STICK IT: How to Maximize the Performance of the Adhesives for Sapphireskates

ABOUT THE ADHESIVE

The adhesive we are custom die-cut dots featuring 3M's 300LSE acrylic adhesive. 300LSE is one of the industry-standards for adhesives on mouse skates. If you have a look at the backing of PTFE skates, many of them you can see "300LSE" on them. 

The "LSE" stands for "Low Surface Energy" meaning that this adhesive is designed to stick well to slippery materials that don't naturally grip well, hence ones that have a low "surface energy". 

You may notice that our adhesive dots are a bit smaller than diameter than the 7mm Sapphireskates. This is intended since the adhesive spreads out a bit and it ensures that it doesn't pass the edge. 

We tested a number of different adhesives and diameters and found this combination to be the best. It turns out that adhesives which are too strong don't work as well as 300LSE. The adhesive should be a bit flexible as it works similarly to a shock absorber or suspension on a car. Plus it allows for re-positioning as needed.

That being said, here are some tips to get an extremely strong adhesive bond between Sapphireskates and your mouse using our adhesive:

ADHESIVE PERFORMANCE TIPS

1. First, ensure that you have a completely clean area to place the adhesive. Make sure that all the residue is completely gone before you attempt to place it.
2. If possible, try to avoid touching the adhesive. I recommend tweezers, especially if you are re-stickering existing sapphireskates.
3. After you stick on a Sapphireskate, press down using a finger for a few seconds. You don't need to press too hard, but do keep in mind that these adhesives are pressure-sensitive. 
4. Initially, you will notice that the adhesive can still move around a bit. This is to be expected. Over about a day, the adhesive will cure/harden in place. You can still use your mouse during this time.
5. Here's a pro tip to get an even stronger bond: after you have properly installed new adhesive/skates, you can use a bit of heat using a ligher or stove to heat up the skate and the adhesive underneath. NEVER APPLY A FLAME DIRECTLY TO THE MOUSE. Instead, use the flame to heat up a metal object (such as a knife) and "dab" it on to the skate, making contact for a few seconds (the good thing about Sapphire is that you can do this and it won't melt). You will notice that the adhesive will soften underneath and the adhesive strength will weaken at first. But what happens is that the adhesive is able to spread out even more than before and reduce the amount of air between the adhesive and the surfaces. After it cools, the bond will strengthen.

If you ever run out of adhesive, you get 75 pieces included in our Accessories Kit.