I'm halfway there with this one!

[Jester]

I've been hunting for a light beige 500 in soft plastic for awhile, but I ran across this on ebay a couple months ago.  The negative--it is a total mutt, with dates from between 58 & 64, so I knew it wouldn't be all soft parts.  The real downer is that the soft cover, dated 3-28-58, was painted over, probably at the fefurb. center.  This was some tough paint--lacquer thinner only removed a little overspray & made the surface dull.  Back at the drawing board, I checked my other solvents & decided to try the carb./choke cleaner.  It would definitely cut through the paint, but it didn't leave any room for error!  I got sloppy a couple times & paid for it by having some rough patches that I would have to sand out.  After alot of patience, though it turned out pretty decent.  Now, if I could just find a soft plastic handset & thick spring cord for it...

[Dan]

For some reason, the light soft beige was a tough one for me too. I got lucky and found mine @ a flea market for $10. Mine's from 3/59, one of the later date softies (I think after 6/59 most coloured ones are ABS).

I like the rose beige better, but I've yet to get that elusive one (cheaply, that is). Nice find!

[Dennis Markham]

Both are nice phones.  Jester, great job on yours.  Light Beige is one of those colors that seems to be discolored, like Aqua and Pink.

[jsowers]

That's a great job on the paint removal, Jester. It makes me wonder why they ever painted it in the first place. Underneath the paint turned out to be more unfaded than the hard plastic parts. I guess the paint hid the scratches and kept out the UV. I have a few like that myself that I haven't touched yet.

Good luck finding the handset and coil cord.

And Dan, your "late softie" looks good too. That was a very lucky find. Light beige was only made in soft plastic for about two years, 1957-59, so it's not that easy to find. Since we're posting our light beiges, here's mine from 1-58, before and after.

[Dan]

I haven't polished mine up to get the "yellowing "  off. Is this Novus two you are using?Please don't tell me Sandpaper.....

[jsowers]

Dan, if you're asking me, on the housing I use DuPont White Polishing Compound, wipe it off with a damp paper towel, then apply Novus 2 and polish with a dry towel. For the cords I use denatured alcohol. For the fingerwheel I use a toothbrush and hand soap. But mine wasn't yellowed, just a little dirty. I hate sanding and do it as little as possible.

[Dan]

Thanks, is the Dupot product available @ Wallmart, Kmart, or a common place?

[Dan/Panther]

Thanks, is the Dupot product available @ Wallmart, Kmart, or a common place?

The Dupont compound should be available, at most auto parts stores or major retail stores. Sounds like a commercial.
D/P

[Dennis Markham]

I know this sounds like a dumb questions, but will the label read "White" compound, or do I have to take the cover off to find out what color it is?  Do they make a red, etc.?

Jonathan, your Light Beige is very nice.  I want to try the denatured alcohol too.  Where would one find that, drug store?

[jsowers]

Thanks, is the Dupot product available @ Wallmart, Kmart, or a common place?

I don't think so, or at least not around here in NC. I don't think DuPont makes No. 7 Polishing Compound any more. I got a slightly different DuPont product at the local mom and pop auto parts store in a very large can, about the size of half a paint can. I don't have it handy at the moment to give you the exact name. Before I found it, I looked at all the chain auto parts stores and other places like K-Mart. What I found in those stores was a pale imitation of White Polishing Compound by some other brand. It doesn't have the same solvent properties as the DuPont stuff. It's funny, this small auto parts store has been in business for about 30 years, a mile or so from my house, and I went all over creation looking for the stuff and then happened to find it at the nearest place possible. It may be old stock and not available any more. I think it was something like $15 for a very large can.

I'll post the exact name of the product when I get home this evening. If you can find a store that sells auto painting supplies, you might find it there. I looked at DuPont's website and didn't find it. I did look on Amazon and found it for sale, but the shipping is high...

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=no.+7+07610&x=15&y=19

And Dennis, to answer your questions, there was also a red rubbing compound DuPont made. It's even higher grit. I get the denatured alcohol at my local Tru-Value hardware store in a small metal can with a screw top. There is cheaper stuff out there, that sometimes isn't quite as potent.

[jsowers]

I waited for daylight so I could take a couple pictures. The product I use to refinish soft plastic is called DuPont 606 S Extra Fine Lacquer Polishing Compound White. It's probably old stock that the local auto parts store had. I got it about four years ago. I know from the picture it looks even older, but I've used it a lot. It contains a liquid solvent and a polishing compound and I used to use DuPont No. 7 and it's roughly the same thing.

I also included the denatured alcohol and a closeup of the compound can. I've read in places on the internet (not so sure how reliable that is) that DuPont is out of the car finish business now. I couldn't find any evidence of it on their site and googling produces nothing concrete, nor does eBay. So don't get your hopes up.

If anyone is interested, I could go by the store and see if they have any compound left, but the shipping would be high.

FYI, the alcohol is for cleaning the cords only. Don't use it on soft plastic--it will melt it. The compound removes deep embedded dirt, paint drips and light scratching on soft plastic. I let it dry and then remove it with a damp paper towel and then apply Novus 2 and buff with a dry towel.

[Dennis Markham]

Thank you Jonathan for the information.  I'd like to get my hands on some of that white polishing compound.  I'll look around here and see if I can find it, but based upon your investigative work it is doubtful that it would still exist.

It seems that once a product is discontinued it disappears quickly.  I remember when Brasso switched their formula and put it in the plastic squeeze bottle.  I drove all over looking for a few remaining can of the old (good) stuff, to no avail.

[bingster]

You're close enough to Canada to drive over and bring some back.  Brasso is unchanged up there.

[Dennis Markham]

I was disappointed when I first discovered the formula had been changed.  It forced me to switch to an alternative and found Simichrome polish which I like more.  The problem is that it is a bit more expensive.  I used to soak some parts in the old Brasso which was also nice for removing crud from metal.

The next time I head over to Windsor maybe I'll look for a hardware store and pick up a can or two.

[LarryInMichigan]

Please pardon my ignorance, but what does the old Brasso formula do that the new one does not?

Larry