The trick about using a pencil eraser on old cartridge pins actually works

I had this old NES game that wouldn't boot no matter how many times I blew into it. A guy at the retro shop told me to try a white pencil eraser on the copper pins instead. I did it gently for about 30 seconds and the game fired right up on the first try. Anyone else have a simple fix like this that saved a piece of your collection?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_jana14d ago

Hold on though, I gotta push back a little on this one. I tried the eraser trick on a copy of Mega Man 2 and it actually made the contacts WORSE over time. Like it worked for a week then the game got SUPER finicky and I had to wiggle it just right. I found out later that pencil erasers have grit in them that can scrape off the thin layer of gold plating. I'd rather just use a little rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab to clean the pins instead.

william_miller14d ago

I get where you're coming from, but I've been using the eraser method for like 15 years now on all kinds of cartridges and never had that problem. The key is to use a clean, white eraser, not the pink ones that are loaded with that gritty stuff. Those pink erasers are terrible for contacts, no doubt. Alcohol works fine too, but I've found it sometimes leaves a little residue behind if you don't dry it completely. Ever try using a fiberglass pen for really stubborn grime, or is that too aggressive for you?