one of his "Cody's Office" segments. I bought some, used it once, it was great. Then when I opened the container again a couple of weeks later it had "melted" into a useless container of goo. I emailed Woodland Scenics...never got a reply. Included a question about it at the end of one of Cody's segments...never was addressed. Anybody have any insights? At the very least doesn't Woodland Scenics owe everyone who bought it a refund?