W.E 500 with metal fingerwheel dull plastic

[Charles]

I have an old W.E 500 with metal fingerwheel that I am restoring. I noticed that the black plastic is very dull (almost like a matte finish) on the outside. Inside the plastic is better looking.

What did the original plastic finish look like on these older phones?

Would NOVUS #2 be the right thing to use to polish it?

When were the last W.E. 500s made with metal fingerwheels?

Thanks

Charles

[Tom B]

Charles
Novus 2 should bring the shine back easily. Just keep polishing, and I think you'll be suitably pleased with the result.

[HarrySmith]

According to Pauls site the plastic solid center fingerwheels were introduced in 1962.
The open center ones were used on color sets earlier in the 50's.
Lots of good info on Pauls site: http://www.paul-f.com/

Novus 2 should shine it up real nice!

[jsowers]

From what I've observed, the black metal fingerwheel was used up until 1964-65 on black WE 500s and that's also when the open center clear fingerwheel was replaced on the color 500s with the solid center one.

I've also seen solid center fingerwheels on color 1950s 500s, but they were likely replacements. Clear fingerwheels on black 500s in the 1950s were also likely replacements. One exception was they were standard on the black 500H, P and U because of the dial light.

[Charles]

Thanks everyone for your responses.