My first Western electric 500....

[AE40FAN]

Just purchased my very first black western electric 500.  All dates are 12/53 and the shell/dial are 10/54.  I am experiencing two issues with trying to take this phone apart.  First, I cannot for the life of me remove the handset caps!  I've always used a jar opener and for some reason these caps will not budge?  Also, is there anyway I can remove the suede feet?  They seem to be fastened in not screwed?  Any help would be greatly appreciated as I am eager to open the handset to see if I have similar 53/54 dates!

[AE40FAN]

Also, how do I remove the dial card ring?

[Gilas]

I use a hairdryer on the handset caps for a minute or so and then they slide right off.  The dial card ring you can push down on the top of the ring and kinda toward you and it will release the catch.  You might need to use a screwdriver or something similar to push the latch down to get it off but be careful of scratching the paint etc. Sometimes just your finger will do the trick.  As for the feet, if they are riveted I leave them since I can't put them back, otherwise the older ones will screw in from the bottom.

Mike

[LarryInMichigan]

Another trick for loosening the handset caps is to spray a bit of lubricant (like WD40) into the threads and let it sit for an hour or two.  It tends to dissolve whatever is sticking the parts together.

To remove the dial center card retainer ring, push down the tab on the top side of the ring with a fingernail or plastic object (like a credit card) and pull the ring upward.

Larry

[Greg G.]

One more trick to removing handset caps.  I had one that wouldn't come off even with the hair dryer.  I noticed there was gunk in the crevice between the cap and handset, so I used a dental pick to get it out, then it came right off.  Minus a dental pick, you can probably find something similar to use.

Black 500s, although common, can be real beauties if given a lot of TLC.  If I'm going to buy yet another black 500, I prefer the triangular suede feet.

[Greg G.]

... All dates are 12/53 ....

Dang, just one month off from being my birthday phone!

[AE40FAN]

Trying the WD40 as I don't have a hair dryer...been about an hour and a half with still no luck.  Lol, if anything it's harder to grip and even more slippery! I did manage to get the dial card ring off and everything else is apart.  I bet it will look real nice once everything is clean and polished up!   Hopefully the WD40 won't damage the bakelite?

[LarryInMichigan]

WD40 will not damage the bakelite.  Do you have a strap wrench?  You will probably need one or something similar.  Someone here once discussed using a kitchen tool made for unscrewing tight jar lids.

Larry

[AE40FAN]

I have a kitchen tool for unscrewing tight jar lids that has worked on every single phone with stuck handset caps(bakelite and plastic).  There is just something about this particular handset...

[TelePlay]

I don't have a hair dryer...

Carefully rotating it over the top of a 100 watt Edison light bulb while feeling the plastic with a hand to check the temperature of the plastic handset is another way to heat it up. Takes longer but it does work if you don't have a hair dryer or heat gun.

I use a 8 inch $9 strap wrench from Home Depot which may be similar to the jar opener you have but larger providing more and equal torque around the cap.

http://tinyurl.com/cntjvjk

[jsowers]

Leave the handset on a car dashboard in the sun if you want to heat it up.

I use window cleaner to remove the gunk from the groove around the handset caps, and a paper towel and a fingernail in the groove to try and remove as much as I can, going around and around the groove until there's no dirt coming off on the towel. Then I spray window cleaner into the groove and let it sit for a minute. It's a lot less slippery than WD-40 and you can get a firm grip on the cap.

[AE40FAN]

I went to Home Depot and purchased a 9.00 strap wrench which did the trick! Caps are from 12-57 but, not sure why there is no date in the handset?  Just the numbers 124?  Also, just received a green 500 from ebay today I paid 25 bucks for it.  It's in great shape (minimal scratches and no fading) with baseplate and all innards dating 3-58 and all plastics dating from 66'.  The question I have is...is it Avacado or is it Moss Green?

[TelePlay]

The question I have is...is it Avacado or is it Moss Green?

Glad it worked. From personal experience, that strap wrench has "more power" and has always worked for me, with a little lube first and letting it set for some time before using the wrench.

Now, an interesting question. According to the "56" code on the dial back, it should be Pastel Yellow?

http://www.paul-f.com/wecolors.htm

Did they rebuild dials including changing the faceplate which has a color different than the dial back? Is that possible?

[AE40FAN]

Funny you say that about the #56 being pastel yellow.  Must have been its original housing. On the other side of the dial there are red numbers stamped 11-66 which are also the dates on the handset caps.  Handset and housing both say 66.  I found another number in the handset and the number was 49.  That number means Light Olive Gray.  Is that a rare shade?

[poplar1]

The only thing showing color code on a 500 is the dial. I'm pretty sure WE never made any -49 color 500s. Look in the top of the handset shell behind the receiver and there should be a "clock" (circle)  molded in the Bakelite with the 2-digit year; the months are shown by the lines in the outer rim of the circle.