I've had my PB & J for the longest time, but simply could not do anything with them due to the fact that the tubes were all sticky and oily. I'm not sure if this happened only because of Singapore weather, but I've yet to find a permanent solution to clean it up so that I could use it. Is there anyone here who's met with similar issue and managed to resolve it?? Would appreciate any help at all!

Why not make some new tubes out of a different material?

I never liked those older black tubes.
so I made new ones with a thumb hole
in the back.works perfectly.
todd

I spray mine with lemon pledge or something similar
Works for me.
Those tubes are a pain

Ade,

Keep the plastic covers to protect the prop during transport, but there is definitely a better alternative to use if you like. I'll send you a PM.

I have the black tubes as well, and I corrected my problem by glueing some weight on the inside of the lids on the peanut butter jars. The extra weight was the answer for me.

What type of material can be used that has the same properties that will allow the lifting?

I went to the grocery store and picked out brand with a better "fit" and made my own, still using the rubbery tubes that used to give me problems. Much more convincing look and no worries. Much advice has been given on other forums for working out the problems, but none seemed to work until I went with the DIY method.

On another note, I have several tupperware containers of PB for sale, if anyone's interested

If you don't want a thumb hole, it has to be some kind of rubber material that has some kind of give to it. I didn't like the older black tubes either, they were too sticky, but rubbing some powder on them on the inside did work. I ended up selling mine and buying the kind with the thumb hole. If you want a thumb hole, you can use almost any kind of material, it's just a matter of make it look nice on the outside, which ever way you decide to decorate it.

I personally think the rubber tubes were a bad design from the get go. They do hide the gimmicks, but they are totally unreliable for working in some weather conditions. Performers are often complaining about them as is evident from this and other threads on the same topic. I still say use them to transport the gimmicks in, but don't use them on stage.

There are far easier and reliable, therefore better ways of doing the routine then having to worry is the peanut butter jar going to come out? Or, is a lid going to get stuck and come off? And so on. Use a method that always works and just worry about your presentation.