Which retainer A, or B ?

[Dan/Panther]

Which retainer goes with the fingerwheel and dial card ring. Either A or B but not both correct ? Which is older ? A or B ?
D/P

[Dennis Markham]

Dan, either I'm missing something or there needs to be more information here.  A or B?

[Dan/Panther]

Sorry, photo didn't post. Well anyhow take a guess???
D/P

[Jester]

Which retainer goes with the fingerwheel and dial card ring. Either A or B but not both correct ? Which is older ? A or B ?
D/P

Either one is made to work with that ring.  A is older and should be used with a companion notched disk to hold the paper number card flat.  B combines the two pieces needed to use A so that you only need one piece.  I prefer using A on older phones, but it really doesn't matter.  It's a hidden part, so who's gonna know?

[Dennis Markham]

Dan, in addition, part B did come out later and I've found them mostly used with the later production plastic dial card retainer rings.  The early clips (A) were brass colored (don't know if they were actually brass) but later ones seemed to be aluminum.

[Jester]

Dennis,
I've seen the ring, disk & retainer made in brass, aluminum & galvanized steel.  I think the oldest examples were always made of brass, and that the steel examples were made whenever there was a shortage of brass.  I believe the steel version came along before WWII, but it makes sense that it would have been common during that period.  The same goes for steel fingerwheels.  The aluminum examples seem to be most common on phones made from 1949 & later and refurbed sets from that period.

[Jester]

I thought some pictures of the different styles of dial card retainers would prove useful.  The only one not pictured is the chrome ring--I can't find it at the moment.

1)  Brass parts--notice the two different clip shapes.  The one with the straight fingers is the older one.

2)  Aluminum parts--paint does not adhere to this metal as readily as either brass or steel.  I recently acquired the straight fingered clip in the photo.  Most of the examples I've seen have the vee shape in front of the fingers.

3)  Galvanized parts.  All my examples have the vee retainer, but it wouldn't surprise me if they made a straight finger clip in this metal.

4)  Plastic ring with new retainer.  I've also seen this retainer used with a cadmium plated, painted steel ring.

[Dennis Markham]

Very nice post, Stephen.  A great comparison.  I really like the old brass clips.  I like to shine them using Simichrome polish.  I'm sure they tarnish again in no time, but for a short while they look awesome!

[Dan/Panther]

Thanks for the many variations, I'm a little confused as to what you mean by Vee shaped. In the aluminum and brass examples both sets appear the same to me ?
D/P

[bingster]

He means within each type, there's two variations, straight and vee:

[Jester]

Thanks, bingster.  I'm not very good with photoshop--or whatever you used to mark that detail.  That was perfect!