They have a use! Don't throw away those bad cords!

[bingster]

Got bad handset or mounting cords laying around?  If you do, I could use the lugs and restraints.  ONLY from cords that are shot and unusable--I don't want parts from cords that still have life left in them.  Cloth or rubber, it doesn't matter, just cut the cords behind the restraints, and once you have a handful of the resultant ends, I'll be glad to pay a buck or two plus postage to get them here.

[Dan/Panther]

Bingster I will save them for you...
D/P

[Dennis Markham]

Bingster, on that Silver Imperial I just got the mounting cord is in rough shape at the ends---just what you're talking about.  I have some spade tips that I can put on them but I'd like to cut it back and move the crimp.  I believe the the wires that have been inside the outer jacket may have been preserved.

Is there a secret to removing and then replacing that original strain relief crimp?  Attached is the cord I'd like to repair.

[bingster]

Can I cut here?

Absolutely.  If you can use the restraints, then by all means keep them. 

Is there a secret to removing and then replacing that original strain relief crimp?  Attached is the cord I'd like to repair.

Lugs are difficult to remove, but restraints are very easy.  All you have to do is cut the cordage off clean at each end of the restraint's barrel.  Then, holding the barrel in a pair of pliers, take a drill with a bit that will fit inside the barrel with plenty of room to spare (roughly one-third the size of the barrel's interior space is fine).  Drill completely through the barrel, and with that little bit of space ploughed through the middle, you can take a pair of needle-nosed pliers and pull out the remains of the cordage.  Then it's a simple matter of taking two pairs of needle-nose and opening the restraint far enough that it will slip over a good section of cord.

I think you're right about probably finding good conductors behind the restraint.

[Dennis Markham]

Thank you.  I would imagine that the teeth of the pliers will scratch the surface of the brass.  I guess it doesn't matter in that they will be inside the ringer box anyway and out of sight.  For re-crimping them, do you just use a regular pair of pliers or some kind of cable crimping tool?

[bingster]

You could always use a bit of electrical tape on the restraint or pliers to avoid scratching while holding or opening the restraint, but you'd be surprised by how little scratching you wind up with.

For crimping, I just got this old crimper on ebay.  Do a search for (vintage,antique) (crimping,crimper) every once in a while and see what you can come up with.  I wouldn't recommend using pliers to re-crimp, because you'd definitely wind up with deep scratching.  You might try what Dan did a while back and drill a hole through a pair of needle-nosed pliers.  That would make a perfect crimper.

The ones I got aren't Bell System crimpers, but I lucked out in that the holes are oddly perfect for telephone use.  The three small holes are the perfect size for the three different sized lugs used on telephones, and the largest hole is just right for handset and mounting cord restraints.

[Dan/Panther]

Once you do like Bingster says, and get the old cord out of the restraint.
If you can stand the restraint on it's end, and use a tapered punch, or even a phillips screwdriver tip is tapered a little, you can spread the ends without damage. I use coax cable crimpers to recrimp the restraint without any damage.

D/P

[bingster]

If you can stand the restraint on it's end, and use a tapered punch, or even a phillips screwdriver tip is tapered a little, you can spread the ends without damage.

That's a great idea.  I'll have to try that.

[Dennis Markham]

Thanks for all the tips.  I will give that a try.  Bing, that looks like a very old tool there.  It's very interesting and as you said, perfect for the intended use.

[Dan/Panther]

I made onre for the spade connectors from an old pair of pliers. I measured the diameter of an already crimped connector, then drilled a hole in the pliers the same size. I'll tell you it wasn't easy to drill that hole.
D/P

[Dennis Markham]

Did you use a drill press or a hand held drill??

[McHeath]

He used his LaserVision SuperHero Eyes™ to melt a hole in those pliers.  You get that upgrade when you get to 1000 posts.

[Dan/Panther]

I clamped it in a vise, and drilled it in a drill press.
I used 2 High Speed bits, and one Titanium plated bit to drill through that pair of needle nose. I suggest a carbide tipped drill bit.
D/P

[Dan/Panther]

O.K. so I cheated..
Mere Mortals must use the method I mentioned.

D/P