Well, i'm as amateur as they get, but...
Everybody I know complains when components (metal or hard plastic) start eating at the paint-although some components come with rubber inserts I find that my favorite material has become leather cloth (thin leather with cloth back I use to re-cover books), Cut strips to fit, adhere the ends with one drop of carpenter's glue and voila! Perfect for brake spoons, makes lovely handlebar tape (especially with a lacquer or varnish) and you can remove with a blade or a fingernail under the glued joint.
One recent discovery of mine-after I disassemble cranks from a bottom bracket, I stuff a champagne cork down the seat tube opening with a touch of epoxy, then chemweld a zerk fitting into the weld vent at the bottom of the bracket...after the cranks are reassembled, I never need to remove them again to add grease-I just grab the gun and squeeze until the fittings sweat oil, and I travel with a full reservoir of grease for the bearings at all times! My former neighbor has placed 6,000+ miles on his (formerly my) Emory I modified this way, and since the Emory was my first Mod of this type it remains my guinea pig...if it ever fails i'll document the bearing mileage for the Forum!