Can you replace suede foot pads on a 1952 510 model?

[Witty]

Hello everyone,
I am a new member to the forum, but have actually been logging on from time to time over this past year.  I really like what I've seen and am especially impressed with the professionalism and respect that everyone gives one another.  That means a lot to me, but more importantly, it displays the character of the forum.  Thank you Dennis for accepting me into the forum.

As the topic states, I have a black 1952 510 Western Electric model with the riveted suede foot pads and a couple of the pads are torn and need to be replaced. First, can they even be repaired, and second, is it worth the trouble and cost to repair them?

Ken

[JorgeAmely]

Welcome to the forum Witty!

Forum members dencins is the resident expert in leather restoration. I am sure he will provide you with pricing and other related information.

This thread has a lot of interesting information about the subject.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=822.0


I hope you enjoy visiting often.

[Dennis Markham]

Ken, we're glad to have you aboard.  Welcome!

As Jorge said, Dennis Hallworth (member name dencins) does excellent work in recovering foot pads.  As the link Jorge provided shows, you can do them yourself.  I have never tried to do them myself however.  I have sent a couple of Model 500 bases to Dennis to have the pads recovered.  His work is excellent and well worth the modest fee he charges.  If you'd like a photos of the ones he did for me I can provide one. 

You can send him a personal message and he'll respond.

If you search his name from the Home page search feature, you'll find several topics about replacing the feet.

~Dennis (The other Dennis)

[Kenny C]

we have 3 kens here now 

[Witty]

Thanks for the welcomes.   And thanks for the quick responses with the links.  When I get a chance I'll contact dencins and see what his fees are.  The pads are still on but there are tears along the edges of two of the feet.  My biggest question then would be if this particular phone's value is worth the cost of the two foot pad repairs.  I'm thinking also, if I only repair two of the pads, will they look much different from the two originals.

Thanks again for all the help and replies and I'll let you know how it goes.

[Dennis Markham]

Ken, what he recommends is having all four replaced.  I had sent him a base with just one pad torn.  He was happy to just replace one but instead recommended I replace all of them.  I'm glad I did.  They all match and the rivets are matching.

He does 302 feet too, but you just have to send the foot pads for those since they're attached by screws and not riveted.

[Witty]

Dennis,
That makes sense to me.  I would think it would be very hard, if not impossible, to match the existing pads exactly.  I emailed him and will wait to get his reply.  I was thinking if I wanted to sell this phone at some point, it might be worth the cost to repair them.  I'll weigh that based on his cost.
Thanks again!

[Witty]

Another very important question.......who do I refer to as Ken #1   

[Kenny C]

Stub1953 then me i am #2 

[bwanna]

welcome, ken...glad to have you aboard. only you can be the judge whether the cost is worth it. my personal opinion is, if the set is for your own collection, yes. if you plan on selling it, then of course you have to weigh the total cost outlay vs probable selling price.. you knew all that, tho, didn't you.

depends on what the criteria is for being #1 ken... top posting ken is kenny c....seniority on the forum is stub...agewise kenny c would be #3. 

[Kenny C]

i am a top poster??? i didnt know that and i am the baby

[dencins]

Dennis,
That makes sense to me.  I would think it would be very hard, if not impossible, to match the existing pads exactly.  I emailed him and will wait to get his reply.  I was thinking if I wanted to sell this phone at some point, it might be worth the cost to repair them.  I'll weigh that based on his cost.
Thanks again!

Ken

From some reason I have not seen your email so I thought I would respond.

The cost to replace the footpads on a 500 is $7.95 for a set of four plus the cost to ship it back to you.  I remove the rivets, replace the felt pad, recover with chocolate suede leather then rivet the footpads back on with new rivets.  The cost of shipping it back to you would be the same as whatever it cost you to ship it to me.

Unfortunately since the 500 needs the base plate to be shipped, a large part of the total cost is shipping so you will need to determine if the total cost is worth it to you.  Some collectors wait until they have several items to be shipped to reduce the shipping cost per unit.  Others have combined with other collectors in their area to reduce shipping cost per item.

Dennis (dencins)

[Witty]

Dennis,
I sent you another email.  Let me know if you get it.  Not sure what happened to the first one, it never came back, so maybe I sent it to the wrong address.  Thanks for the reply in the forum.
Ken

[Dan/Panther]

Ken;
Believe me Dennis is the man. Look at his work on the, "Now the story can be told",  thread.
D/P