• Welcome to the Speedsolving.com, home of the web's largest puzzle community!
    You are currently viewing our forum as a guest which gives you limited access to join discussions and access our other features.

    Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community of 40,000+ people from around the world today!

    If you are already a member, simply login to hide this message and begin participating in the community!

Keeping cubes unused for a long time

CLN

Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2015
Messages
5
Hi! I am new at speed cubing. Good speed cubes are hard to get here, so I purchased several cubes and plan to keep 2-3 cubes in my stock (unused). So if any of my main cubes start having problems, I can get one from my stock. However, my cubes come pre-lubed (I don't know which type of lube) and I heard that keeping them unused for a long time might create problems like jammed lube and dust getting into cube etc. My questions are:

1. If lube gets jammed, can it be cleaned? Will the cube function like a brand new one if it is cleaned?

2. How do I clean the jammed lube or dust? Do I have to use water or can I just wipe them off?

3. Can there be any other problem?

4. If the cube is not lubed, can there be any problem storing it for a long time?

I think I read a post about it somewhere, but I cannot find it. So apologies if these questions have been asked before.

Thanks!
 

AlphaSheep

Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2014
Messages
1,083
Location
Gauteng, South Africa
WCA
2014GRAY03
1. Cleaning cubes is not too difficult. You disassemble the cube completely, wipe all the pieces down and the reassemble. You can use a slightly damp cloth to pick up all the dust if you like.

2. See above.

3. None that I know of.

4. I've got an cube that my dad bought in about 1982. It went unused for about 20 years. It was a little dusty inside, but once I cleaned it out, it was still pretty much as good as new. Based on that, I'd have to say there shouldn't be any problem storing cubes for a long time.
 
Last edited:

CLN

Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2015
Messages
5
1. Cleaning cubes is not too difficult. You disassemble the cube completely, wipe all the pieces down and the reassemble. You can use a slightly damp cloth to pick up all the dust if you like.

2. See above.

3. None that I know of.

4. I've got an cube that my dad bought in about 1982. It went unused for about 20 years. It was a little dusty inside, but once I cleaned it out, it was still pretty much as good as new. Based on that, I'd have to say there shouldn't be any problem storing cubes for a long time.

Thanks a lot :)
 

Stefan

Member
Joined
May 7, 2006
Messages
7,280
WCA
2003POCH01
YouTube
Visit Channel
Yes, there's a huge problem with keeping cubes unused like that. When you're finally done with your first cube, there will be dozens of new models on the market, nobody will talk about your model anymore, and you won't want to use it anymore :p
 

cmhardw

Premium Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Messages
4,115
Location
Orlando, Florida
WCA
2003HARD01
YouTube
Visit Channel
Yes, there's a huge problem with keeping cubes unused like that. When you're finally done with your first cube, there will be dozens of new models on the market, nobody will talk about your model anymore, and you won't want to use it anymore :p

I have four mint condition Eastsheen 5x5s that I never opened for this reason (the V-cube 5x5 came out in the meantime). :\
 

CLN

Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2015
Messages
5
Yes, there's a huge problem with keeping cubes unused like that. When you're finally done with your first cube, there will be dozens of new models on the market, nobody will talk about your model anymore, and you won't want to use it anymore :p

Haha, yeah I thought about it. That's why I don't plan on keeping more than 1 or 2 backup cubes at most. And if they seem to become outdated, I can try to get a couple of newer model cubes and use the old ones to practice or can even give them away to normal (slow) cubers.
 
Top