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After almost 3 years my palm rest is getting like this
- Thread starter jffluis
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The exact same thing happened to my 2009 15" MacBook Pro. I don't wear a watch or any sort of bracelet so I always figured it's caused by my shirt sleeves constantly rubbing against it. With regular use, stuff like that is bound to happen eventually so I try not to worry about it too much. Although, if you usually end up selling your MacBook Pro to help finance a new one, it's probably not a bad idea to get a case to protect against the day-to-day wear and tear.
There was a thread on exactly this issue roughly six months ago. Sounds odd, but one of the posts correlated mercury in fish (in his diet) to this issue.
My old MacBook Air had this. It's the fluids of your hands and fingers eating away at the anodized aluminium. A good cleaning of the palm rest and the aluminium around the keyboard once in a while prevents this.
He had an interesting explanation and IIRC there is a mercury interaction with aluminum. It's at least as plausible as, for example, a high-salt diet resulting in salty sweat.
Mine is unmarked after 6 years of use.
I eat fish a couple of times a week too….
You eat fish AND your aluminum hasn't corroded? Hmmm
After a quick look at aluminium and mercury salts reactions it is possible, and it was believed that mercury was used to sabotage aircraft in WW2. Certainly could be an issue especially if there is mercury chloride salts formed in the body. Learnt something new today.
If my mercury levels were high enough to damage my laptop with sweat though, I'd be looking at ways to lower my intake. It is very poisonous and makes you mentally unstable, it also has a very long half life in the body and takes months to clear from your system.
Does anyone know whether the aluminum cases are "raw" aluminum or whether it's anodized?
Anodized aluminum is pretty resistant to wear and tear (including sodium and mercury salts). I would have thought this sort of damage, which doesn't seem to be unusual, would be unlikely with anodized aluminum, though my recollection of the pictures from the other thread is that the problem was also on the edge, so perhaps the anodizing has worn thin or away there.
I'll see if I can dig up the other thread.
Anodized aluminum is pretty resistant to wear and tear (including sodium and mercury salts). I would have thought this sort of damage, which doesn't seem to be unusual, would be unlikely with anodized aluminum, though my recollection of the pictures from the other thread is that the problem was also on the edge, so perhaps the anodizing has worn thin or away there.
I'll see if I can dig up the other thread.
Here's a couple of slightly earlier threads on this issue:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/macbook-air-aluminium-is-chipping.1843244/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/aluminum-virus-eating-my-laptop.1548411/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/macbook-air-aluminium-is-chipping.1843244/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/aluminum-virus-eating-my-laptop.1548411/
No idea why it happens (some have speculated pH of sweat?), but yes, it happens on a lot of MBPs.
Mine looks sort of OK after four and a bit years (I have a few marks, but nothing major), but my brother's 2011 MBP is absolutely awful:
Has he poured sulphuric acid onto it or something?!
Mine looks sort of OK after four and a bit years (I have a few marks, but nothing major), but my brother's 2011 MBP is absolutely awful:
Has he poured sulphuric acid onto it or something?!
My 2003 PowerBook G4 and 2006 MBP.
Just saying…
P.S. I live in Phoenix where it's hot from May to October so, yeah, sweat is involved.
View attachment 563439
I'm surprised those MacBook Pros aren't exhibiting the wear issue that was common for those generations.
Well, one is a PowerBook, 2003 vintage (the one on the left) and the other just had it's keyboard replaced. But I have had other PowerBooks that have had the key rubbing off issue.I'm surprised those MacBook Pros aren't exhibiting the wear issue that was common for those generations.
I've heard and read that if you come into contact with certain things things like hair bleach, acne medication it is absorbed into your body and then when you sweat it comes out.
There isn't much you can do unless you put a vinyl skin along the wrist/edge area and use a hardshell case. When you're sweating it would be a good idea to clean it as moisture and body oil/salt will slowly wear down/corrode metal. Apple's notebooks aren't the only one, HP wraps/stamps aluminum around plastic shells of several models and their notebooks developed corrosion from ownership too.
Its all about anything interacting with a persons body PH, it can be genetics of a more acidic sweat, medications, diet, salt intake, etc. For example if you eat tomato sauce and certain combos of curry an average persons' body will have a PH spike ~3-6 hrs... if you want to lower the acidic levels, add sliced/chopped carrots or potato in pasta sauce & curry dishes.
As far as my Macs, owned two PowerBook G4s without any corrosion spots and the only damage I ever got was in my mid-undergrad life of a light scratch on my 12" PB. My 2010 13" MBP still looks great for its age, no corrosion or scratches but I put a Speck case onto it to avoid losing the bottom feet--my 12" PB G4 lost two feet, thankfully back then Apple replaced them at no cost but unibody Macs it requires a new bottom case.
Its all about anything interacting with a persons body PH, it can be genetics of a more acidic sweat, medications, diet, salt intake, etc. For example if you eat tomato sauce and certain combos of curry an average persons' body will have a PH spike ~3-6 hrs... if you want to lower the acidic levels, add sliced/chopped carrots or potato in pasta sauce & curry dishes.
As far as my Macs, owned two PowerBook G4s without any corrosion spots and the only damage I ever got was in my mid-undergrad life of a light scratch on my 12" PB. My 2010 13" MBP still looks great for its age, no corrosion or scratches but I put a Speck case onto it to avoid losing the bottom feet--my 12" PB G4 lost two feet, thankfully back then Apple replaced them at no cost but unibody Macs it requires a new bottom case.
I have just a bit of that as well on my '11 MBP. Use my right hand mostly, so it's coming from extensive rest on that area.
