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500 Dial Face Plate Cleaning

Started by Konrad, January 23, 2009, 10:59:51 AM

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Konrad

One of the 302 weaknesses was the numbers wearing of the faceplate.  The 500 has the markings as solid plastic molded from the back so they can not wear off.  Once I figured that out cleaning was easy.  I just polished it with toothpaste.  Cleaned up really nice.  A soap soak and plastic eyeglass cleaner had not worked on the grime.   

Dennis Markham


Konrad

Any regular white toothpaste works.  I've been using it for years to clean many different projects.

Dennis Markham

Thanks, I like to try out new stuff.  I don't have to floss too, do I??  :)

BDM

The more abrasive no gel types do the best job. Similar to the more abrasive plastic cleaners. Another toothpaste trick I've used for years is removing scratches from glass. NOT TO BE USED ON PAINTED SURFACES. I've run into issues doing that.
--Brian--

St Clair Shores, MI

rp2813

I have used plain white cheap toothpaste on my 10/50 handset.  You can tell it's working because the paste will turn a brownish gray color as you work it over the surface.  Somebody with long fingernails or a ring apparently used this phone a lot and there is a small area on the back of the handset that was scraped repeatedly over the years.  I toothpasted it and was amazed with the results.  Now you have to look at the handset from a certain angle to see the scraped area but you can still feel it when you run your finger over the handset's back.  I'm not inclined to do the sanding process on it.  I may send it to Dennis at some point for that full restorative treatment.  Meanwhile, the toothpaste process can work wonders on bakelite components with minor imperfections.

Ralph
Ralph

Dennis Markham

Ralph, with the Bakelite it is dangerous to sand it.  It won't sand smooth like plastic will.  There is a very thin coat of plastic over Bakelite.  Once removed you will be down to the surface that will never shine up again.  I have sanded Bakelite, especially caps with 2,000 grit wet sand paper to remove the bumps that often develop there.  But one has to be very careful.  So far I have been lucky.  So if your scratches are still outside of the plastic layering it may be better off to leave them there....with Bakelite.  If it was a plastic G3 handset, no problem sanding that surface.

rp2813

Thanks for the information about bakelite Dennis.  I wasn't planning to sand the handset myself.  I would leave it to a pro like you, but it sounds like it's best left as it is, and that's OK with me.

I think the thin plastic coating you mentioned is what has been scratched off of that section of my handset's back.  At this point I don't think toothpaste will improve things any futher than it already has.  Probably the best path forward is to use a gentle polish of some kind on it periodically. 

Ralph
Ralph

mienaichizu

Quote from: Konrad on January 23, 2009, 11:15:48 AM
Any regular white toothpaste works.  I've been using it for years to clean many different projects.

toothpaste trick, that sounds interesting, will also try that